The FSIN Funds First Of Its Kind First Nations Peacekeeping Initiative In Western Canada

Wednesday, 10 February 2010 09:19

(Saskatoon, SK) Vice Chief Delbert Wapass is pleased to announce the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Indigenous Peacekeeping Training Pilot.The training partnership, facilitated by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN), is jointly funded by Public Safety Canada and Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing. The aim of the initiative is to train peacekeepers on reserve to provide prevention and intervention services, respond to community and family crises, control crowd activity, secure investigation scenes and liaise with the RCMP. The partnership was established in response to identified public safety concerns from Saskatchewan First Nations communities.

"This is a proactive approach, candidates on reserve working in areas of security and community services are selected by their community to participate in the training. The aim is to improve community safety within our territories," says Vice Chief Delbert Wapass.

Candidates are enrolled at four pilot sites across the province; North Battleford, Yorkton, LaRonge, and Prince Albert. The training includes 18 correction and policing based courses provided by SIAST and seven self governance and peacekeeping courses designed by First Nations University of Canada. The training is sectioned into four levels of instruction. Levels I and II are being offered now with the subsequent levels to be provided before the end of July.

Four peacekeeping coordinators have been hired by the FSIN to work directly with the trainees.

Canada and Saskatchewan committed to fund the training project at the Intergovernmental Table meeting in November 2009. Funding for the pilot is being provided by Public Safety Canada and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Corrections & Public Safety and Policing.

The Indigenous Peace Keeping pilot training began in February 1st and will wrap up in mid July. Once the pilot is complete the training will be implemented in more than 50 communities across the province.

SIAST is Saskatchewan’s primary public institution for post secondary technical education and skills training, recognized nationally and internationally for its expertise and innovation. More than 13,000 students are registered in SIAST programs, which touch every sector of the economy; additionally, the organization draws almost 32,000 individual course registrations. It operates campuses in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon, and provides a number of courses and programs through distance education.

The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan.  The Federation is committed to honouring the spirit and intent of the Treaties, as well as the promotion, protection and implementation of the Treaty promises that were made more than a century ago.

For More Information Please Contact:
Carrie Shingoose, FSIN Communications
Direct: 306.956-1025
Facsimile: 306.665.0115
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