February 28, 2006
U of S Historian Makes History in Obtaining Resolution for Sto:lo Nation
Posted February 28, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Tuesday, February 28, 2006
2006-02-07-AR
U of S Historian Makes History in Obtaining Resolution for Sto:lo Nation
University of Saskatchewan historian Keith Thor Carlson's research has
helped redress an historical injustice against a West Coast Aboriginal
group.
Carlson's investigation into an unresolved 1884 murder of a 14-year-old
First Nations boy has led to an international and public acknowledgment of
the event's injustice.
"Keith Thor Carlson has made history - not just recorded it," says Antonio
Sanchez, Senior Research Analyst and International Relations and Economic
Development Coordinator for Washington's Office of Lieutenant Governor. "He
has done incredible work with this research, no doubt about it."
Last night, the Senate in Washington state passed a resolution acknowledging
the injustice of the 1884 lynching of Sto:lo Nation boy Louie Sam at the
hands of an American lynch mob.
"After first hearing the story of Louie Sam from British Columbia Lieutenant
Governor Iona Campagnolo, I understood how this terrible injustice in our
history needed to be reconciled," said by Washington Lieutenant Governor
Brad Owen.
The resolution states that both the Washington and B.C. government of the
time "failed to take adequate action to identify the true culprit of the
murder and bring the organizers and members of the lynch mob to justice."
The two governments now seek "to promote healing among the Sto:lo people and
reconciliation between Natives and non-Natives on the Pacific Coast . . . to
ensure that such a tragedy will neither be forgotten nor repeated."
On Wednesday, March 1st, Washington's House of Representatives will present
a similarly worded motion. Sto:lo Tribal Council Grand Chief Doug Kelly will
be on hand. A similar acknowledgment is expected to be coming from British
Columbia's Legislature through John van Dongen, Minister of State for
Intergovernmental Relations and MLA for Abbotsford-Clayburn, the riding of
the Sto:lo Nation.
The long-awaited acknowledgment of the injustice to the Sto:lo is a direct
result of Carlson's seminal research into the tragic event. He was also a
key consultant to Washington on the issue.
"Professor Carlson's research into these events is simply outstanding - and
will have lasting impact," says U of S Vice-President Research Steven
Franklin. "It is particularly heartening to see how this research is
affecting international political events and social justice issues. It has
truly made a difference."
"It's unbelievably rewarding to see this happen," said Carlson of the
resolutions to be presented on March 1st. "The Sto:lo people deserve this
acknowledgment of the injustice to Louie Sam. I hope it will serve to help
improve relations and promote healing all round."
The news of the resolutions to be formally presented in Washington comes
almost exactly on the 122nd anniversary of Louie Sam's death. The Sto:lo boy
was lynched the night of February 27th, 1884, possibly during the early
hours of February 28th.
That night, an American lynch mob crossed the border from Washington
Territory into British Columbia and hanged 14-year-old Louie Sam who was
then in the custody of Canadian police. The lynch mob claimed to be seeking
justice for the murder of a Washington shopkeeper, but Carlson's
investigative research has revealed that the shopkeeper's murder was
actually committed by one of the lynch mob members - not young Louie Sam.
"The events of that night very nearly sparked an outright race war," says
Keith Thor Carlson, who is currently writing a book on the subject.
Carlson's research has already inspired a recently released documentary
film, "The Lynching of Louie Sam," by Vancouver filmmaker David McIlwraith.
That film has appeared on the History Channel. Its Saskatchewan
première was held recently on the U of S campus.
Carlson will attend the historic event tomorrow in Olympia, Washington along
with friends and colleagues from B.C.'s Sto:lo Nation.
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For more information, contact:
Keith Thor Carlson
History Department
College of Arts and Science
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-5902
keith.carlson@usask.ca
Jennifer W. Webber
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1474
jennifer.webber@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
February 22, 2006
Scotiabank and U of S partner on Aboriginal graduate program to address future labour needs
Posted February 22, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 22, 2006 2006-02-05-OTHER
Scotiabank and U of S partner on Aboriginal graduate program to address
future labour needs
Saskatoon, SK - The new Scotiabank Master of Business Administration
Bridging Program is designed to encourage the next generation of Aboriginal
business leaders to consider upgrading their skills with an MBA from the
University of Saskatchewan. The program is possible, thanks to a $250,000
gift by Scotiabank to the College of Commerce through the University's
Thinking the World of our Future campaign.
The week long in-house program will introduce 15 potential students to the
University's 12-month MBA program, the U of S campus and the city of
Saskatoon.
"Scotiabank's funding allows us to really showcase the U of S MBA program to
Aboriginal professionals who are considering doing an MBA, demonstrate how
the MBA program can contribute to their career development and walk them
through the steps they need to take to get into the MBA program," says Dean
of Commerce, Lynne Pearson.
"We are confident this innovative program will help ensure that more First
Nations and Aboriginal students graduate with highly respected MBAs from the
U of S's College of Commerce," says Scotiabank's Senior Vice-President,
Prairie Region, George Marlatte. "We are also confident that when these MBA
graduates enter the business world they will be well equipped to face the
challenges - and seize the opportunities - that lie ahead."
The University of Saskatchewan is the only Canadian university to offer an
MBA with a specialization in Indigenous Management. However, students who
take part in the Scotiabank MBA Bridging Program would be eligible to take
any of the areas of specialization within the MBA program.
"Census data shows us there is a large group of young Aboriginal people
entering post-secondary education and the labour force," says Warren Weir,
Chair of the Indigenous Management Specialization, MBA Program. "This
bridging program will provide encouragement and support so they can realize
their career options and opportunities. This is an important step in the
development of Western Canada's future labour force."
In addition, Scotiabank's contribution will be used to create a $10,000
scholarship for an Aboriginal graduate student in the University of
Saskatchewan's MBA program.
Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which its employees
and customers live and work, both in Canada and abroad. Recognized as a
leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for its charitable
donations and philanthropic activities, in 2005 the Bank provided more than
$40 million in sponsorships and donations to a variety of projects and
initiatives, primarily in the areas of healthcare, education and social
services. Scotiabank is on the World Wide Web at www.scotiabank.com.
The University of Saskatchewan's Thinking the World of our Future
fundraising campaign priorities include enhancing the student experience,
increasing financial support for students and improving facilities to
provide better opportunities for learning and research.
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For more information, please contact:
Deborah Spence
Scotiabank Public Affairs
Cell (403) 612-3317 or (403) 254-6830
Lynne Pearson
Dean, College of Commerce
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4786
February 20, 2006
Family Farm at a Crossroads: U of S Prof
Posted February 20, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, February 20, 2006
2006-02-03-AG
Family Farm at a Crossroads: U of S Prof
Society must come to grips with the apparent lack of economic viability of
grain and oilseed production despite the remarkable historical success of
Prairie agriculture, says University of Saskatchewan agricultural economist
Hartley Furtan.
"Many farm families feel a growing despair that they simply can not make a
living through farming," says Furtan.
"If the sector is not important enough to warrant more financial support,
let the market process take its course and we will have fewer farm families
with less grain and oilseed production. If it is the families we care about,
we need to consider new policies such as a guaranteed annual income for
farmers."
Furtan will headline "Footprint of the Farm", a public forum presented by
the Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy (SIPP), on Wednesday, February
22nd from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the U of S Faculty Club, Fireplace Room.
Analysing data from the 2003 Farm Financial Survey carried out by Statistics
Canada, Furtan concludes that on average, after all reasonable expenses have
been charged, there was no market income earned from farming in Saskatchewan
in 2003. Program payments and off-farm income provided any livelihood for
the average farm family.
"Farms have increased their productivity, helped create many value-adding
food and non-food industries, and have been a laboratory for the development
of some of the most important tillage equipment developed in the world," he
says. "But there is a deep-rooted problem in Prairie agriculture."
With commodity prices likely to remain low and energy-related costs
increasing, the future does not look bright for the family farm.
"In order to find an acceptable solution to this on-going problem, we need a
clear articulation of the societal objective of any intervention," he says.
"Over three-quarters of farm household income is earned off the farm.
Governments continue to provide financial support, yet farms are still in
dire financial straits."
At the forum, Professor Emeritus of political studies David Smith will be
discussing the role of the family farm in the political process.
Governor-General award-winning novelist Guy Vanderhaeghe will reflect on the
influence of Saskatchewan's agrarian society on the development of the
artistic and literary culture of the province.
Registration is required for the event. To register, contact SIPP at (306)
585-5869 or email sipp@uregina.ca to register.
SIPP was created in 1998 as a partnership between the University of Regina,
the U of S, and the Government of Saskatchewan. It is committed to
expanding knowledge and understanding of the public-policy concerns in
Saskatchewan and Canada.
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For more information, contact:
Professor Hartley Furtan
Agricultural Economics
College of Agriculture
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4032
David Hutton
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6490
dave.hutton@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
February 13, 2006
U of S-Led Team Discovers Possible "Universal Strategy" to Combat Addiction
Posted February 13, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, February 13, 2006 2006-02-01-ME
U of S-Led Team Discovers Possible "Universal Strategy" to Combat Addiction
An international research team led by the University of Saskatchewan has
discovered a signalling pathway in the brain involved in drug addiction,
together with a method for blocking its action, that may point to a single
treatment strategy for most addictions.
Their findings will appear in the March issue of the prestigious journal
Nature Medicine.
The team, led by Xia Zhang, associate professor in the U of S department of
psychiatry, has found that a naturally occurring enzyme known as PTEN acts
on the part of the brain where many drugs of abuse exert their rewarding
effects - the ventral tegmental area (VTA).
"Our results suggest a potential universal strategy for treating drug
addiction," Zhang says. "Most drugs of abuse act on the neurons in this
area."
He cautions that much work remains to be done before a treatment based on
the discovery could be developed to help drug addicts. This includes several
years of further testing, including animal and, finally, human trials.
"We have our peptide, but there's a long way to go before a clinical
application," he says.
"Dr. Zhang's research is important to our understanding of drug addiction.
His work epitomizes how health research holds the key to improved health and
quality of life for Canadians and people throughout the world," said Dr.
Rémi Quirion, scientific director of the Canadian Institutes of
Health Research Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction.
Zhang, who worked on the project with colleagues at the U of S, University
of Toronto, and Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, explains that VTA brain
cells are sensitive to serotonin, a hormone associated with learning, sleep
and mood. The team discovered that PTEN acts on these serotonin receptors,
increasing brain cell activity. This is the same "reward" process sparked by
drugs of abuse.
Armed with this knowledge, the team designed a molecule called a peptide,
tailored to fit the serotonin receptors and block PTEN. When rats were
treated with this PTEN-blocker, it shut down the drug reward process -
including the process that induces craving and withdrawal.
The study, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, looked at nicotine and
THC (the active ingredient in marijuana). However, Zhang says the results
could also hold true for other drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and even
methamphetamine.
Zhang's U of S research team is part of the Neuropsychiatry Research Unit
and Neural Systems and Plasticity Research Group, two of several U of S
interdisciplinary health sciences research groups. The group, dedicated to
the study of brain systems and how they change with experience, draws
expertise from numerous departments across six colleges on campus.
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For more information, contact:
Dr. Xia Zhang
Associate Professor, Neuropsychiatry Research Unit
College of Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2288
zhangxia@duke.usask.ca
Michael Robin
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
Marie-France Poirier
CIHR Media Specialist
(613) 941-4563
Cell: (613) 447-4794
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
