SASKATOON May 18 has been declared “Fred Sasakamoose Day” by the province and City of Saskatoon to celebrate the Indigenous hockey trailblazer. He was honoured during a three-part virtual ceremony at SaskTel Centre. Family members, Mayor Charlie Clark and Indigenous chiefs were present to honour Sasakamoose with speeches, gifts and by sharing fond memories of him. He’s known as one of the first Indigenous NHL hockey players and later became involved in Indigenous politics. He died after being infected with COVID-19 in November. The ceremony also celebrated the release of his book “Call Me Indian” which lays out the legacy of Sasakamoose’s life in his own words.
Our forestry sector is a key economic driver and will be a leader of Saskatchewan s post-pandemic recovery efforts, Energy and Resources Minister Bronwyn Eyre said. Forestry is an important sector for many communities in Saskatchewan and supports thousands of jobs, while producing important products that we all use, including tissue paper, cabinetry, and housing construction materials. Forestry is currently northern Saskatchewan s largest sector, supporting nearly 8,000 jobs. There are seven major primary forest products facilities that produce lumber, OSB and pulp, and over 200 smaller businesses that supply a variety of primary and secondary forestry products. Hundreds of supply chain businesses also provide goods and services for forestry manufacturers, including in road construction, logging, trucking, reforestation and forest management.
Sask. forestry industry sees record sales and potential for increased growth
Saskatchewan’s forest industry is having a bounce-back year, seeing 30 percent increase in sales.
Recent statistics suggest that over $1.1 billion worth of forest products sold in 2020.
In northern Saskatchewan, 8000 people work in the forestry sector, with seven major companies producing lumber and pulp.
Saskatchewan is also home to the largest, 100 per cent First Nations-owned forest products mill in Canada, and Indigenous people comprise over 27 per cent of the province’s total forestry sector workforce – the highest of any province.
There are also dozens of Indigenous-owned forestry businesses, ranging from saw mills and timber harvesting operations to road construction, trucking and reforestation.
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Some reading this article may know me well. I grew up in Saskatoon, did my undergraduate degree at the University of Saskatchewan, worked for several years in Regina for a former premier of Saskatchewan and later as an intergovernmental relations specialist. My parents and sister live in Saskatchewan, and I return to the north every summer with my daughters to reconnect with the land and waters.
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Good governments strive to be sensitive to the needs and aspirations of everyone and all regions, because that’s who they represent. That is what it means to be a national government. The commitment to this idea has guided me personally throughout my six years in Ottawa including since being appointed Canada’s minister of environment and climate change two years ago.