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FREE
I N S A S K AT O O N
$1.00 US/CANADA
NOVEMBER 2004
THIRD ISSUE
T H E # 1 V O I C E O F N AT I V E Y O U T H !
PLUS:
SNTC’s
Love Songs
From A War Drum
Play Review
INSIDE:
“You’re Fired!”
Why Everyone Should
Watch The Apprentice
Taxation Terror
To be free, or not to be free
Are We Slowly Losing Our Rights?
49er Review
RezX 49erReview
If you missed it, don’t worry
We got the inside story
EXCLUSIVE!
BREACH OF TRUST
Saskatchewan’s Own Hard Rock Band is Back
with a New CD & a Couple of New Faces!
ALSO INSIDE: DJ SUGAR DADDY’S TOP 25
INDIAN LOVE • YOUR FUTURE IS HERE GALA
2
Editor’s Note
RezX is a division of RezX Publications
By Angella McKay
CEO & Publisher:
Chris Tyrone Ross
Photo by Mike Gosselin
Editor-In-Chief:
Angella McKay
Tansi once again. Isn’t it amazing
how everything evolves with time?!
That’s the beauty of life on this
Earth; the state of things is always
changing, growing and expanding.
Just like RezX! So, welcome to issue
number three.
Now that I’ve gotten a little bit
better at this job, my life has settled
into a nice routine of only mild chaos
and madness. I love it! My sons are
developing nicely into fine young
Aboriginal youth, and all the other
children I am currently taking care of
are happy and healthy. The weather
is absolutely beautiful and everyone
is rejoicing with the coming of
winter. O.K., so maybe that last bit
was a little off. Truth is . . . I love
winter! There, I’ve admitted it.
Winter is my favourite season of the
year. Yes, I will admit that I have a
tendency to act a little nuts
sometimes but this isn’t that
outrageous. I guess it’s just in my
northern blood . . . I heard
somewhere along the way that there
might be some Inuit in me. I have
even given my eldest son a middle
name that means winter.
I know you think I’m just slightly
crazy, but I honestly feel that
wintertime is ultimately the most
enjoyable time of the year. Why?
Well, for one thing, there are no
bugs. I hate bugs. Don’t get me
wrong; I’m not scared of them or
anything. They’re just a disgustingly,
creepy part of life I’d rather live
without . . . and I can do that in
winter. Secondly, I like the feeling of
cleanliness that a fresh snow brings.
Looking out the window and seeing
nothing but a sparkling whiteness,
it’s just so nice and pure and
peaceful.
Wintertime also gives me a
chance to get to know my family as
well as myself a little bit better.
Everyone is stuck indoors all winter
long with nothing to do but spend
time together. So ultimately you’re
going to end up talking to one
another and the more you learn
about your family and close friends,
the more you learn about yourself,
right? Also, my most favouritest
holiday ever is in winter, Christmas! I
totally love Christmastime,
especially now that I have kids of my
own to experience it with. And this
year I can get a tree because my
baby is past the ‘shove everything I
see into my mouth’ stage.
Oh, and winter sports are more
exciting than summer sports.
Anyone who straps themselves to a
little piece of wood and goes flying
down a twisting, icy slope, face-first,
has got to have a lot of fricken guts
(and no qualms about dying a
horrible death). Skating,
tobogganing, snowman building;
these are all things that bring the
family together and contribute to a
healthy lifestyle. Two for the price of
one!
Last but not least, there is no big
deal about being slim, trim and
looking hot in the wintertime.
Everyone is walking around with,
like, five layers of clothing on all the
time. Never mind looking hot. You’re
just trying your darndest to stay
moderately warm. It’s great! I don’t
have to worry about shaving my legs
or getting a nice tan because I’m
going to be completely covered
(along with the rest of the country),
for the next, oh say, six months. Yay!
Oh, and I can put my kids to bed
earlier because the sun sets at
suppertime . . . not that I’d actually
do that . . . but I could if I wanted to.
Hey, sometimes a woman just needs
an extra hour to herself at night.
Alone time doesn’t happen enough
during the day. In the summertime
the kids want to stay up until all
hours of the evening because the
sun is still out. You can’t put a kid to
bed when the sun is still in the sky.
It’s just not right.
Anyway, I know there is someone
out there who shares my feelings. I
met him one winter day while sitting
on a bench in the park, in my
snowsuit. I never got to see his face
but if you’re reading this right now
then same time and place as last
year. Kitwam.
Director of Promotions/Marketing:
David Knight
Desktop Publishing:
Apex Graphics Ltd.
RezX Writing Crew:
Cheryl Clay
Kerry Girling
Kevin Wesaquate
DJ Sugar Daddy
Matthew Spencer
Eric Tyson
Darla Ried
Lena Suzanne
Contact Information:
RezX Publications
Suite 600-224 4th Ave South
Saskatoon, SK S7K 5M5
Phone: 306-343-3533
Fax: 306-933-4633
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: www.rezx.ca
Circulation: 10,000 Copies
Estimated Readership: 40,000
Marketing Demographic: Ages 16-34
Subscriptions available upon request
Discounts for schools and organizations
Disclaimer:
RezX is not responsible for any negative impact our
magazine may have on its readers. The opinions of
our writers are not necessarily those of RezX
Publications or RezX Magazine. Any advertising,
pictorial, or editorial content cannot be reproduced,
republished, or reprinted without the expressed
written permission of the publisher.
Apology: In Issue #2, we did not give proper photo
credit to Harvey Knight who captured the front cover
of Eekwol, therefore we apologize.
The Indigenous Student Council
& RezX Promotions Present...
t
AL
1sANNU
-mas
@
Featuring:
Saskatoon’s Two Hottest DJs
Together for One Night Only
DJ Scott Turner & DJ Sugar Daddy
and special guest hosts
SANTA CLAUS & MRS. CLAUS
Door Prizes Every Hour!
&
X-MAS GAMES!
“If you enjoyed the RezX 49er
then you’ll love the RezX-mas!”
Only 200 Advance Tix Available!
For Tix Call ISC @966-2505 or
RezX @ 343-3533
(Free Christmas Gift with each advance ticket)
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4TH/04
Tentative Date - Subject to Change
ID Required 19+
3
Publisher’s Word:
3
“It’s Not Personal.
It’s Strictly Business.”
By Publisher, Chris Tyrone Ross
making sacrifices, difficult decisions,
creating new partnerships, and
moving up the corporate ladder in
this jungle we call the business
world. It's almost like being an
employee in a huge corporation; you
start from the bottom and work your
way to the top.
It has come to a point where I
have to make some life-long
decisions, even though I'm only 24.
In my research I've found that some
of the most successful young
entrepreneurs in their mid-20s, knew
what they wanted and went for it.
Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Ted
Turner, Donald Trump, and even
Sean "P-Diddy" Combs, were once
in this situation. That's not to say I'll
be as successful as them, but maybe
I can break away from the
stereotype that Saskatchewanians,
or even Aboriginals for that matter,
cannot reach this level of
achievement.
Then again, at the end of the day,
how do you define success? For
many people, it's like asking them
how they define heaven. Both
answers would probably be parallel
in the end. For me, success is
basically being happy with what I
have and knowing that I can never
stop achieving. For others, success
might be about having a family, a
home, and a career. I honestly
believe success is self-defining
based on your own vision for the
future.
I also believe that too many
skeptics try to define success for
our Aboriginal youth. Too many
leaders try to throw education down
our throats like it's the only route.
They also try to explain that having
a job is the only key to
independence. I can agree with
them on many of those points, but
what about business? Since not
many leaders make an effort to
teach our youth that business is the
perfect alternative, I will make it my
goal to do so. RezX is the perfect
example that you can succeed being
young and running a business.
To all the eager up-and-coming
young entrepreneurs, take
advantage of the programs out there
Photo by Ron Pelly
With every edition of RezX, I've
found there's always a bigger story
than the cover story–the inside story.
With Issue #1, it was about my
return to the publishing business.
With Issue #2, it was about the
teamwork of Aboriginal youth
writers we called the RezX Crew.
Now with Issue #3, a new story is
taking shape.
So far, people have come and
gone leaving behind lasting
impressions. At one time, our head
office was filled with around six
Aboriginal youth working on
different projects on a daily basis. I
started to realize how difficult it was
to micro-manage a group of up-andcoming young entrepreneurs. So I
had to make a decision: either get a
bigger office or cut my ties and move
on. Unfortunately, I had to end some
great relationships, but it was
nothing personal, strictly business. I
hope that some day we'll do
business again.
So here I am with another edition
of RezX and a new chapter. This time
the story is all about business:
for you. Go on-line and type in these
key words: the Canadian Youth
Business Foundation, Aboriginal
Business Canada, The Youth
Business Program, The
Opportunities Fund. The
government and their business
partners are investing billions into
the Aboriginal youth sector, and like
Uncle Sam, they want you!
If there's any group in society that
can lead tomorrow's economy, it's
Aboriginal Youth! So just remember,
it's never personal, it's strictly
business, and by the way . . .
Issue #3 has arrived!
Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation
MBC Network Radio
has arrived
in Saskatoon and area
at 104.1 on your FM dial
With the following programming for youth:
“The Haul Home” 4-6 PM Monday-Friday
Top 40, Rock & Contemporary
And songs you won’t hear on conventional radio
“Evening Rock Request Show” 6-9 PM Monday-Friday
You pick the music for 2 solid hours
“The High Five” 5 PM Friday
A countdown of the week’s 5 hottest rock tracks
and the Pick to Click upcoming hit
“Hits of the 70s” 3-4 PM Saturday and Sunday
Take a musical journey back to the classics of the 70s
“Hits of the 80s” 4-5 PM Saturday & Sunday
Go retro with the greatest tunes of the 80s
“The Rewind” Saturday 8-9 PM
A seamlessly mixed hour of party music from the 80s and 90s
Retro, old school and classic dance
“Club Radio Dance Top 10” Saturday 9-10 PM
The hottest Dance, House, Euro hits from around the world
“Saturday Night House Party” Saturday 10 PM-2 AM
Saskatchewan’s Hip Hop, R&B, Rap, Urban and Rock headquarters
Co-hosted by youth in various communities
A Missinipi Youth Foundation Initiative
For more info
or to listen on-line,
www.mbcradio.com
4
Breach of Trust is Back With a “Bad Trip”
William Aubut - Drums
Marty Ballentyne - Vocals/guitars
Brent Stutsky - Bass
Dean Zabolotney - Guitars/vocals
"I think there's something about
our region–Northern
Saskatchewan–this isolated part of
the country where very few people
visit and where there's a distinct
culture, rooted in hunting and
gathering–that forms our
perspective. Like us, the lyrics come
from a different place," says singer
Marty Ballentyne. "This is a unique
area, a constellation of towns,
villages and reserves that together
form a community, populated by
Cree, Dene, and Metis, where the
day-to-day life of the people is
foreign to most Canadians. Plus,
growing up two hours from the
nearest town and four hours from
the nearest city, you start paying
dues the moment you play a gig
somewhere other than the two bars
or the Elks Hall in your town."
"Northern Saskatchewan" is the
town of La Ronge, which is,
admittedly, a long way from–well,
just about everywhere. But as other
bands from Nowhere, Canada, have
proven (cf. Nickelback, 3 Days Grace,
among others), all you need to be
heard across the universe is three
chords and an attitude. In that
regard, Breach of Trust is wellequipped to attack the stages and
stereos of the world.
Carefully crafted at their world
headquarters, Breach of Trust's
second album–a self-titled major
label affair–is the next step in the
evolution of the first heavy rock
band to ever break out of Northern
Canada. With shades of everything
from RATM and STP to the RHCP and
the DKs (not to mention Dean's love
of an obscure micro-genre known as
"Japanese war metal") in their music
and lyrics the band has all the
attitude they will ever need.
BoT started far above the tree line
with Marty and William. In the late
80s, they had a band called Tobacco
Road, a scrappy bunch who learned
the ropes by playing one of the
roughest club circuits in the entire
world. A view of the world below the
50th parallel came mainly via old
issues of Rolling Stone and Creem,
introducing Marty to Iggy Pop, Jane's
Addiction and especially Fugazi. In
fact, one of Marty's best moments
was the day he received a personal
reply to a letter he sent to Ian
MacKaye with some advice and
encouragement for Marty's DIY
aspirations.
"Along with providing lyrical
direction, the DIY spirit of punk gave
us the juice to make and release a
record. It seemed unlikely–ridiculous,
even–that a major label would ever
give us a first look, let alone a
second. So we set out to do our own
thing."
In 1995, the band (after being
renamed Breach of Trust) released
Dead Issue, their debut EP. "We
were just learning to write songs,"
remembers Marty. "We were
contemplating our roots, so the
music reflects those themes."
Five more years of writing and
touring followed before the group
Then original guitarist Cheech
Cheechoo felt the need to check out
other opportunities. Fortunately,
before Zane left, he directed the
band's attention to his roommate,
the guy who would eventually
mid-90s band called Salvador
Dream) hadn't provided some much
needed guidance and inspiration."
"We really learned to edit and rework ideas during this record. 'Give
You Up' underwent at least three
issued their first major label, the
acclaimed Songs for Dying Nations
in 2000. The band was very pleased
with that effort. Marty: "The
production is better, the song writing
is more concise and I think the
lyrical approach was more focused.
It was really a unified endeavour."
The next four years saw the
members scatter–La Ronge, Calgary,
Vancouver-regrouping as often as
possible in the woodshed to write
and rehearse. There was a bass
player crisis in April 2002 when
original member Zane Kryzanowsky
decided to go back to school.
Fortunately, the problem basically
solved itself when Calgarian Brent
Stutsky saw a MuchMusic newsflash
about how BoT was looking for a
new bassist. Brent had been a fan of
the group ever since they crossed
paths at an all-ages show in
southern Alberta. Calling up Marty,
he arranged for a trial-by-fire
audition, agreeing to play a gig with
the band in Regina. The fit and the
chemistry was confirmed a few
weeks later when Brent was asked
to play a second gig, this time–
appropriately–at MuchMusic in
downtown Toronto.
become a replacement for Cheech.
Dean Zabolotney was well-known
and trusted by everyone in the
group, not to mention a member of
a death metal band called Sitra
Ahra. He was a perfect fit. Dean
formally joined the band on New
Year's Day, 2003.
The second album came together
over time, starting with some
rehearsals one January in Winnipeg.
Much of the material came together
slowly and methodically, but there
were moments when great things
happened without any effort at all.
"Three days before we were
scheduled to go into the studio, the
riff for 'Edge of Summer' (the first
single) just sort of popped up and
we really didn't know what to do
with it. 'Summer' seemed like the
right-sounding word to go with the
melody in my head. Everyone else
joined in and suddenly, we had a
great song."
Other tracks like 'Bad Trip' fought
back. "We had half a dozen titles
and lyrics and melodies for that
one," says Marty. "It took TWO
YEARS to sort everything out, and
we probably would still be working
on it if Russ Klyne (who's from a
complete re-writes. But then there
was 'Edge of Summer' and 'Nervous
Breakdown', which just kinda
showed up. If there's anything we
took away from the making of this
album, it's that the best thing to do
is be ready for anything. Some
songs will assert themselves quickly,
while others will shuffle their feet
and not show their cards until the
very end."
Breach of Trust was recorded in
Vancouver and produced by Steven
Wright, a guy who helped shape the
sound of early records by Good
Charlotte and Jimmy's Chicken
Shack.
"When we started the record, the
idea was to write about the unease
of life, how there are no quiet places
in the world anymore and how the
many products of our imagination
have crowded out the space we
need to imagine. But we ended up at
a very different place. One of the
surprising things to me is that the
album doesn't feel as dark as I
thought it would."
Bottom line? Don't let Breach of
Trust's geographic history fool you.
Where you come from matters less
than what's on the inside.
Icebreakers
• If you ever find yourself on a barstool next to anyone from Breach of Trust and you want to strike
up a conversation, start with these handy icebreakers. You'll get some interesting answers:
• "What's the best record store in Flin Flon?"
• "Of the two bars and three lounges in La Ronge, where do you buy a Mosh Pit?"
• "What is the best music to listen to when you're driving between gigs during a full moon?"
• "Which member was the biggest KISS freak as a kid?"
5
“Your Fired!”
Why Everyone Should
Watch The Apprentice
By Chris Tyrone Ross
Every Thursday at 7 pm, I make it a
priority to go home and watch The
Apprentice on Global, simply because it is
the only time I can watch television and
learn about the business world. For those of
you unfamiliar with The Apprentice, it is a
reality show that stars billionaire Donald
Trump and hungry, like-minded business
people. In every episode, teams are matched
up against each other in
difficult
business
tasks
where the
losing team
meets Trump
in the board
room and
somebody is
fired. In the end,
the winning
candidate gets
the ultimate
dream job of
running one of
Trump's
organizations,
receiving a
salary of
$250,000 per year.
Every day at the RezX Organization, it's no
different. But, I can't fire someone every
week, I'm not a billionaire and I don't take a
helicopter from the roof of the First Nations
Bank building to make a trip to CreeWay.
However, I do have a lot of hungry, likeminded business people working with me.
And like The Apprentice, I have different
teams working on different projects. From
the magazine to the RezX TV show to
promotional events, it's all a team effort.
Basically, everything I've learned from
watching The Apprentice, I've applied to my
daily business operations. Which is exactly
why everyone should watch The Apprentice
every Thursday.
I'd like to think I'm an Indian version of
Donald Trump, although I don't have the bad
hair and I don't have a beautiful girlfriend for
a model. Yet all that could change. If
anything, my goal is to be the Indian Donald
Trump, to turn dreams into gold and have
the biggest ego. I've already read many of
his books (The Art of the Deal and How to
Get Rich) and I recently bought the Trump
board game, and when I'm thirsty I drink
Trump Ice. I've also started talking like him
in the way I do business with other people,
"It's not personal, it's business!" I may be
infatuated with the guy, but he's a billionaire
and I'm just a little buck.
From my observations, there doesn't
seem to be enough interest in Canada for
The Apprentice as opposed to America.
Why? Let me apply this example to a recent
survey from Business Weekly that suggested
a few reasons why Canadians are different
than Americans in work ethic and business.
First, when Canadians are at a board
meeting that runs late, they'll leave to get
home to the wife and kids–family first!
Americans, on the other hand, will stay as
long as they have to, scoring brownie points
with their boss, thinking of the next big
promotion–business first! Canadians also
tend to limit themselves to Canada–stick to
what you know! Americans are voyageurs
and mavericks–never fear the unknown! But
if that Canadian Loonie keeps on rising,
disregard everything I've just said.
I'm not trying to undermine Canadian
business . . . okay, maybe I am. But in order
to think business, you have to live business
and watch The Apprentice. Already in its
second season,
the show is
receiving high
ratings and
great reviews.
The new
candidates
make the
season one
candidates look
like puppies
trying to run a
dog pound.
Okay, that may
not make sense,
but it makes
perfectly good business sense. Maybe
puppies couldn't successfully run a dog
pound but they could try–you don't know
unless you try! The point is, we Canadians
must think like our American counterparts if
we want to succeed in business on an
international scale. Since I'm not taking any
business classes, The Apprentice is what I
turn to for advice and education. I live
business every day, and what I learn from
watching this show is a mere reflection of my
business ethics.
If I were on The Apprentice, I would
probably be the guy everyone gangs up on
because I'm 'different'. I would get along
with the Donald and get no respect from my
fellow candidates. I would use my treaty
rights to my advantage. If we were in a task
that involved buying and selling things, I
would get things shipped to the reserve to
keep costs low. Since we Indians love
rumours, I would start spreading lies about
the other candidates to start some kind of
infighting. I would even go back to my
traditional roots, and use the barter system
in different tasks. Instead of project
manager, I would be the Chief and everyone
else would be the councilors and band
members. Since we Indians love politics,
too, this would create a political system and
I could be as corrupt as I wanted to.
Then again, if I were on The Apprentice, I
would probably fall asleep on the job like
Sam did in season one. I would probably be
one of the first to get fired for being a bad
Chief. So instead, I'll stick to what I know:
put family first, and focus on the day. Then
again, isn't that what Canadians do every
day? Point being, watch The Apprentice
every Thursday!
Until next time, this is your eye on the
media!
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• Free Pool Fridays (With Beverage)
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6
November/December
Upcoming Events
November 4, 2004
Breach of Trust
Time: 10:00pm @ The Roxy, Broadway
For Tix call: 665-7479
*RezX Recommendation!
November 6, 04
Go and see Aboriginal Baller Michael Linklater
University Basketball @ The PAC, U of S Campus
U of S Huskies (Women) vs. Alberta Pandas @
6:15pm
U of S Huskies (Men) vs. Alberta Golden Bears @
8:00pm
For Tix Call: 966-1020
November 10, 04
Blades Hockey - WHL
Go and see Aboriginal Hockey Star Wacey Rabbit
Tri-Cities Americans @ Saskatoon Blades
Time: 7:00pm @ The Credit Union Centre
November 10, 04
Paul Brandt
Time: 7:30pm Costs: $35.00
Centennial Auditorium
November 13, 04
Blades Hockey - WHL
Regina Pats @ Saskatoon Blades
November 14, 04
Santa Clause Parade
Time: 1:00PM @ Downtown Saskatoon
For more info call The Partnership @ 665-2001
November 16, 04
Tribute to Louis Riel
Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company
November 19, 04
Blades Hockey - WHL
Medicine Hat Tigers @ Saskatoon Blades
November 19, 04
U of S Huskies (Women) vs. Winnipeg Wesmen @
6:15pm
U of S Huskies (Men) vs. Winnipeg Wesmen @
8:00pm
November 20, 04
Tragically Hip
Time: 7:30pm Cost: $46.50
The Credit Union Centre
November 21, 04
U of S Huskies (Women) vs. Manitoba Bisons @
1:30pm
U of S Huskies (Men) vs. Manitoba Bisons @
3:15pm
November 25-26, 04
2004 Career Expo & Annual Aboriginal Achiever
Awards
Time: 10:00am @ The Prairieland Park
Ph: 931-7149
RezX Hot 25 - November
Courtesy of DJ Sugar Daddy
01.
02.
03.
04.
05.
06.
07.
08.
09.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
Jay-Z vs R. Kelly "Big Chips"
Cassidy Ft. Nas "The Afterparty"
Fatman Scoop "All Night Long"
Chance Won "Anythang" (Playhouse Remix)
3 Kingz "Mo Fire" (Sugar D's 306 Remix)
Game Ft. Snoop "Westside Story"
Chingy "Balla Baby"
N.O.R.E Ft. Nina Sky & Daddy Yankee "Oye Mi Canto"
Eminem "Just Lose It" (Green Lantern Remix)
Trick Daddy Ft. Twista & Lil Jon "Let's Go"
Ciara Ft. Missy "1,2 Step"
Ja Rule Ft. R. Kelly & Ashanti "Wonderful"
Destiny's Child "Lose My Breath"
Nicole Wray "If I Was Your Girlfriend"
Terror Squad "Take Me Home"
Young Buck Feat. Ludacris "Stomp Remix"
LL Cool J "I'm About To Get Her"
Kevin Lyttle "Drive Me Crazy"
Guerilla Black Ft. Mario "You're The One"
Rupee "Tempted To Touch"
Nitty "Nasty Girl" (Sugar Sugar)
Vybz Kartel "Picture This"
Alchemist Ft. Mobb Deep & Nina Sky "Hold You Down"
Beenie Man "King Of The Dancehall"
Camron "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"
Mark aka DJ Sugar Daddy
Playhouse Records & Clothing
128-B 2nd Avenue North. Saskatoon, Sk Canada S7K-2B2
ph/ (306) 242-1710 or (cell) 341-1710
www.playhouse.8k.com • www.sugardaddy.s5.com • [email protected]
Cover
Contest
Want to be
on the front cover?
That’s right, plain old you could be on the front cover for one of our issues in 2005!
To enter, submit a 500-word essay entitled, “Why I should be on the cover of RezX”
and send picture to [email protected]
7
RezX 49er:
If you missed the event of the year, don’t worry, we got the inside story!
By The Reporter
Editor’s Note: For those of you unfamiliar with a
49er, it is basically the pow wow after party. In this
case the 49er was held at Ryly’s.
The timing couldn’t have been sweeter, the
weekend of the big Saskatoon pow wow.
Thousands of people came from across Indian
Country to partake in what was probably the last
pow wow of the year. It was on Saturday, October
16, that RezX chose to hold the biggest event of the
year. The marketing couldn’t have been sweeter,
with posters and flyers being distributed just days
before the event. Only 200 advance tickets were
sold, with sales beginning just one week before
this extravaganza. Yes, my friend, it was the night
of the RezX49er.
Were you there? Was it not the best night of the
year? However, if you missed it, don’t worry,
because RezX has the inside story!
At 8 pm, the RezX team arrived at the secret
location, Ryly’s. Meanwhile, another team was at
the pow wow working on final ticket sales and
promotions. Our first two attendees arrived at 9
pm—two girls dressed to the notch expecting to
see nothing but their own kind. Instead, two pub
crawls filled the club for an hour, so they left. Too
bad for them.
At around 10 pm, the early birds arrived, and so
did the free pizza, courtesy of Pizza49. Excellent
pizza, by the way. It was during this hour, from 1011 pm, that 100 people showed up to get the party
started. Music was provided by Ryly’s in-house DJ,
Scott Turner, who gave out door prizes every hour
and played great music.
Then, at 11 pm more people showed up, and our
200 advance ticket holders were now in
attendance. It’s kind of like the old saying, “If you
build it, they will come.” And it didn’t stop there,
because midnight was upon us.
During the night, we had teams of two people
taking hourly shifts at the door. The busiest hour
was from 11:30 pm - 12:30 am, and by 1 am, it was
almost a packed house. It was also around this
time that the pow wow ended and flocks of people
headed straight for Ryly’s. That night, it was the
hottest spot. Forget about everywhere else, Ryly’s
was the place to be.
At 1:30 am, we gave the audience a sneak peek
at the Girls and Guys of RezX. First, the guys came
out, showcasing only two of them. The first guy
appeared, flexing his muscles and made the girls
go wild. The second guy came out and was a little
shy, but continued the momentum.
Next was the Girls of RezX, three luscious
models, strutting their stuff. Now, this was
probably the highlight of the night, as all the guys
went crazy. At around 2 am, the Guys and Girls of
RezX Calendars were well-- promoted, which was
the main goal.
It was getting close to the end of the night, but it
wasn’t over yet. It was now the peak of the night,
the house was packed and Ryly’s did their best to
accommodate the huge crowd. DJ Scott Turner
continued to play the best hip hop hits and kept
the dance floor busy.
One girl, who asked not to be named, probably
said it best, “It was the best time of the year. I wish
it could happen every night; I had one of the best
times of my life!”
Now if you enjoyed the 1st Annual RezX 49er,
you’ll love the RezX-Mas happening December 4
(tentative date, subject to change) at Ryly’s again.
The 2nd Annual RezX49er will happen again next
year, but until then look forward to the 1st Annual
RezX-Mas, it might be just as good, if not better!
For tickets call the Indigenous Students Council @
966-2505 or RezX @343-3533! There are only 200
advance tickets available.
At last, RezX must give credit where credit is
due. First off, we must give props to Clayton
Binning who produced the tickets, RezX logo, and
posters for the RezX49er. Not only that, he did a
great job producing Issue #2.
Also, we must give props to AYEA (Aboriginal
Youth Entrepreneurs Association) for helping us
organize the 49er. Without them, this event
wouldn’t have been as successful. Finally, mad
props to our sponsors: Midtown Billiards, Marca
College, Jack Fraser Men’s Wear, Playhouse
Records, Pizza49, Avon, and Schmatta who
produced the fine RezX T-shirts and tank tops for
the models. Next up, the RezX-Mas @ Ryly’s. Stay
tuned!
Subscribe www.rezx.ca
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November/December
Upcoming Events
November 26-27, 04
War-Bots Xtreme Combat Robot Tournament
Prairieland Park
November 28, 04
Blades Hockey - WHL
Lethbridge Hurricanes @ Saskatoon Blades
December 1, 04
Blades Hockey - WHL
Spokane Chiefs @ Saskatoon Blades
December 4, 04 (Tentative Date)
Indigenous Students Council & RezX Promotions
Present....
The 1st Annual RezX-Mas Party @ Ryly's
"If you enjoyed the RezX 49er,
you'll love the RezX-Mas"
Only 200 Advance Tix Available!
Free Christmas Gift with the purchase of an
advance ticket
For Tix call: ISC 966-2505 / RezX 343-3533
December 10, 04
Blades Hockey - WHL
Prince Albert Raiders @ Saskatoon Blades
December 15, 04
Blades Hockey - WHL
Seattle Thunderbirds @ Saskatoon Blades
December 18, 04
Blades Hockey - WHL
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December 25, 04
Christmas Day!
Stay home with the family, superstar!
December 26, 04
Boxing Day!
Refund all your gifts, and repurchase them at other
stores for half the price. Now you'll have $ for
New Year's Eve!
December 27, 04
Blades Hockey - WHL
Moose Jaw Warriors @ Saskatoon Blades
December 29, 04
Blades Hockey - WHL
Brandon Wheatkings @ Saskatoon Blades
December 31, 04
New Year's Eve
"Do what the heck you want, Y2K all over again!"
If you or your organization would like to post an
upcoming event, please e-mail: [email protected]
or call: 306-343-3533 or fax: 306-933-4633
8
Health & Fitness
By Kerry Girling
What do the terms 'health' and
'fitness' mean to you? Do they mean
occasionally going outside and
throwing the ball around, maybe
eating an apple or orange if you see
one in the fridge or perhaps putting
on your new roller blades, the ones
you haven't touched for two years
for a quick trip to the store for a bag
of chips and a pop?
All too often, we fall into the trap
of overeating or eating poorly and
not supporting our bodies with the
exercise and proper food intake that
we need on a daily basis. We notice
our bodies beginning to lose their
youthful vigour; we pack on excess
pounds and quickly find ourselves
succumbing to sickness or lackluster
feelings due to binging on unhealthy
or over-processed foods.
In this fast-paced, fast-food
society, many of us fall victim to
poor eating habits without realizing
the effect this can have on our
health and well-being later on in our
lives. It takes effort to manage a
healthy diet and stick with it.
As a motivational speaker for the
past five years, I've spoken to
thousands of high school students
about the dangers of unhealthy
lifestyles, improper diet and
irregular fitness and developed a
reasonable fitness routine teens can
follow on a daily basis. I'd seen too
many overweight individuals with
low self-esteem who needed help to
get into shape.
I recall a young woman who
approached me late last year after I
gave a talk at a local high school. I
could tell by her body language and
mannerisms she had self-confidence
issues. She said she had a weight
problem and asked me to help her
achieve her fitness goals. I
prescribed a complete fitness
routine that she could follow and
told her that her daily food intake,
including the proper consumption of
fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates
and protein according to the Canada
Food Guide would be the most
important thing to follow. Three
months later I received an e-mail
from her saying how she had lost
thirty pounds from the routine I had
given her. I could immediately tell
that she had gained her selfconfidence back and was happier in
school. She said she felt like a new
person.
So getting back to the first
question, what do the terms 'health'
and 'fitness' mean to you? Perhaps
it's time to start making some
changes. With a little effort and
"stick ability" you're bound to
notice a marked improvement in
your quality of life.
Taxation Terror
By Lenah Suzanne
True or false: post-secondary
education is one of the most
important factors in improving the
positive progression of Aboriginal
communities. If you answered true
then you are absolutely correct and
I’ll give you a prize. You’ll have to
come and get your prize before
2006, though. After that I won’t be
able to afford one, considering I’ll be
paying income tax on the funding I
hope to be receiving. That’s right,
folks. In July, the Canada Revenue
Agency told Phil Fontaine that they
want to start taxing post-secondary
assistance by 2006. They are dead
set on the idea that funding is not
an inherent treaty right. In their own
words, “Unless the post-secondary
education is provided on reserve,
the education amounts will
generally be taxable under the
Income Tax Act.”
Great. So now what? We have to
build universities on reserve land in
order to educate our children and
ourselves? Actually, that doesn’t
sound like such a bad idea. Imagine
a piece of reserve land with a big,
beautiful university sitting on it, just
teeming with eager Aboriginal
students. And where there are
students there must also be a place
for students to buy the things they
need, a place for these students to
live affordably and a place for these
students to hang out and study
comfortably. It would be an Indian
metropolis by design! Just think,
these students could receive tax-free
funding because they are on
reserve, (is that the problem here or
what?), and all their money could be
spent on the reserve. The cash
would just circulate from one
reserve to the next.
Hmmmmmmmm.
Delbert Wapass (vice-chief in
charge of the education portfolio),
had this to say on the whole matter:
“Treaties are not frozen in time. The
right has evolved and therefore,
education cannot be limited to the
literal meaning of a schoolhouse on
reserve . . . education is a treaty
right which includes post- secondary
(education).” So, if this right has
evolved then other rights should
have evolved too, right? How about
the five dollars I get every year?
Shouldn’t that amount have gone up
with the inflation rate in order to
stay up to date? Don’t get me
wrong; I’m just trying to make you
argue with the person you’re sitting
next to. I’m very proud to receive my
five dollars every year just for what
it symbolizes: the treaty our
forefathers signed with the Queen.
But back to the matter at hand
here. O.K., so the Canada Revenue
Agency just found out after all these
years that they should have been
charging us income tax on the
funding we’ve been receiving. So
now they’re trying to say, “Hey, we
just found out about this huge
mistake we’ve been making all these
years and so we’re going to give
ourselves until 2006 to make things
better . . . amongst ourselves . . .
concerning you guys.” Well, jeez,
people. Don’t you think you’ve
robbed us of enough already in the
past, oh, say, 300 years? Now you
have to go and make it that much
harder for a kid to leave his/her
reserve and go somewhere far away
just to get an education? An
education that is an inherent right
according to the following: “Her
majesty agrees to maintain schools
for instruction . . . whenever the
Indians of the reserve shall desire
it.” (Treaty 6.) So there you go. This
matter is between her wonderful
majesty, the Queen and us. Right?
I just don’t know anymore. I
mean, there was a time when the
Indian Act stated that any status
Indian who wanted to continue on to
post-secondary education had to
renounce who they were. I can’t
even imagine what that must have
been like, how hard that must have
been emotionally, spiritually and
mentally. Now we don’t have to give
up being who we are, we just have
to feel the confusion and fear of
knowing that our rights are slowly,
but surely, being taken away.
9
Man on a Mission Indian Love:
Motivational youth speaker,
Hollywood good looks and aspiring
actor–you'd think life had always
been easy for twenty-three-year old
Kerry Girling of Saskatoon. But there
was a time, he says, when he didn't
even have the confidence to stand
up in front of his high school class at
Walter Murray Collegiate.
To help build his esteem, Girling
decided to join the school football
team. He says he was physically
smaller than many of the other
players and as a result he was
bullied a lot. He played football for
the season. But after a while, the
bullying and derogatory comments
got so bad he quit the team. In fact,
he says, that soured his appetite for
getting involved with any school
activities period.
"I didn't enjoy school any longer. I
just didn't have the confidence to go
any further. So I started cutting
classes, I didn't want to do my
homework and my grades started to
slip. I stopped going out. My brother
would always say 'Kerry, why don't
you go out, call your friends or
something.' But I didn't feel
confident to go out in public and do
stuff that other kids were doing."
Girling was raised on a farm, and
much preferred doing chores and
saving money to buy a car rather
than party, drink beer or get into
drugs. But he says a big reason he
didn't get hooked up with the wrong
crowd had a lot to do with his older
brother.
"My brother dropped out of high
school in grade 10 and got heavily
into drugs. It was really bad. He
started smashing up cars that
weren't his. He ran away from home
at fifteen. Seeing that kept me from
getting involved with that stuff. Our
family went through a rough time
when he was around."
But, says Girling, his brother
finally came to his senses and is
now doing well, thanks in part to
Girling's motivational speaking tours
where his brother talks to teens
about his experiences. His older
brother is now into computers and
has a young son.
After graduating high school,
Girling says he was at a crossroads
in life. He enrolled at Kelsey to
pursue a course in Heavy Duty
Mechanics, but soon realized that
was not for him. He joined California
Fitness to improve his physique and
met Norbert Georget, an
internationally recognized
motivational speaker who talks to
youth about the perils of drinking
and driving.
According to Girling, Georget
encouraged him to join his
motivational speaking tour for a twoweek stint on the west coast. Girling
says two things happened on that
trip. One: he learned a lot about
motivational speaking from Georget,
and two: when he came home and
heard a good friend of his had died
as a result of drinking and driving,
Girling knew what he had to do.
"His death affected me so much
that I asked Norbert (Georget) if I
could speak about it to high school
students. But I was scared. I didn't
know if I could do it. The very first
crowd I spoke to was fourteen
hundred students in North Bay,
Ontario. I was petrified, but
something inside pushed me to get
the message out to those kids. The
feedback was great. I toured with
Norbert for about six weeks. We did
two to four schools a day and we
received over six thousand e-mails
from students. I heard about their
experiences, their troubles and I felt
I was doing something positive,
something great." In the meantime,
Girling was also following another of
his goals, to be an actor.
Through contacts he'd made in
Hollywood, Girling was able to
attend acting school in Vancouver
and then got work in L.A. on two
major motion pictures. He admits
Hollywood was exciting, but at the
same time, he says, he found the
atmosphere materialistic and
artificial, something he didn't feel
comfortable with. That brought him
back home to Saskatchewan, back
to his true passion-helping youth
like himself take control of their
lives.
Now Girling is on a mission:
getting his message of "Positive
Lifestyle Choices" out to young
people, students, teachers and
anyone else who'll listen. He says it
worked for him and he believes it
can work for anybody. You can catch
Kerry Girling on the RezX
Empowering Youth Tour, which kicks
off November 19 in Saskatoon. For
more information visit www.rezx.ca
or call RezX @ 343-3533 or Kerry
Girling @ 477-7122.
#
4
The #1 Voice of Native Youth
Special
Christmas
Edition
Featuring:
2004 In-Review
New Fashion Section
X’mas Shopping Guide
& Much More!
PLACE YOUR ADVERTISEMENT TODAY!
CALL 343-3533/[email protected]
Where Did We Go Wrong?
By Cheryl Clay
According to the Medicine Wheel,
it is believed that our internal
dialogue carries four powerful
energies: mental, emotional,
physical and spiritual. Those same
elemental forces are highly
recognized in modern healing. In my
research on the five Ws of abuse, I
found, to my amazement, how
similar the European method of
healing is to that of our traditional
Native ways. Therefore, it’s safe to
say that both European and
traditional Native methods can be
explored to help break free and
overcome the patterns of abuse.
Both worlds have compromised in
this problematic area of society. The
healing journey inevitably comes
down to us as individuals. We must
heal the four elemental forces
within ourselves to regain respect
for ourselves as well as respect from
others.
When we hear the word abuse,
our images are of the external
injuries (bumps, cuts, bruises, etc.).
Unfortunately, most people are
uneducated about the damage that
is caused internally by emotional,
mental and spiritual abuse. As much
as a punch, push or slap can hurt a
person, verbal abuse and violent
outbursts (belittlement, namecalling, threats, etc.) can be just as
damaging. This vicious behaviour
can have a crippling effect on a
person’s self-esteem. Eventually,
continuous abuse often becomes
mistaken for normalcy in the victim’s
mind.
Lurking behind closed doors,
another form of abuse also exists
within the human spirit. Our
spirituality is a vital force in our
soul, nourishing our sense of
belonging. This eternal power
restores the faith we choose to live
by whether it be traditional (pow
wow, sweat lodges, etc.), or not.
However, when this element is
abused, the victim slowly loses faith
as well as their sense of self-respect
and self-worth. Like the domino
effect, the four elements that help
structure our life are universally
connected. So if one element goes
down, the rest will come crashing
down with it.
Prolonged abuse becomes
evident when the human body
begins to deteriorate due to
illnesses such as migraine
headaches, eating disorders and
chronic muscular pain. In extreme
cases, the abuse victim runs the risk
of developing a personality disorder
or an addiction to drugs or alcohol.
Substance abuse heightens
negative reactions in both the
abuser and the victim and they then
act out destructively, hurting not
only themselves but also those
around them.
Abuse has no distinction. It occurs
in the lives of the poor and the
wealthy, from professionals to
homemakers, from the young to the
old. Realizing that we’ve been
abused is the beginning of a
recovery process that involves
growth, change and healing our
relationship with ourselves. We
need to feel love for ourselves to be
able to find the pathway to respect.
Dealing with our torment will ease
life towards truth, peace and
harmony.
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Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, and the Saskatoon
Tribal Council Inc. are pleased to announce
YES We Can!
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BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION
Eligibility: Under the age of 35, be of Aboriginal ancestry,
and reside in the Saskatoon Region
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Information is available on the SREDA web-site @
www.sreda.com, or contact Rob Woods at (306) 956-6100
Program is sponsored in part by:
Arts
10
SNTC Drums Out Another Success – Love Songs From a War Drum
By Angella McKay
C: The first thing I do is look at
On October 25, this writer had the
the script. I read through it and
opportunity to see a play at The
create a vision for the play.
Saskatchewan Native Theatre
Secondly, I focus on the production
Company. ‘Love Songs From A War
team. Who do I see
Drum’ is a strikingly
performing, doing the
true story of life in the
sound and lighting, etc. I
inner city. It paints a
have four years worth of
very real picture of
good resources so it’s not
gang rivalry and the
so limited.
constant struggle for
He also added,
power and respect.
“Directing is a lot of fun
This play is written by
but also a lot of work.
Mark Dieter and
There is a lot of
directed by Curtis
administrative
Peeteetuce. I
responsibility involved.
interviewed the fine,
The most fun
young Aboriginal
I have is
director, Curtis, after I
working with
saw the production
Curtis Peeteetuce
the actors
and here’s what he
and bringing
had to say.
the story to life.”
Angella: So Curtis, you acted in
Kudos to you, Curtis,
the original version of this play back
the play is great. The
in 2001. Now, three years later,
message is clear: the
you’re directing the play. What are
importance of selfyour thoughts on this?
Curtis: Well, I’ve been here at The respect. The story
focuses on two young,
Saskatchewan Native Theatre
Company for four years now and I’ve Aboriginal gang
members who are
been given ample opportunity to
desperately seeking a
explore every area of the theatre. I
kind of acceptance and
have definitely found my niche. I
have a background that has allowed identity. They have good hearts but
are seemingly trapped in a bad
me to grow here.
situation when they join a local
A: How many plays have you
gang. They fall in love, and . . . well,
directed?
I’m not going to divulge the rest.
C: I started in 2002 as a coYou’ll have to go see it for yourself.
director. I was assistant director for
I also had the chance to ask the
‘The Alley’ and ‘Indian Time’. My first
play write, Mark, a few questions.
independent show was ‘Journeys’,
Here’s what he had to say.
so I guess this is the fourth. I have
Angella: Mark, ’Love Songs From
also taken a lead in directing and
writing in various smaller shows with A War Drum’ is a remake of a play
you originally did back in 2001 that
The Performers Playhouse.
carries the same name. How is this
A: What are some things you do
one different from the last?
to prepare for a play as a director?
Mark: The first one was still about
gangs but it was more focused on a
Romeo and Juliet type story. It was
done in a more Shakespearian style,
dressed over with Aboriginal
imagery. The new one deals more
so with the issue of gangs. It is
focused on issues of loyalty, trust,
power and identity.
A: Why keep the name?
M: It’s a strong name that was
developed by the youth who
participated in the first production.
A: What is the one main message
you’re hoping to send to youth who
see the play?
M: Definitely that there is another
way besides gang culture. You can
re-familiarize yourself with who you
really are both culturally and
spiritually. You do have an identity
that is rooted in a very strong
cultural background and this is
explained through the action of the
characters in the play.
A: Any insight as to what could be
done in our communities to create
more respect for cultural awareness
within our youth?
M: Introduce them to individuals
Anskohk Aboriginal Literature Festival
During the week of September 29
to October 1 the First Annual
Anskohk Aboriginal Literature
Festival was successfully presented
by Saskatoon’s McNally Robinson
Booksellers and the Saskatchewan
Native Theatre Company. The event
was host to Aboriginal writers and a
launching point for some authors’
works, while giving an opportunity
for writers to meet new and old
friends. As a first time participant in
a writers’ festival, I found myself
overwhelmed by the amount of
networking and contacts I made. I
also felt intimidated by the wealth of
experienced writers.
The festival brought out
Aboriginal authors from across
Canada and gave them a chance to
present their work. The Books
ranged from children’s stories to
academia to poetry and all of the
books could be purchased at the
event and signed by the authors.
What I really enjoyed about the
festival was the first hand opinions
and views of the authors. I had no
time to review any of the books
before the event started, but I came
away with an understanding of what
the books are about for when I
eventually do read them.
As I settled into the atmosphere I
began to feel the energy and
possibilities of this event. That
energy came from the creative
genius of the writers, and the
possibilities of stories being created
just by discussion alone. I was glad
to be taking notes throughout the
readings, signings and discussions.
It was a quick education in where
Aboriginal writers stand in literature
and let me add that Aboriginal
writers have many venues and
vantage points to draw from. For
example, there was a discussion
around Kim Anderson’s Strong
Women Stories and the journalistic
accomplishment of Connie
Sampson’s Build in Silence. It
became apparent that no one has
written an historical account of how
Aboriginal women have contributed
to the development of Canada, who
these women are, and what
obstacles they have faced since the
passing of Bill C-37 in the mid1980s. Nor has a book been written
on where communication stands
between native-white relations and
the progress in this issue. These
were examples of the topics raised
during the discussions.
On the second day, Sylvia Olsen,
author of No Time To Say Goodbye
and The Girl with a Baby, stressed
the point that there are not enough
Aboriginal writers out there writing
specifically for the youth of today.
Young readers between grades
three and six need to know about
the issues and traditions that are
important to the Aboriginal youth of
today. This focus would bring about
recognition for Aboriginal youth and
create a positive affirmation of who
they are in society today.
Not forgetting my first day at the
festival, I had the honour of sitting
with a large group of grade two and
three students for a well-received
reading by Joanne Panas, author of
The Beavers’ Big House.
Some great things about the
book are the awesome illustrations
and the animal characters (all
created by Joanne). The message
presented is the importance of
community cooperation and the
satisfaction in it; there are also
traditional techniques to be shared.
who have been through similar
lifestyles. Mentorship is very
important. Bring in people or
groups who can encourage their
creative and artistic abilities. Elders
are very important; they can show
them traditional teachings of life as
well as pass on testimonials of their
own lives.
Mark Dieter hails from the
Peepeekisis First Nation and plays
Paul Kinistin (one of the bartenders)
on CTV’s Corner Gas. I also had the
opportunity to talk briefly with the
co-founder and executive director of
SNTC, Kennetch Charlette. I asked
him to comment on
the message of the
play and he said, “I
think the main
message is know
who you are,
because the play is
about identity.
What these young
people are doing in
the gangs is not
who they really
are. They’re at a
loss as to who they
really are. (To
create more
respect for cultural awareness
among the youth) we need to create
a sense of pride. Explain to them
how our culture has contributed to
the growth of the world.”
So there you have it, folks. ‘Love
Songs From A War Drum’ runs until
November 6, and I strongly
encourage you to go check it out.
And don’t forget to pick up your
tickets for ‘A Rez Christmas Story
III’, which runs from December 1 -10.
Kitwam.
By Kevin Wesaquate
Joanne interacted with her listeners
by asking if anyone knew what
Kohkoms and Moshoms are. With
speed and confidence, a little boy’s
arm shot up in the air, “They are
Grandmas and Grandpas.”
I was speaking with Randy Lundy
at the Saskatoon Public Library and
his first public reading of The Gift of
The Hawk. I asked what advice he
would give to a poet who is just
starting out. “If you read poetry and
wish to write poetry, the best
practice would be to continue on
reading poetry to better understand
it for yourself and I’ve done it
mainly because I like doing it so
much.” Randy lectures an English
class at the First Nations University
in Regina.
There was way too much to take
in and report, but I would like to
encourage other writers to come out
for next year’s festival, or even have
a publication ready for next year.
There were many great contributors,
some of who are good contacts to
have, but you won’t know till you
go.
11
Community
The Saskatchewa
n Native Theatre
‘Your Future Is Here’
Gala Awards Outstanding Saskatchewan Youth!
By Chris Tyrone Ross
On Monday, September 27, 2004,
the first annual ‘Your Future Is Here’
Gala was held in Saskatoon at the
Centennial Auditorium. During the
night, there were nine scholarships
and one start-up capital fund
handed out to 10 outstanding youth.
Jeff Rogstad and Teena Monteleone
of CTV Saskatoon emceed the event,
and Cary Schuler of Cronus served
as the keynote speaker. It was a
night of excellence and
achievements. Even though it was
the first annual event, it definitely
accomplished its goal by sending a
strong message that Saskatchewan
is a great place to build a future for
our youth.
One young person who stood out
from the other award winners was
Shannon Constant, 18, from
Cumberland House. Constant was
awarded the E.A. Blakney
Scholarship from SaskTel worth
$10,000. Constant is currently
enrolled in her first year in the
Faculty of Nursing at the First
Nations University in Prince Albert.
She attributes most of her success
to her family and friends who
encouraged her to pursue her
education.
“I’ve always wanted to enter this
field. I’ve had a passion for nursing
since I was young,” explained
Constant. “I would like to thank my
mom and my sister, Heather for
encouraging me.” Constant also had
some words of advice for other
Aboriginal youth who want to
succeed, “Follow your dreams, do
what you want to do and don’t let
people let you down.
Constant, like the other award
winners, exemplified what kind of
future Saskatchewan can have if
both the private and public sectors
continue to invest in today’s youth.
Merin Coutts
Love Songs From a War Drum
Company proudly
presents…
by Mark Dieter
October 22-November 6, 2004
Tribute to Louis Riel
at the SNTC Black Box
Theatre
November 16th
SNTC Fundraiser
EXPRESSION
Aboriginal Art Auction
at Wanuskewin
November 24th 2004
Shannon Constant
The first annual ‘Your Future Is Here’
Gala proved exactly that, with the
many sponsors who wisely
contributed to the event.
Other award winners included:
Nicole Watt, who received a $2,500
scholarship from the Rotary Club of
Saskatoon Meewasin. Both Timothy
Irvin and Gwen Nickel received
$2,500 scholarships from the
Saskatchewan Council for
Community Development. Dustin
Gero of Regina was a double winner;
he received a $2,500 scholarship
from SGI and a $5,000 scholarship
from the Regina Entrepreneurial
Foundation. The Saskatchewan
Research Council awarded two
scholarships to Evan Manning of
Saskatoon and Terri Lynn Paulson of
Foam Lake.
The biggest award of the night
went to Courtney Miettinen of
Watrous. She received a $10,000
start-up capital fund from Women
Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan Inc.
It will go towards establishing her
new business in Watrous called
Country Oasis Day Spa and Gift
Studio. Her new business will
specialize in full-day spas consisting
of esthetics, massage therapy,
tanning and retail designed for
comfort and relaxation.
The first annual ‘Your Future Is
Here’ Gala was created by the
Rotoract Clubs of Saskatchewan to
highlight young achievers. Its main
message was to tell Saskatchewan
youth, “Your Future Is Here!”
Indeed, the message was heard, and
hopefully more youth will stay home
to build their careers in
Saskatchewan.
A Rez Christmas Story III
at the SNTC Black Box Theatre
December 1-10, 2004

FREE - Regina Leader-Post

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