City signs partnership agreement with First Nations and Metis

With Swift Current growing at a steady pace the City is partnering with the Aboriginal community in order to help provide the workforce needed to keep the community moving forward.
Mayor Sandy Larson and MÉtis Relations Minister June Draude officially signed a partnership agreement for Aboriginal Employment Development between the City, the City of Swift Current unions and the Saskatchewan First Nations and MÉtis Relations.
"I believe this was just a great historic day. It was a memorable day and it shows that the City of Swift Current and the Unions are really part of making sure that the First Nations and MÉtis people are apart of our economy," explained Draude.
Mayor Sandy Larson says this is a piece of the puzzle Swift Current needs to help prepare for the future.
"It means that we are preparing for the future. We need a diverse workforce. We need inclusion within our city and this is one step forward towards that."
With the Living Sky's Casino expected to open December 28, Larson says the city needs to recognize the Aboriginal workforce coming to the city.
"We have an Aboriginal workforce that is coming into our city and we have to recognize that. Also, we need skilled labour workers within our city and we have to include the Aboriginal people. That is how we prepared to go forward with this. Besides we are in the 21st century, as a city we need to recognize all cultures and their diversity and what they bring to our community."
A prayer to open the ceremony was performed by Elder Fred Stonechild along with drummers and singers from the Nekaneet First Nations. Minister Draude says partnering with the City of Swift Current is very special.
"We have 93 partnerships right across the province now. The City of Swift Current in this corner is one of the first ones and I am really proud, especially with the opening of the casino. The fact that there is a real effort on behalf of everyone to make sure that there is a work force that represents the population. We really do appreciate the culture of the First Nations people in our province."
With the 95 other partnership agreemenents across the province, Draude added that thousands have found employment opportunities.
"We have over 4,000 people who are employed now because of this agreement. 32,000 people have actually had an awareness of what the treaty is and what the First Nations culture has. It really moves slowly but the ball is picking up now and we are having more and more people who are wanting to have MÉtis and First Nations involvement not just because it is the right thing to do but because there are opportunities for all of us. We have people hear right at home that want to be working and this is what this signing shows that we can be working together."