La Loche

Environment and Sustainability Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Saskatchewan, 2016.

Linguistics Thesis (M.A.)--University of Calgary, 1998.

Describes the arrest of Verna Clarke and subsequent dismissal of the assault charges.

On information card: Collection of the historic artifacts found at La Loche House including a brass shoe buckle, cufflinks, buttons, clay pipes and tinkle cones. Methy Portage, SK.

The Master fireplace at La Loche House, with a hardpan base. Methye Portage, SK.

On information card: Flooring of room adjacent to master fireplace. Stones of fireplace to right. Methy Portage, SK.

On information card: Flooring of the west periphery of the cellar of La Loche House. Methy Portage, SK.

On information card: Grave found in association with La Loche House with a Hudson's Bay Fort. Principle features are the cross at the head of the grave and a picket wood fence. Methy Portage, SK.

File contains the historical booklet, "I Wasn't Put on this Earth for Nothin': Stories from La Loche, Saskatchewan. It was a "Celebrate Saskatchewan, 1905-1980" brochure, compiled by Ray Marnoch.

On information card: Map of the Methy Portage region with the location of the historic sites found and excavated by Don Steer in the 1971-1972 season. Methy Portage, SK.

Information on card: Partition between rooms one and two of La Loche House where they meet the east wall of the building. Methy Portage, SK.

People of La Loche Landing find reserve land unsuitable lacking natural amenities as well as infrastructure such as schools.

RCAP 99 contains files for a sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at the L.A.C. Community Hall, La Loche, Saskatchewan on Thursday, December 10, 1992. This sitting of the Commission contains presentations by various educational, community, Métis, and government groups. Each presentation can be viewed individually on this site.

RCAP 99 contains an opening prayer and opening remarks for the sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at the L.A.C. Community Hall, La Loche, Saskatchewan on Thursday, December 10, 1992. Following an opening prayer by Theresa Montgrand, Mayor Sam Herman delivers opening remarks welcoming the Commission to the community. Following this Commissioners Rene Dussault and Mary Sillet deliver opening remarks welcoming the participants and explaining the mandate, goals, and composition of the Commission.

This file contains a discussion of various issues by the attendees and Commissioners at this session of the Commission. Attendees contributing include Louis McCallum, Gerald Regan, Marie Symes Grehan, Vye Bouvier, Brian MacDonald, Pierre Chartier and Gloria Desjarlais. Issues discussed include health care, land claims and self-government, wild rice production, the RCMP, trapping regulations, lack of housing and education. A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.

This file contains a presentation by Brian MacDonald that reiterates the previous speaker's concerns about the production of wild rice in the Buffalo Narrows area. His major point is having government officials tour the wild rice growing areas before they make policies that hinder the development of that industry. A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.

File contains a presentation by Commissioner of the Day Louis Morin. Morin discusses his own life experiences including the relocation of his people from Clear Lake to Turnor Lake by the government, fishing, hunting, and trapping issues. Following Morin's presentation Commissioner Dussault and discusses some of the issues raised with Morin.

File contains a presentation by the Ducharme Elementary School and Dene High School, Principal Greg Hatch, and Principal Steve Innes. Principal Hatch presents a Dene/English storybook to the Commission, then discusses his school and some of the job issues facing his graduates. Principal Innes discusses the high school, and associated community employment, cultural, and language issues. Following the presentation the assembled Commissioners discuss some of the issues raised with Hatch and Innes.

File contains a presentation on behalf of the Hamlet of St. George's Hill by Mayor Gerald Desjarlais, Councillor Pat Desjarlais, and Councillor Theresa Montgrand. Mayor Desjarlais discusses how 70 percent of the hamlet's population are Bill C-31 people with the band from Dillon who Montgrand claims "don't support the Bill C-31s at all." Pat Desjarlais discusses the air bombing range in the area, and its effects on trapping and logging activities. Following the presentation the two Commissioners discuss some of the issues raised with the two Desjarlais, and Montgrand.

File contains a presentation on behalf of the Metis Addcitions Council of Saskatchewan by Ms. Georgina Jolibois. Jolibois discusses the demographic make up of La Loche, some of the problems facing its youth, and her personal experiences as a youth councillor. Jolibois highlights problems with a lack of recreation facilities, proper housing, family violence, alcohol and drug abuse, a high rate of teenage pregnancy, welfare dependency and a lack of employment options, and the lack of educational facilities.

File contains a presentation by Armand Murray of the La Loche Local of the Metis Society of Saskatchewan. Murray discusses the need for recognition of Aboriginal rights on the part of government, land issues, a lack of capital in the community for utilizing resources, a conflict with the provincial government over Clearwater River park, fisheries issues, forestry issues, tourism and guiding, and related issues. Following the presentation Commissioner Dussault discusses some of the issues raised with Murray.

File contains a presentation by Antoinette Lemaigre of NorSask Native Outreach. Lemaigre discusses her work as an employment counsellor, the need for increased education funding, acommodations for instructors, the need for permanent jobs, urananium mining in northern Saskatchewan and related employment issues, and the need for a trade school north of Prince Albert. Following the presentation Commissioners Dussault and Sillet discuss some of the issues raised with Lemaigre.

File contains a presentation on behalf of the Northern Lights School Division by Rick Laliberte and Gordon Rutten. Laliberte discusses his own background as a Cree person and educational issues in Northern Saskatchewan, the need for a child centred approach, and linguistic issues. Rutten delivers a series of 13 recommendations to the Commission on education in Nothern Saskatchewan dealing with administrative, finance, cultural, and linguistic concerns. Following the presentation the two presenters discuss educational concerns with the assembled Commissioners.

File contains a presentation by Roy Cheechum on Community Project Development. Cheechum delivers a brief history of La Loche, an overview of problems the community faces such as high unemployment and high dependency on outside goods and services, housing issues, economic developments, tourism, and government spending in the community, the lack of a community tax base, and the success of the non-profit Methy Construction. Cheechum suggests that government spending has generally been ineffective and poorly delivered given the communities needs.

File contains a presentation on behalf of St. Martin's Hospital by Administrator Violet Lemaigre, and Pat Malmgren. Administrator Lemaigre discusses the situation of her hospital which she desribes as very small and constantly underfunded. Lemaigre also discusses transportation issues, disease and addiction issues, staff shortage issues, mental health issues, elderly and disabled persons issues. Following the presentation Commissioners Dussault and Sillet discuss some of the issues raised with Lemaigre and Malmgren.

File contains a presentation by the Metis Society of Saskatchewan, Clem Chartier (Consultant). Chartier discusses the historical background to the Metis view of their rights in the area beginning with the visit of the Scrip Commissioner to Ile a La Crosse in 1906. Chartier does so to show the Commission "a cursory overview to hopefully sensitize you to some of the reasons...why we are saying the Commission has to look at Metis issues specifically." In addition to the scrip issue Chartier discusses poverty, resources, and game laws.

File contains a presentation by Waldo Berg, Instructor of Northlands College. Berg discusses problems with the adult education system from his perspective as an instructor. Berg higlights four areas: language issues, childcare issues, alcohol issues, and cultural disparity issues. Berg suggests that a vareity of steps be taken to educate southern educators heading to job placements in the north about language and cultural concerns. Berg then discusses the Mennonite people's relation to Aboriginal Canadians and the issues they face.

File contains a presentation on Saskatchewan Justice by Annette Montgrand and Robert Woods. Mongtrand discusses property comepnsation by offenders on social assistance, and Saskatchewan Justice's work with parollees, the need for increased resources, family, and community support. Montgrand also discusses the need for distinct programming for nothern residents in the provincial context.

On information card: Vertical post of partition and east wall with floor joists on the north side of the partition. Logs from the roof are overlying the partition. Methy Portage, SK.