The following are the welcome and opening remarks provided by Dana Soonias (CEO, Wanuskein Heritage Park) 1
Tansi, Bonjour and Welcome to Wanuskewin Heritage Park for those of you who have not been here for some time and those that may be visiting from outside our city and province.
Wanuskewin has gone through many changes these last few years and we are on the cusp of a Renewal Campaign to finish off what was started several years ago. Wanuskewin contains some of the most exciting archaeological finds in North America. To date there are 19 pre-contact sites to be found within the valley and two historic sites making this region the longest running active archaeological site in Canada. Some are 5,000 to
6,000 years old and within walking distance of one another.
Wanuskewin’s mandate is built on a foundation of education. This cultural heritage center celebrates all unique plains First Nations and Metis cultures, that inhabited the area for thousands of years. We do this through educational programming, dance, food, music, art, crafts & exhibits. We are proud of our 20 year history, and invite you to discover why this place has become so special, to so many, around the world.
Tonight, we gather here to “Honor Food Traditions” of our indigenous people.
As we are all learning, food security is a big issue that faces us all. The food crisis of 2008 brought into sharp focus the stark realities confronting the global food production system. Rising energy prices, demand for biofuels, climate change, market speculation, changes in dietary patterns, and under-investment in the agricultural sector in many countries were some of the root causes of the 2008 crisis. Reduced agricultural research and development in the public sector, and a
1 Dana Soonias was born and raised on the Red Pheasant Cree Nation near Battleford,
Saskatchewan and studied business administration at the University of Saskatchewan. Mr.
Soonias is involved with numerous local, provincial and national organizations and committees, and is President of the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of
Saskatchewan. In 2009, he was named Chief Executive Officer of Wanuskewin Heritage
Park.

contraction in investments in rural infrastructure and development also did not help. Riots and political instability were manifested in several countries as a result of the food crisis. The impacts of the food crisis on the world’s most vulnerable and poorest were worsened a few months later when the North American financial crisis erupted. Some 100 million more people were plunged into food deprivation and poverty.
Although the Food Price Index has declined in international markets, the number of undernourished remains unacceptably high, estimated to be around one billion. The United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization and the World Food Programme have noted that 22 countries are in a protracted crisis, a situation characterized by recurrent natural disasters or conflicts, which cause a breakdown of livelihoods.
The world will need to produce 70 % more food between now and 2050 to satisfy the demand of a population of just over 9 billion people. More attention needs to be paid to undernourishment, particularly of mothers and children.
What have we done locally?
The U of S, as part of a private-public partnership that includes the
Province of Saskatchewan and Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc.
(PotashCorp), has launched the Global Institute for Food Security. The new institute will develop Saskatchewan-led solutions to feed a growing world population.
With initial commitments of up to $35 million from PotashCorp – one of the largest corporate donations for university research in Canada – and $15 million from the province over the next seven years, the institute will apply
Saskatchewan’s unique resources, innovation and expertise to address the increasing global demand for safe, reliable food. The institute will be based at the U of S, a world-renowned centre of excellence in agriculture and food-system related research.
So how does this affect Wanuskewin and what are the links between the U of S, PotashCorp, the Province of Saskatchewan and food security?

Food insecurity exists when the availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or the ability to acquire such food in socially acceptable ways is limited or uncertain.
1 It can range from the fear of not being able to provide or obtain food to hunger due to food shortages. The deprivation of basic need represented by food insecurity is a possible precursor to suboptimal dietary intakes and compromised health and well-being. Food insecurity is thus an important public health issue, particularly for economically marginalized groups including Aboriginal peoples.
In Canada, “Aboriginal peoples” are the descendants of the original inhabitants of North America, and include Status and non-Status Indians
(First Nations), Métis and Inuit. Research shows that the health of these groups is less favourable than that of the non-Aboriginal population.
Moreover, health inequalities persist when socio-economic factors, obesity and health behaviours such as smoking and alcohol consumption are taken into account.
Recent Statistics Canada studies have shown that almost three in ten (29%)
Aboriginal adults lived in food-insecure households. Compared with their counterparts in food-secure households, they were more likely to report poor general health (36% versus 21%) and poor mental health (21% versus
10%), life dissatisfaction (28% versus 13%), a very weak sense of community belonging (20% versus 11%), high stress (43% versus 21%) and
I can go on as did the study……….
These statistics show that Canadian aboriginal people are more likely to suffer from health and malnutrition than the rest of the population and we need to find ways to create better food security through partnerships like these in the province and throughout the country.
Wanuskewin has been working with the Department of Pharmacy and
Nutrition to look at ways that we can begin to address some of these issues and working together in a collaborative and meaningful manner is a great way to start, no matter how small that may be. We can all contribute to finding solutions to better nutrition and together find solutions to food security issues in our region.
Thank you again for coming tonight and I hope you enjoy your evening our staff have waiting for you.