Estevan

The smell of sage and sweetgrass floated in the air Monday over a mostly sombre ceremony to reflect on the legacy of residential schools and remember those who survived — and the thousands who didn't.

But amid the more difficult moments at the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation ceremony on Parliament Hill came a few moments of levity and celebration.

"We've got tomorrow, we'll live for a brighter day," sang Diyet & the Love Soldiers, performing their song We're Still Here while dignitaries and children alike got up on their feet and started dancing.

This story contains information pertaining to Canada's role in creating and maintaining residential schools for over 150 years. Reader discretion is advised. If you or someone in your family survived residential schools, the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24/7. You can call 1-866-925-4419 toll-free for crisis support.

Canada's labour minister says striking grain terminal workers in Metro Vancouver and their employers have reached a tentative labour deal.

Steven MacKinnon announced the agreement between Grain Workers Union Local 333 and the Vancouver Terminal Elevators’ Association in a post on social media platform X, but provided no other details.

The union confirmed the tentative deal in a statement on Facebook, saying its members will conduct the ratification vote by Oct. 4.

In recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Golden West Radio is joining media outlets across Canada on Monday, September 30, for A Day to Listen 2024.

The day is an initiative led by the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF) where radio stations from coast to coast broadcast Indigenous voices, stories, and discussions, helping to raise awareness about the ongoing journey toward reconciliation.

With the sod-turning ceremony marking the beginning of a new phase of construction for a new Estevan Regional Nursing Home, questions still abound as to what exactly that'll look like.

At the ceremony held on Friday, Don Kindopp, the chair of the New Estevan Nursing Home Committee, was joined by others in the community including Estevan MLA Lori Carr and Councilor Shelley Veroba.

Barbara Nolan, an Anishnaabe elder on a mission to promote her nation's language, says she loves to hear stories about how her work is influencing children.

Nolan launched a series of online videos last month to introduce the language — called Anishinaabemowin — to the very youngest members of the community.

The Saskatchewan Firearms Office (SFO) is reminding residents of important safety measures ahead of the upcoming hunting season, with a key message: a secure firearm is a safe firearm.

"A successful hunt starts with safety," said SFO Deputy Commissioner and Chief Firearms Officer Murray Cowan. "Respect your firearm, respect wildlife, and respect the environment. Hunting is not just about the harvest; it is about preserving the balance of nature and returning home safely."

The provincial government has sent out a release reminding people that today is Test Your Smoke Alarm Day, with their release reminding people to make sure their home safety devices are working.

In their release, they stated that data from the National Fire Protection Association shows 59 per cent of all fire deaths happen in homes that either have no smoke alarm or have alarms that fail to go off.

As such the government of Saskatchewan encourages people to properly install and maintain smoke alarms inside of people's homes to ensure they're warned if a fire breaks out.

Here's a look at some of this week's top news photos as selected by editors.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.

Negotiations to end a strike by grain terminal workers in Metro Vancouver have stalled, with the employers' association saying it's "disappointed" with the results of two days of talks. 

A statement from the Western Grain Elevator Association says the employer bargaining unit had increased its offer to settle "outstanding issues," but that was rejected.