Former Prince Albert Grand Council chief passes away
The Prince Albert Grand Council is mourning the loss of Ron Michel.
According to a press release from the tribal council Tuesday, the former PAGC grand chief passed away Monday night at the age of 69.
Michel also served as chief of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation for more than 20 years.
He was currently serving as a member of the PAGC Senate.
The release says Michel had been married to his wife Nancy for over 50 years.
(PHOTO: Former Prince Albert Grand Council grand chief Ron Michel (left) passed away on Monday night at the age of 59. File photo.)
SASKATOON A long time Indigenous leader in Saskatchewan has died. Ron Michel was 69 years old when he died late Monday night, according to the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC). Michel was the grand chief of the PAGC for 12 years and spent over 20 years as chief of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN). He also served two years as a band councillor. “There are some leaders who simply command respect, not only because they display a determined, fierce and confident attitude in their cause, but because they display this vision of determination, fierceness and confidence that is driven by compassion and a deep love for the people,” PAGC said in a news release.
There are 240 new cases of COVID-19 to report today, bringing the provincial total to 22,416 cases.
One Saskatchewan resident who tested positive for COVID-19 has died. The individual was from the North Central Zone and in the 80+ age group.
Of the new cases, the northern numbers are 17 in the Far North West, two in the Far North Central, three in the Far North East, 33 in the North West, 12 in the North Central, and 36 in the North East.
Three cases with pending residence information were assigned to the North West (one), North Central (one), and South East (one) zones.
One previously reported case was deemed to be out-of-province and removed from the count for Saskatoon.
The province administered 1,448 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine Thursday, bringing the total amount to 31,275.
As of Jan. 22, the province said 96 per cent of the doses received were administered in Saskatchewan.
The doses were administered in the following zones: Regina (381), Saskatoon (202), Far North West (10), Far North Central (four), Far North East (10), North East (22), North Central (101), North West (358), Central East (73) and South East (287) zones. An additional 46 doses, not previously reported, were administered in Saskatoon on January 20.
Pfizer’s Feb.1 allocation to Saskatchewan has been confirmed to be 5,850 doses. Moderna shipments are expected for Feb.1 1 (6,500 doses) and will be distributed to the Far North West, Far North East, North East and Central West; and Feb.22 (7,100 doses) and will be distributed to the Far North East, North East and Central East.
Don t let this virus make you shorten your life, Gerald McKenzie said. If we don t take the vaccine, we re opening ourselves up to that virus because it s not going to go away. That virus is going to stay.
I want you to do the same thing watch your grandchildren grow up.
- Gerald McKenzie
McKenzie said people understand in general that when enough of them are vaccinated things can return to normal. He said the community currently has 16 active cases. However, some misinformation is being shared that people will get really sick or turn into a zombie. [It] will help prevent you from getting sick with COVID-19 and passing it on to other people and to our grandchildren, McKenzie said.