Saskatchewan News

A 26-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of an 18-year-old woman in Grandmother's Bay on Nov. 2, Saskatchewan RCMP say.

Supplementary power source feeds Poplar House District complex.

Legion supports second-year university student.

Paving, sidewalks and accessibility improvements completed over the construction season.

Curling Canada says, "The community came together to create an incredible experience for everyone attending Canadian Mixed Curling."

Bursaries encourage the next generation of entrepreneurship and support economic development.

Special cookie sales begin Nov. 17.

SASKATOON — Premier Scott Moe has received more than 80 per cent support from members at his Saskatchewan Party's convention. Read More

Matching funding for the playground that was constructed in July.

Tips to ensuring frozen compostable waste doesn’t stick to interior.

Students lead powerful new art installation at First Nations University of Canada.

By Susan McNeil The Métis grandfather of a Prince Albert man hated Nazism so fiercely that he not only signed up to fight in the Second World War, he also fought the government for the right to join in the first place. Jim Brady was initially denied entry into the Armed Forces because he was considered a communist, but after persisting he was accepted in June 1943. Read more:

• Quartet honours former pilot, musician with Remembrance Day tribute
• ‘A lifelong reflection’: Legislative building hosts Remembrance Day ceremony

John Brady McDonald, Jim’s grandson, never met his grandfather but has spent a lot of time learning about him. “He wanted to fight because he was such a strident and strong anti-fascist. He despised Nazism. He despised Hitler,” said McDonald. “He knew from what he could see the horrors that fascism was bringing to Europe.” “They actually refused to let him serve, and he had to fight to get in to fight.” Jim Brady. (Glenbow Archives/Submitted to PANow) Brady enlisted as a gunner in the Royal Canadian Artillery and saw action in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. He was also in Germany before returning to Canada the year after the war ended. He was not just a fighter in a global conflict, though he became a well-known figure to Métis people in Saskatchewan and Alberta for leading the groups into some uncharted waters. Brady was a founding member of both the Métis Nation of Alberta and Métis Nation-Saskatchewan. He grew up in Alberta but moved to northern Saskatchewan after his military service ended. That’s why his family went through the effort of having a headstone cenotaph installed at Batoche, 50 km south of Prince Albert — now a national historic site, but home to Saskatchewan’s Métis people since 1884. “My grandfather Jim Brady is one of the most well-known, greatest and is considered one of the greatest Métis leaders in Canadian history,” McDonald explained. Brady kept a diary of his military service in Europe, which now sits at the Glenbow Museum and Archive in Calgary, and is still studied by military historians to this day. He spent his working career as a conservation officer for the Department of Natural Resources. He lived in Deschambault Lake, Cumberland House and La Ronge. Brady’s body isn’t under the cenotaph nor is it in a graveyard. It’s believed to be at the bottom of Lower Foster Lake, further north, after he went missing in June 1967, along with Absolum Halkett from La Ronge. The circumstances were mysterious, according to his grandson and the Canadian Encyclopedia, which has a lengthy article on his life. An extensive search of the lake did not result in any success. The men were gone, but their camp remained at the shore along with their canoes in the water. If and when his body is recovered, his family plans to lay him to rest in Batoche. “There were many options open for us to have a memorial headstone for him,” McDonald said. Brady made his mark across western Canada, but McDonald said one of his aunts summed it up best when she said he belongs at Batoche because he belongs to the Métis Nation. Service a family tradition Like many families, military service is not limited to one member. McDonald had two great uncles who were in the Second World War and fought at Vimy Ridge, one of whom died in the battle. His remains were never found and are still there. The other uncle was given a medal and later became one of the founding members of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). The Mistawasis Nêhiyawak community sent 18 of their young men off to war, including McDonald’s cousin Harvey Dreaver. Historians believe Dreaver was the first Indigenous soldier and a sergeant with the Regina Rifles to land on Juno Beach on D-Day. He was killed in action in October 1944 during the Battle of the Leopold Canal. Another great uncle fought in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily in 1943 and was wounded. McDonald himself and his triplet daughters have all gone through the cadet program. One of those daughters is now one of the highest-ranked cadets in Canada, and another is in the Raven Program, ranked as a Seaman Third Class in the Royal Canadian Navy. “The work they do through the cadet program and through the Raven program is amazing, and I’m very, very proud of what they’ve done and what they’ve achieved.” McDonald’s step-grandfather from Muskoday Cree Nation was in the Royal Canadian Engineers, signing up as a 40-year-old and helping liberate a concentration camp after also being part of the Juno Beach landing. Canada will celebrate Remembrance Day on Nov. 11 and Indigenous Veterans Day today. Near Prince Albert, Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation held a ceremony that included a roll call, honour song, flag raising, wreath laying, a victory song and a Royal Canadian Air Force flyby. Read more:

• Quartet honours former pilot, musician with Remembrance Day tribute
• ‘A lifelong reflection’: Legislative building hosts Remembrance Day ceremony

by Brieanna Charlebois VANCOUVER — John Moses says that when his father Russell Moses returned on leave from the Korean War, his battles weren’t over. When the Indigenous residential school survivor came back to Canada in 1952, he was turned away from a bar in Hagersville, Ont., because of his race, his son said. Read more:

• Quartet honours former pilot, musician with Remembrance Day tribute
• ‘A lifelong reflection’: Legislative building hosts Remembrance Day ceremony

“That was not unique,” said John Moses, a member of the Delaware and Upper Mohawk bands from Six Nations of the Grand River, and himself a third-generation member of the Canadian Armed Forces. His father, who served in the navy during the Korean War and later joined the air force, died in 2013, while his grandfather Ted Moses was a mechanic with the air force in Ontario during the Second World War. “The irony of the situation was never lost on newly returned veterans,” said Moses, a communicator research operator with the Armed Forces in the 1980s before working at the Canadian Museum of History as director for repatriation and Indigenous relations. “After having fought abroad for the sovereignty of small nations overseas, they come back to a country within which we still, at that point, did not enjoy the same range of civil and political rights as other Canadians.” Canada marks Indigenous Veteran’s Day today, shining a spotlight on wartime experiences that historian Scott Sheffield says was a place where some would find a sense of belonging, away from racism at home. Indigenous Veterans Day began as a grassroots movement in Winnipeg in 1993, but has since grown to be nationally recognized, with Sheffield calling it a “logical precursor to Remembrance Day” on Nov. 11. A political statement for some Sheffield, an associate professor in history at the University of the Fraser Valley in B.C., said many ask why Indigenous people would choose to fight for a country that marginalized them. He said the reasons varied according to the individual and the war, and in many cases, Indigenous fighters volunteered for the same reasons as others, such as adventure or economic reasons. But, for some, he said it was a political statement. “By enlisting, they were sort of declaring their right to belong, to be part of Canadian society,” he said. One example was Tommy Prince, one of Canada’s the most decorated Second World War veterans, who “famously went to war to prove that an Indian was as good as any white man.” “He served his whole career with that kind of chip on his shoulder to prove himself a superb soldier, which he did in spades, but it was partly to make that statement,” Sheffield said. He said the “most consistent thread” to emerge from the Indigenous wartime experience was that serving “stripped away a lot of the prejudice” Indigenous soldiers faced in Canadian daily life. “If you were sharing a foxhole with the guy, you only cared about his character, if you had confidence that he’d have your back, and that was something I think, that Indigenous men really came to prize — that they garnered respect for their character and their ability as soldiers, and that was really the main thing they took away from that experience,” he said. But stories also echoed Russell Moses’ experience — the camaraderie seemed to vanish back home. “They expected that acceptance to continue after the war, to be honest, and that was more disillusioning, because they returned home to a Canada where, in many ways, with their uniform off, they were still — in their words — ‘just an Indian again,'” said Sheffield. He said many Indigenous veterans of the Second World War signed up to again serve the Korean War, “maybe to recapture some of that sense of acceptance and purpose again.” Number of Indigenous veterans may be understated The federal government says on its veterans website that more than 4,000 Indigenous people served in uniform during the First World War, in a “remarkable response,” that saw one in three able-bodied men volunteer. Communities including the Head of the Lake Band in B.C. saw every man aged between 20 and 35 enlist. The veterans site says more than 3,000 First Nations people served in the Second World War. But Sheffield said that may be understated. “There was nowhere in the records where they recorded a person’s ethnicity or race,” said Sheffield, who believes as many as 4,300 Indigenous soldiers served in the Second World War. The government acknowledges unfair treatment of Indigenous soldiers, noting many thought their sacrifice would “improve rights and standing in Canada.” That, it concedes, did not happen and “has had lasting physical and social effects for Indigenous veterans and their communities.” As reconciliation efforts have gained momentum in recent years, so has a push to recognize Indigenous veterans, both on Nov. 8 but also through an initiative called the Last Post Fund Indigenous Initiative. The fund has been in existence since 1909 with the mission of ensuring no veteran is denied a dignified funeral and burial, and a military gravestone. The Indigenous Veterans Initiative began in March 2019, and to date, it says more than 265 grave markers have been ordered and placed, while 24 Indigenous community researchers across the country search for more unrecognized veterans’ graves. Among the researchers is Floyd Powder, who spent 32 years in the Canadian Armed Forces before retiring in 2013. He identifies graves of Indigenous veterans who lack a headstone. He said each marker should include an Indigenous symbol or language. “It shows the family that Veterans Affairs Canada and the Last Post Fund recognizes their service and honours them by having those considerations of symbol and language on their headstone,” he said in an interview. Veterans Affairs Canada, which helps to fund the project, said in a statement that celebrating Indigenous Veterans Day took nothing away from Remembrance Day. “It does not replace or supersede Remembrance Day in any way — it instead enhances Veterans’ Week commemorations by shining a spotlight on the tremendous history of Indigenous service,” it said in a statement. Sheffield said Nov. 8 serves as a reminder of the mutual respect and camaraderie felt by soldiers, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, as they served alongside one another long before reconciliation efforts began. “I think those are things maybe we should also take to heart, and that might help us as we’re walking a path of reconciliation and trying to find a way to successfully and respectfully coexist in our country going forward.” Read more:

• Quartet honours former pilot, musician with Remembrance Day tribute
• ‘A lifelong reflection’: Legislative building hosts Remembrance Day ceremony

By Susan McNeil A Saskatchewan woman who has been a longtime advocate for Indigenous rights, mental health and trauma-informed care has won a prestigious award from the United Nations. Brenda Reynolds is one of two people to be given the Nelson Mandela Award, which is only handed out every five years to recipients who reflect the South African leader’s legacy. It is given to one man and one woman, but one of them must be from Africa. Read more:

• Indigenous leaders say federal budget falls short on health care, education
• Listen to Meeting Ground with David Kirton
• Lack of ER support tops health complaints list for First Nations patients

“I was just completely, completely honoured to be selected and, for a prize under his name. To be awarded it and being from a reserve in Saskatchewan, from Fishing Lake, is just absolutely unbelievable and extraordinary,” said Reynolds. She first became known for her advocacy in 1988, when she helped 17 teenage girls in the first residential school sexual abuse case in Saskatchewan at George Gordon First Nation. “Back in 1988, when I was first working with students at Gordon’s Indian Residential School when it was still open, there were 17 girls that disclosed to me and the RCMP constable that they were being sexually abused by a staff member,” Reynolds said. That led to the very first charge of abuse in a residential school in Saskatchewan, which in turn led to the largest class action lawsuit in Canada, the Indian Residential School Settlement, and that led to her being named a special advisor to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission where she helped shape survivor support and trauma responses. She has also developed a health support program from that experience, which provides culturally-grounded mental health care for residential school survivors and their families. It was the first of its kind in the world. Breaking new ground is still not in Reynolds’ past. She is the first Canadian and the first Indigenous person in the world to get the Mandela Award. “Brenda is the first Indigenous person to receive this award,” said Betty Nippi-Albright, a Saskatoon MLA and Saskatchewan NDP critic for mental health and addictions. She hosted a reception in Reynolds’ honour on Nov. 6 in Regina. “She is an inspiration to us all. I’m sure I can speak for everyone when I say I can’t wait to see what Brenda does next,” said Nippi-Albright. The selection committee included Philemon Yang, President of the General Assembly, and representatives from Egypt, Finland, Poland, Bahrain and the permanent representative from South Africa, Mandela’s home country. “To be recognized for that was really, really amazing because I’ve always admired Nelson Mandela and the work it is that he has done in terms of peace and reconciliation. Not only that, but the way that he did it was just admirable,” Reynolds said. Reynolds said she has always seen a lot of parallels between South Africa and Canada and that has helped the award resonate with her. Reynolds is a status treaty member of the Fishing Lake Saulteaux First Nation, which is southeast of Humboldt. Reynolds grew up on a reserve and at age 66, her life’s work in her chosen field of social work has all been on one reserve or another. She still works on a reserve and is getting ready to defend her doctoral thesis. Given her inevitable position as a role model for younger women, especially those living on reserves like she has done, Reynolds has some words of advice based on her own childhood influences. “As a child I was already interested in human behaviour and trying to understand human behaviour. My grandmother Violet was the one that taught me about that. I swear she would have been a psychologist if she was even allowed to go to university at the time.” Follow your curiosity, is her message. “It’s in the understanding of why and how it is that we live as Indigenous people that has led me to what it is I have done, so follow your curiosity, ask questions and learn.” Being a life-long learner is a valuable trait and one she takes to heart, pursuing her doctorate in her 60s. “I’m 66 but I’m still in school. I’ll never stop learning. I really believe that following what it is that is interesting to you and don’t let any barriers prevent you from doing something it is that you’re interested in.” In 2023, Reynolds was invited by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union to share her expertise on trauma and cultural genocide. She shares the 2025 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize with Kennedy Odede, who went from living on the streets at age 10 in Kenya to becoming one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2024. Read more:

• Indigenous leaders say federal budget falls short on health care, education
• Listen to Meeting Ground with David Kirton
• Lack of ER support tops health complaints list for First Nations patients

Data provided by provincial crop reports show good production and quality, with the exception of durum.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Saskatoon Police Service at 306-975-8300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Those who have undergone successful corrective procedures for irregular heart beats may no longer need to commit to long-term blood thinning therapy, an international study co-led by Canadian researchers suggests.

Those who have undergone successful corrective procedures for irregular heart beats may no longer need to commit to long-term blood thinning therapy, an international study co-led by Canadian researchers suggests. Researchers behind the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine say the discovery could potentially alter the clinical care of millions of people around the world. The randomized study involved more than 1,200 patients who had undergone an ablation for atrial fibrillation, a procedure that involves altering the electrical signals in the heart through the use of a catheter. The randomized trial then compared how one group reacted to taking rivaroxaban, a commonly prescribed anticoagulant, with another prescribed low doses of aspirin. “The guidelines have said that even if your doctor does an ablation and feels it's successful, you should continue your blood thinners for life,” said Dr. Atul Verma, a senior cardiovascular scientist based at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal who co-led the trial. “We decided to do this trial to see if this was actually necessary.” Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia and affects one per cent of all Canadians, and five per cent of those above the age of 65, he said. After following the patients over the course of three years, researchers found there was no significant difference in the rates of stroke and embolism, the obstruction or blockage of blood vessels, between the two groups. “We were a little surprised by the results,” Verma said. “It appears that atrial fibrillation ablation, when successful, not only lowers the amount of atrial fibrillation, but also seems to drastically lower the risk of stroke.” Brain MRIs were also conducted on patients at the beginning of the study and the end three years later to look for signs of silent strokes, he said, which revealed low rates between both groups. "The rate of stroke or silent stroke in these patients was really, really low," Verma said. "It was so low that we could not detect any difference between continuing blood thinners or going on aspirin." That brain imaging revealed that after three years, 96 per cent of patients showed no signs of silent strokes, he highlighted. Anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners, work to prevent blood clots from forming, but have been known to cause bleeding. That could include excessive bleeding from cuts, blood in the urine, or heavy menstrual bleeding. Verma said many patients are eager to get off them, since the bleeding they can cause, say in the instance of an accident, can be life-threatening. "The first thing they ask is, can I stop this blood thinner? I like to go skiing, I like to work in my garage, I'm at risk of bleeding by taking these things," Verma said. "And now for a certain substantial portion of those patients, I think we can say, yes you can." Dr. David Birnie, a professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, and the head of its Ottawa Heart Institute, which was involved in the study, called the findings a "game-changer." "Our results show that one year after a successful ablation, the risk of stroke is so low that the downsides of continuing blood thinners outweigh the benefits, meaning many patients can safely stop," Birnie, who also co-led the trial, said through a press release. Over 50 cardiovascular research centres across Canada, Europe, China and Australia were involved, a collaboration coordinated by Dr. George Wells, the director of cardiovascular research at the Ottawa Heart Institute. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. Jean-Benoit Legault, The Canadian Press

A moment-by-moment look at the Canadian Football League Western Final between the B.C. Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium

SASKATOON — Premier Scott Moe has received more than 80 per cent support from members at his Saskatchewan Party's convention. Organizers of the gathering did not provide Moe's exact approval rating percentage.