The descendants of a woman who lost her treaty status when she married are taking Little Black Bear First Nation to court over its band registration policies that are excluding them from full membership.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is facing calls from within his province and from a fellow premier to hit back on punishing U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters Tuesday that Moe should consider no longer selling potash, uranium and oil to the United States and instead find different markets. 

“I consider Scott Moe a good friend of mine … and I’ve talked to him. We need to make sure America feels the pain,” Ford said.

“Without potash down there, (the United States) doesn’t have a farming system. When it comes to uranium, they’re using that to enrich their uranium down in the U.S. for their nuclear energy.

“Everyone wants (Moe’s) uranium, but ship it out to other places.”

U.S. President Donald Trump has hit Canada with tariffs of 25 per cent on all goods, with a lower 10 per cent levy on energy. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada is fighting back by slapping the U.S. with 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs on $30 billion worth of American products and would expand them to cover another $125 billion in 21 days.

Saskatchewan Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck told reporters in Regina that Moe’s Saskatchewan Party government should pull American liquor from stores, a move other provinces are making.

“Today is a hard day and it’s one that we hoped wouldn’t come. But now that it’s here, we must act,” she said. 

“The families and businesses right across this province are scared right now. They deserve to know that their government and their leaders have their back and that they’re doing everything possible to support them.”

Moe’s office didn’t immediately comment on the measures, but he has previously pushed back on the idea of restricting Canadian energy to the U.S.

He has said any embargo that would cut off energy south of the border is not on the table and that Canada’s countermeasures should not disproportionately hurt provinces.

Saskatchewan exported $26 billion of goods to the U.S. in 2023, with potash and oil among its major exports. Agriculture products represent about 22 per cent of the province’s total exports to the U.S.

Moe has said tariffs would result in job losses in both countries. He has also said Canadians would lose if they become mired in a trade war with their neighbour.

Bill Prybylski, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, said the tariffs are disappointing and would create uncertainty in the sector. 

He said commodity prices may fall, resulting in farmers getting less for their grain. On the flip side, costs for crop inputs, like fertilizers, and machinery are likely to go up.

While countermeasures will also hurt, Prybylski said they’re necessary. 

“We’re hoping once consumers and producers on both sides of the border start feeling the effects of the tariffs, that they’ll be putting enough pressure on their elected officials to try and get a settlement sooner than later,” he said. 

Nutrien Ltd., the world’s largest potash producer with its headquarters in Saskatoon, said in a statement it has been working with representatives in both countries to promote free trade. 

More than 80 per cent of potash used by American farmers comes from Canada, it added. 

“While we will continue to serve our U.S. customers, the cost of tariffs would ultimately be borne by U.S. farmers,” the company said. 

“In anticipation of tariffs, we’ve moved as much potash south of the border as possible ahead of the spring planting season.”

In her first statement since she was stripped of the award, the singer-songwriter says that she's an American citizen and holds a U.S. passport, but was adopted as a young adult by a Cree family in Saskatchewan.

Alberta's Brad Jacobs and Saskatchewan's Mike McEwen posted victories Tuesday to remain unbeaten at the Montana's Brier.

Cicansky's colourful ceramic sculptures of garden vegetables and outhouses earned national acclaim.

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck says Premier Scott Moe should get back to work and provide the province with answers and assurances in the face of American tariffs.

A handful of southwest residents in Mendham and the Leader area are currently experiencing an unplanned power outage.

The outage was reported shortly after 11:00 a.m. and SaskPower has dispatched crews to the area.

Workers are onsite determining the cause and an estimated repair time. 

Anyone interested in updates or a map of both planned and unplanned outages can head to SaskPower's website. 

Swift Current Online will provide updates if or when made available.

In a friendly southwest rivalry, Swift Current won the Wellness Challenge over Shaunavon this year by the slightest of margins.

After Shaunavon won last year, Swift Current's average points were 202.6 this year compared to Shaunavon's 202.2.

"It was very, very close," said Shaunavon Director of Wellness and Leisure Alexis Hunt. "Originally I didn't have the decimal point, so I had to go back and add in those decimal points to see how close we were. With us winning last year it was cool to see them getting on board even more. Maybe that healthy rivalry is helping."

Shaunavon was up from last year with 11 teams and 114 participants.

"I think it went very well," Hunt said. "Lots of our teams had very high numbers which was awesome to see again. It's always fun competing with Swift Current."

Their top scores came from the Shaunavon District Fire and Rescue with an average of 222 points.

U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to impose sweeping 25 per cent tariffs on most Canadian goods has prompted a swift response from Canada, with the prime minister and the country's provinces taking action.

Hours after the Arbitration Board issued their report on the new collective bargaining agreement between the provincial government and the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, the President of the STF held a media availability to address what she called an historic decision by the board.  

“For 10 years, teachers have brought forward proposals to address the challenges that they experience in schools and classrooms, and throughout those 10 years the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee have refused to engage in the process as it was argued that items related to classroom complexity for provincial negotiations,” said Samantha Becotte to start the availability. “We now have a clear direction from our panel that classroom complexity not only can be within the scope of provincial bargaining, but it will be with the scope of our provincial collective agreement.” 

The decision stated that the issue of class complexity will be in the agreement. However, the language that will be used has yet to be determined, and that will need to be decided between the bargaining committees. If the two parties are unable to come to an agreement, then it will be back before the arbitration board for a final decision.  

The arbitration, which is binding, was for the final two sticking points of a new collective agreement. In addition to the classroom complexity issue, wages were also decided on. The Arbitration Board awarded the STF a nine per cent increase over three years, with retroactive increases for 2023 and 2024, and another increase that takes effect this year.  

The agreement does go until August 31, 2026, which means the next round of negotiations between the two sides will be starting up again in the near future.  

“It is unfortunate that we have just one year left remaining of this contract,” said Becotte. “It would have been nice if the negotiations process had been resolved a little bit earlier. At the same time, the article around classroom complexity provides us a clear direction that it can be negotiated.” 

The article of the contract concerning class complexity from the Arbitration board does have language about additional teachers within schools that will provide support, as well as the creation of a Classroom Complexity Fund that will provide some broader supports within a local context.  

Prairie News Network has also reached out to Education Minister Everett Hindley concerning the decision from the Arbitration Board.  

Swift Current will have its voice heard at the all-new SUMA Cities Caucus with city councillor Leanne Tuntland-Wiebe joining on behalf of the City. 

Tuntland-Wiebe is amongst the first members of the newly restructured SUMA Cities Caucus. Previously, SUMA was run by a board of directors. This restructuring will still feature the board of directors, but they will focus on general governance, budget, audit, convention planning, and province-wide advocacy. The Suma Cities Caucus will focus on sector-specific advocacy. Members will work collaboratively to find solutions for their represented sector, learning and providing with their fellow members.

For Tuntland-Wiebe, the chance to sit on the SUMA Cities Caucus as an inaugural member is a great honour. 

"I think this will be another really good learning curve for myself. All of us going there are in the same boat, being newly appointed to something like this. I enjoy hearing representatives from other cities talk about their issues. You realize how we do have some things in Swift Current that are way better than other cities and other things where we're lacking. It's always good when a body of minds comes together and starts talking and starts sharing."

The kinds of things that Tuntland-Wiebe will be advocating for are needs the City isn't having met, such as aid on the new Aquatic Centre. 

"I can have quite a loud voice when I'm doing that," said Tuntland-Wiebe. "I see other cities receiving things that Swift Current isn't."

Tuntland-Wiebe will serve starting from March 3, 2025, to Nov 30, 2028.

Southwest Saskatchewan experienced the brunt of a bitter February with snow, a lengthy stint of cold, and frigid temperatures well below average.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Swift Current area saw a monthly mean temperature of -16.7 degrees instead of the yearly area average for February of -9.3 degrees.

Out of the 11 monitoring stations in Saskatchewan, Swift Current saw the largest departure from normal temperatures with an average of 7.4 degrees below the monthly average. While La Ronge saw the least variance from normal temperatures with an average 3.7 degrees below average.

Danielle Desjardins, warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, highlighted that last month was most notably characterized by a prolonged three-week cold snap.

Despite the below average temperatures recorded across the province, no locations broke the record of the top 10 coldest Februarys. Desjardins attributed this to the warmup that took place between February 21 and 28.

Additionally, Environment and Climate Change Canada also reported that above average precipitation was recorded in most of north, south, and southwest Saskatchewan. 

For weather reports, information, warnings, and more, visit weather.gc.ca.

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation issued a release Tuesday morning calling a decision by the Arbitration Board ‘historic’. The decision is calling for class complexity to be included as a new article in the provincial collective bargaining agreement.  

The board also called on the Teachers’ Bargaining Committee and the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee to agree on the language to be used for class complexity in the agreement. If the two sides are unable to come to an agreement, then the matter will be referred back to the Arbitration board.  

“We welcome the chance to work with the GTBC to finalize this important language,” said STF President Samantha Becotte in the release. “We appreciate the dedication and professionalism the Board demonstrated throughout this process.” 

The issue of class complexity was one of the major sticking points in negotiations between the two sides. Mediation had recommended that it be included in the agreement in October of 2023, but the provincial government refused to have that as part of the discussions. Ultimately an impasse was declared, and the STF initiated job action in January 2024.  

The two sides would agree to go to arbitration on wages and the classroom complexity issue last June, ending the job action. The arbitration hearing was held in December.

The arbitration board also ruled on salary. Teachers have been awarded a nine per cent increase over three years. There will be a four per cent increase retroactive to September 1, 2023; a three per cent increase retroactive to September 1, 2024; and a two per cent increase that will take effect on September 1 of this year.  

More to come 

Saskatchewan teachers and their year-long battle for a contract with the province is over, and the Arbitration Board deciding that contract ruled that class complexity must be part of their collective agreement.

This decision follows a decade of advocacy to improve learning conditions for students and support teachers in increasingly challenging classrooms.

Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation President Samantha Becotte praised the ruling, calling it a crucial step toward addressing classroom issues. Teachers will receive a 9 per cent salary increase over three years, including 4 per cent retroactive to September 2023, 3 per cent in 2024, and 2 per cent in 2025.

A $20 million annual class complexity fund will be added to existing provincial education funding. The Teachers’ Bargaining Committee and Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee must now agree on how to implement the class complexity provisions. If they fail to reach an agreement, the issue will return to the Arbitration Board.

Before this ruling, Saskatchewan and Alberta were the only provinces without contract provisions for class size, class composition, or violence-free work environments. This decision aligns Saskatchewan with most other Canadian provinces, addressing long-standing teacher concerns.

Becotte commended the dedication of Saskatchewan teachers and families, emphasizing that their efforts led to this important change. The ruling is expected to have a lasting impact on public education, teacher working conditions, and student learning outcomes across the province.

Teachers have also been awarded a salary increase of nine per cent over three years; four per cent retroactive to Sept. 1, 2023, three per cent retroactive to Sept. 1, 2024, and two per cent of as of Sept. 1, 2025.

More women and girls are playing hockey than ever, but the numbers still pale in comparison to men and boys.

Two members of Swift Current city council shared their thoughts Monday night on the tariffs the United States is imposing on Canada Tuesday.

City councillor Ryan Plewis and Mayor Al Bridal talked about how if the tariffs are indeed implemented, it would be more important than ever to support local, Canadian businesses.

"I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know that anybody in Canada knows, and I'm not sure anybody in the (United) States knows what's going to happen and how it's going to affect our economies," said Bridal.

Plewis spoke about how it will be important to support Canadians. Buying from local stores and ensuring that what you are buying is either a locally made product or that of a Canadian producer will be a large part of life going forward under the tariffs for anyone looking to not pay the tariffs.

"Find Canadian replacements for the things that maybe you haven't been looking all that hard on and even shopping Canadian," said Plewis. "Having Canadian preferences is one of those things that every individual can do to help support our economy up here north of the 49th parallel."

When asked for further comment after city council, both members had already left instructions that they would not be commenting further at the time.

Both Plewis and Bridal have commented on the tariffs previously. Check those stories out in the links below.

For small towns across Saskatchewan the main gathering point is often the bar/hotel. It’s where coffee-row discusses the news of the day, where stories and jokes are swapped, and where reunions and afterparties often end up.

For over 50 years Lawson and Gail Harkness have been serving up more than just food and drinks, they’ve been serving up memories and stories that will be with them forever as they head off into retirement. Lawson Harkness says there are too many stories to share, but it’s the Telemiracle fundraisers he’s most proud of.

“Our Kinsmen Telemiracle (fundraiser) has been wonderful. It has brought the communities together and everybody sticks together like glue,” explained Harkness. “We’ve done that for 31 years and we’ve raised about $380,000 or more.”

(Pictured: Gail and Lawson Harkness. Picture by Steve Huber)

Together with his wife Gail, they owned and operated the Fife Lake Hotel for 50 years, three months, and three days. The journey all started when Harkness had just come out of the Royal Canadian Air Force, returning back to the Fife Lake area. Few jobs were available at the time and he found himself driving Coca-Cola trucks from Calgary to Lethbridge and back.

“I done that for six months and I said my mind was strong but my back was weak, so I came home for a long weekend and my Dad told me the hotel was for sale and, being stupid, I made an offer” smiled Harkness.

Little did he know, the hotel would be his for the next 50 years and it’ll be a place he will miss now that he’s retired.

“Definitely.” It’s been a good experience, a good job, and I know a lot of people,” he reflected.

A large retirement party was held for Lawson and Gail Harkness at the hotel this past Friday evening and the new owners have officially taken over the establishment. As for what’s next, Harkness, who’s now 80, says he and his wife would like to do some travelling.

“Every job has it’s good moments and bad moments and the good must have outweighed the bad because I’m still here,” chuckled Harkness.

You can listen to our entire interview below:

Residents from the Town of Gull Lake and the surrounding area are being notified of a temporary closure to one of the town's most popular community centres.

The Gull Lake Elk's Hall, located on the corner of Proton Avenue and Main Street, will be closed beginning this Thursday, March 6.

The closure is expected to last three to four weeks while the hall receives a spring touch up with a few renovations.

Kathy Keller's weekly Tuesday yoga class has been moved from the Elk's Hall to the Small Hall while the renovations are completed. 

Folks looking for more information can contact the Town of Gull Lake.

A renowned Canadian Country Music Hall of Famer will be returning to a southwest stage for the second time as the Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0 makes a pit stop in Swift Current this week.

Ontario-based founder of the Road Hammers, Jason McCoy, will be featured alongside two other Canadian country artists; Chad Brownlee and Jason Blaine. 

The long-time singer and songwriter was showcased in the first Great Canadian Road Trip, which stopped in Swift Current in February, 2024, and is looking forward to another stint with a brand new take.

"It's a living, breathing show, so it can change every night," he shared. "Part of it is what the crowd wants to hear, if you've got a request, shout it out.

"We share the band and we tell stories, we sing harmony for each other, and it's almost kind of like a songwriter experience."

Swift Current is only one of two stops in Saskatchewan the Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0 will be making during this leg of their tour, the other location being Regina's Darke Hall.

The tour kicked off this past weekend in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and is set to perform at Swift Current's Living Sky Casino this Friday, March 7. 

"You get three hit acts in one ticket," said McCoy. "It's going to be one for the books."

The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0 will take the trio across Canada as they play at popular centres including the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium, Medicine Hat's Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre, and Fort McMurray's Keyano Theatre & Arts Centre.

"We've just been asked to come to Australia, so we'll do a Canadian Road Trip down to Australia, and some shows in the U.S.," he added. "So it's always growing and it's a great thing to be part of."

Anyone interested in learning more about Jason McCoy and his songs can check out his website, visit thegreatcanadianroadtrip.com, or head over to his social media pages.

Île-à-la-Crosse boarding school survivors and elders were on hand Monday to hear the federal government had signed a $27-million agreement in principle with survivors of the school.

Neighbours quickly sprung into action, helping each other set up pumps. Others helped clean up the icy, frozen remains of the flood after the waters had receded.

Over the last few months, Saskatchewan residents have noticed that their beloved brown provincial park signs have been replaced with new, blue park signs (left). The change is seen by some to be an erasing of Saskatchewan’s individual identity. Photo credit Dale Dunlop/The Maritime Explorer

The vast sky stretches endlessly across a tranquil morning on the Saskatchewan plains, casting its gentle glow over the province’s wheaty underbelly.  

For lifelong Saskatchewanian Julie Maier, this beauty is part of what makes the province unique. “Saskatchewan can be a hard place to live, with weather and isolation,” she reflects. “But I think if you’re patient and willing to look [...] there’s a lot it can reveal to you.”

Outsiders might see it as just a flat, monotonous expanse of land. To those who call it home, though, the Prairies offer a deep-rooted sense of place. 

For decades, that beauty has been quite literally pointed out by the iconic brown and gold provincial park signs dotting highways. With their nod to the provincial flower, the western red lily, they stand in contrast to the sea of blue and green road signs across Saskatchewan denoting gas stations and highway exits. Brown means something entirely different: it’s that blissful charm of sepia-toned ‘70s summers.

Over decades, these signs have come to symbolize the province itself: quiet, enduring, and deeply rooted in their landscape. Even though brown signs, more generally, are recognized as “sites of public significance” in various countries around the world, Saskatchewan’s brown is different. It’s the shade of soil, the same colour as the beaver and white-tailed deer on Saskatchewan’s coat of arms. The ochre typeface and sign’s border is the same hue as that golden lion’s, said to represent the province’s wheat.

Now these much-loved signs are also disappearing far and wide. ​​While the official sign replacement policy was initiated in August 2020, the rollout has been slow to date. It’s up to each provincial park to submit an application for new signage, and the replacements are only just gaining traction.

Maier immediately noticed when her beloved Blackstrap Provincial Park sign had been removed, with a sterile, unoriginal, blue and white version erected in its place. It’s unclear when exactly this happened, but the province’s Park Signs webpage was first updated with the new signs in July 2024.

“I found it strange at first,” she said. “I’ve always had a fondness for the old design. There’s something fantastically retro about it.”

Why now? 
The official rationale for the change – that the new signs have better legibility – is reasonable. Even so, it’s unclear why the replacements couldn’t retain more elements of the old design, and help preserve a semblance of connection to the past while embracing modernization.

It would have been entirely doable, especially given the previously-used gold and brown tones were recognized as accessible. Colour contrast plays a crucial role in design legibility and while the new blue-and-white versions have higher contrast than the vintage signs, the original colour scheme was still above accessibility standards. 

It feels more like political propaganda than a harmless modernization of the old design. Where does Saskatchewan end and the Saskatchewan Party begin?

There’s also something to be said for the signs we already have on the road and the information associated with them. Green signs are directional markers, informing travellers of upcoming towns or cities and the distance still to go, while blue and white signs typically denote services, rest stops, or local attractions, and brown signs have been for provincial parks. As one commentor on Reddit stated, “If they want to change up the sign color to be more modern fine, but don’t lump them in with miscellaneous [information] like gas stations or temporary attractions. Give them their own branding.”

Progress, or political symbolism?
When we zoom out, these changing signs clearly reflect a broader political trend. The transformation of Saskatchewan’s iconography is taking place in a manner which maintains little, if any, of the original marks of Saskatchewan’s past.

For instance, in 2013 the Sask Party modified the original Saskatchewan government logo from its iconic wheat sheaf into a modernized, stylized version that more closely resembles the party’s own logo. 

The old logo, benign and apolitical, shifted into imagery, and using colours, that more closely entwines the province’s identity with the party’s. It feels more like political propaganda than a harmless modernization of the old design. Where does Saskatchewan end and the Saskatchewan Party begin?

Collectively, these cultural sideswipes are at odds with what Premier Scott Moe claims he envisions for the province, as a “nation within a nation.” These decisions made under his government are fostering a culture of precisely the opposite, in effect homogenizing Saskatchewan to blend in with the rest of the country.

In an interview with Dale Eisler, the former counsel general for Canada in Denver and author of From Left to Right: Saskatchewan’s Political and Economic Transformation, he remarked that sign colours have often aligned with the party in power.

Erasing cultural symbols and key elements of Saskatchewan’s heritage in favour of benign, corporate alternatives will undeniably risk eroding the province’s identity.

“During the NDP government years, orange and brown became a common colour. During the [Progressive Conservative] government years of the 1980s, blue became the dominant colour.”

The Government of Saskatchewan website reflects this too. Records from early in 2007 show it was a muted shade of blueish grey, right up until the Sask Party came into power that year, when it became significantly more yellow and green.

As Annie Hylton writes for The Walrus, “Moe has successfully inched Saskatchewan politics further right – with extreme climate, LGBTQ2S+, education, and economic policies.” She quotes Ian Hanna, a former communications adviser for former Premier Brad Wall, who says the Sask Party is moving towards becoming “a solid right-wing populist party, led by a right-wing populist guy in the form of Mr. Scott Moe.”

From the “emergency” passage of Bill 137, requiring parental consent before a child can use a different gender-related name or pronoun at school, to expressing that he “mirrors“ Trump’s concerns on immigration – Moe has indeed taken some clearly conservative stances. Eisler noted that the new blue signs could be an homage to the Conservative party’s usual colour of choice. “No doubt, the Moe government sees blue as subliminal messaging.”

And perhaps it’s only been a matter of time, given the Sask Party’s guiding principles are traditionally conservative. For instance, the party prioritizes a “smaller, less intrusive” government – which is a core belief of the federal Conservative Party of Canada’s constitutional framework.

According to Moe’s keynote speech at the 2024 Saskatoon Premier’s Dinner on June 13, the Party’s core message and objective is that of protection.

In a passionate address, he insisted “we are not going to let forces from inside or outside this province attack or tear down. We are going to protect what you and your neighbours in our communities and industries have built.”

Erasing cultural symbols and key elements of Saskatchewan’s heritage in favour of benign, corporate alternatives will undeniably risk eroding the province’s identity.

The big picture
Javier Gimeno-Martínez, design historian at the Vrije University Amsterdam, and author of Design and National Identity, explains that such minute changes are integral to the wider trend toward globalization, where local identities are increasingly subsumed by more generic, globalized standards. 

“When a community loses a symbol that has been part of its identity for a long time, it can create a sense of loss and disorientation,” Gimeno-Martinez explains. “People may not realize how much these symbols mean to them until they’re gone.”

“Communities construct their identity through visual elements like signage,” Gimeno-Martínez notes. “When those elements are standardized, it can feel like an erasure of local culture.”

As he points out, the removal of familiar symbols can have a profound psychological effect on a community. “When a community loses a symbol that has been part of its identity for a long time, it can create a sense of loss and disorientation,” he explains. “People may not realize how much these symbols mean to them until they’re gone.”

While it might seem easy, and perhaps tempting, to dismiss these sign replacements as a fairly benign decision, Maier didn’t mourn the old park signs in isolation. Taking to X, she highlighted her personal disappointment. She also lamented the change as a real “aesthetic downgrade.”

Her thread struck a chord among Saskatchewan residents, many of whom were shocked and just as demoralized. As the likes flowed in and her post was shared on Reddit many others shared anecdotes of childhoods spent camping just behind those very park signs. One comment reminisced that they just “made me happy, for whatever reason.”

Her social media post has raised the type of heated responses that Maier wasn’t necessarily expecting. In retrospect, she thinks the post’s virality was the result of a “collection of things people are annoyed about.” 

Proof of how people resonate with this iconography is evident. Hardpressed, a Saskatoon-based clothing brand, and Rebellion Brewing Co. in Regina have both profited off the famed provincial signage. Whether it’s nostalgia or a sense of identity, the signs are cultural icons folks are eager to pay for. 

The global pattern 
To be clear, this form of design deletion isn’t just happening in Saskatchewan. 

The Paris Métro is famous for the few remaining art nouveau signs which adorn some of its lucky stations. Designed by Hector Guimard from 1898 to 1900, some signs were replaced during a modernization campaign after the First World War, and more were torn down for scrap metal during Second World War.

Guimard’s creations resembled the real earth. Not only did they look like it, they were made of it: the signs are made of glazed lava. The subway entrances feel organic, and they are.

In the words of Steven Zucker, former chair of art and design at the Pratt Institute, it is as if the signs are “held up, suspended between two plant-like stalks” which “look as if they’re budding – except that the blossom, which is yet to open, is actually a lamp.” And then there’s the typeface, with its playful and unfurling script. The gothic font still prevails across 86 locations, but many have been replaced with a significantly less distinct alternative.

While Saskatchewan may not have the global stature of Paris, it shares a similar vulnerability: in the pursuit of sameness, something essential is being lost.

For Paris, the metro’s more simplistic signage replacement is undeniably an artistic loss, but the city has plenty of other cultural symbols to rely upon to maintain its heritage.

Saskatchewan, on the other hand, derives everything from pride to profit from its prairies and parks. The park signs are crucial to solidifying that identity. Around one million pairs of eyeballs soak the signs in every year, drawing up their own interpretation and meaning of the place.

While Saskatchewan may not have the global stature of Paris, it shares a similar vulnerability: in the pursuit of sameness, something essential is being lost.

Gimeno-Martínez adds that plenty of objects and graphics go unnoticed until they’re under threat. This can signal a shift that feels imposed on the communities most protective of the identity at stake. He observes that even though some parts of the community may be fine with change, others may interpret it as an “attack on their identity.”

Perhaps this has to do with the feeling that these signs are not just a part of our environment, but a reflection of it. The earth-like Saskatchewan signs, and plant-like Parisian signs, feel more like they belong. Maybe they help us feel we belong in that environment too – as if we can be a part of it, not just take advantage of it.  For Parisians, this might have been a longing for their pre-war era. For Saskatchewanians, perhaps it’s an internal conflict with a deeper political strife.

This phenomenon underscores the deep emotional connection people have to everyday symbols that might otherwise be overlooked until they’re gone, or in jeopardy, as is the case with these iconic signs.
 

The path forward
There was undeniably a way to update Saskatchewan’s park signs without erasing what makes them special. As Gimeno-Martínez points out, “It’s not about resisting change – it’s about ensuring that change doesn’t come at the expense of identity.” 

If Saskatchewan is to remain a place to which its residents feel deeply connected, its symbols, its signs, and its history have to be maintained and respected.

The province’s modernization efforts could have coexisted without extinguishing its unique cultural markers. More decisions that favour standardization over individuality will put the province at risk of losing its distinct character. If Saskatchewan is to remain a place to which its residents feel deeply connected, its symbols, its signs, and its history have to be maintained and respected.

In Maier’s words, the signage is about “that feeling when you’re entering the park. You’re approaching the moment when you’ll get your campsite down, crack that first beer, and start a fire - that’s all part of the sign. You’re almost there.”

Police say they received a report that a young person was touched inappropriately during a massage therapy session.

While they didn't come home to Shaunavon with any Saskatchewan Music Awards, the Hunter Brothers are still very proud of their nominations.

The local country group was nominated for Country Artist of the Year, Single of the Year, and Music Video of the Year.

"We're very honoured anytime we receive a nomination," said Ty Hunter. "But there is something special about it being Saskatchewan based. It's always a good feeling and we appreciate being recognized in any capacity for artistic creativity... and we're thankful that people are resonating with it."

Train (Station Edition) received the nominations for Single of the Year and Mustic Video of the Year.

"This particular music video means as much to me personally as any we have done," Hunter said. "I somehow convinced my brother Luke and his wife Lindsay to act in it and they did a fantastic job. My buddy who is from Swift Current, Alder Irwin of Irwin Films, him and I have really developed a fun creative relationship over the years. We've really tried to challenge ourselves every time we do a music video to do something different."

Some brainstorming led them to a unique potential location. 

"We went down to this old train in Eastend," Ty said. "We started walking through all these really cool historic cars that are all merged together, but they all have different stories in each train car. So, we walked through them and all of a sudden, the ideas started flowing. We were able to come up with something we were really proud of."

Jess Moskaluke ended up winning the Country Arts of the Year and Single of the Year awards. Joshua Stade took home the award for Music Video of the Year.

The Hunter Brothers have come home winners from the Saskatchewan Music Awards before. They won Single of the Year in 2018 and 2019, while picking up Country Artist of the Year in 2019 and 2022. 

They start their Homegrown Nights tour on May 31 in Medicine Hat. 

Saskatchewan residents selling items online are being targeted by scammers posing as buyers, warns Conexus Credit Union. These fraudsters send fake e-transfer emails that appear legitimate, tricking sellers into providing banking credentials.

Conexus advises setting up autodeposit for e-Transfers to prevent fraud. Other safety measures include enabling digital banking alerts, avoiding links in messages, and never entering banking details outside official platforms.

March is Fraud Prevention Month, and Conexus encourages anyone who encounters fraudulent activity to report it. Staying vigilant can help prevent financial losses.

A 33-year-old Regina man has been charged after a youth reported being inappropriately touched during a massage therapy session in February 2025.

Police arrested the man on February 24. He is charged with sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, and sexual assault on a person under 16.

The suspect appeared in Provincial Court on February 25. Authorities continue to investigate the case.

A couple hundred southwest residents are in for a planned power outage this Tuesday to allow for a series of updates in the area. 

Residents of Simmie, Duncairn Dam, Gull Lake, Admiral, Eastend, areas southwest of Simmie, areas north of Climax, and more can expect to be impacted by the outage.

Scott McGregor, spokesperson for SaskPower, noted that 262 customers will be affected, beginning around 10:00 a.m. 

"We're going to be doing some system upgrades, [including] replacing some poles and wires to improve reliability," said McGregor. "The outage could last up to six hours, but we have a lot of crews working on this project so hopefully it should be done sooner than that."

He highlighted that the town of Shaunavon will not experience an outage but surrounding areas will.

"We understand that outages are an inconvenience," McGregor added. "For anyone impacted, we do appreciate their patience while we get this work done."

For updates and a map of planned and unplanned outages across Saskatchewan, visit saskpower.com.

The Swift Current Comprehensive High School's senior Ardens basketball team headed to Regina this past weekend where they took first place at the ROCK Tournament.

The Ardens took a 76 - 45 win over Sheldon Williams in their first game before a win over Indian Head by 40 points in the semi-final.

In the final, the girls took on Harvest City and came out on top with a 69 - 59 victory.

Swift Current's Kylee Michaluk received Tournament MVP while Dani Meyers and Sarah Neustaeter, also from the Ardens, were named as Tournament All-Stars.

The local team currently has a season record of 26 wins and four losses.

The Ardens' last home game of the season is right around the corner with the MJHSAA Semi-Final this Tuesday, March 4 beginning around 6:00 p.m. in the Comp gymnasium. 

The Second Avenue Northeast overpass is for non-commercial trucks, allowing regular folks to traverse the rail line reliably and without worrying about delays. 

While smaller duty transport trucks and vans can use the overpass, things like semi-trucks and large tractor-trailer units are required to cross elsewhere. The exception to that rule is emergency vehicles, like the ones used by the Swift Current Fire Department. 

Under the Truck Route Bylaw, Part Two, Section Ten, it's quoted by Deputy Fire Chief Dean Diguer as saying, "This part should not apply to emergency vehicles."

Diguer noted that the Fire Department has never weighed their fire trucks fully loaded. The overpass is rated for nine tons, with the suspected weight of the fully loaded fire engines well surpassing that. He would like to take them to the weigh station fully laden at some point, just to have that information on hand, which would also allow anyone to accurately measure out that overage on the overpass. 

The exemption for these trucks is made with the understanding that they may well exceed the weight. The balance is struck by the fact that these are the only super heavy units travelling the overpass on a somewhat regular basis. 

The closest thing to the fire trucks that are also under exemption would be the garbage trucks. While not as heavy as the fire trucks, they do put on weight after having picked up garbage. 

The Fire Department does not pay for the exemption. There has been no discussion of updating or changing it in recent years as far as Diguer is aware of. 

Shaunavon RCMP are searching for the culprit behind a vandalism incident at a local school. 

Between 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 2, a rock was thrown through the front doors of the Shaunavon High School, damaging a window. 

If anyone has information on this incident, they are asked to contact the detachment at 306-297-5550. People may also reach out to CrimeStoppers anonymously at 306-222-TIPS.