For Immediate Release:
July 17, 2006

From across western Canada, members meet in Saskatchewan to paddle Back to Batoche

SASKATOON: Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) took to Saskatchewan's rivers on July 19 to make a historic journey Back to Batoche.

CUPE's Aboriginal Council has launched canoes to coincide with Batoche Days for the past three years, but this year the union that stands for aboriginal people has been invited to officially participate in the Métis Nation - Saskatchewan (MNS) Back to Batoche celebrations, held in Batoche from July 20 to July 23, 2006.

"It's important for all Canadians, from all walks of life, to join in celebrating each other's successes and trials," said Geraldine Harris, senator for CUPE Saskatchewan's Aboriginal Council. "Within CUPE we are fighting for a workforce that includes First Nations and Métis workers, and we can't work together until we understand each other."

Roughly 25 paddlers and 10 volunteer organizers were involved in the trek, which will took the canoeists about 75 kilometres over three days. Participants from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia finally arrived together at Batoche on July 21, in time to be welcomed into the MNS celebration of Batoche Days.

Harris said CUPE has been at the forefront in signing partnership agreements with employers and government to promote a representative workforce, while resisting regressive trends like designated positions. Thousands of people have received aboriginal awareness training from CUPE, and in addition to the creation of the provincial Aboriginal Council in 2001, CUPE's national affiliate has just had the first meeting of the newly-created National Aboriginal Council.

The annual Batoche festival is held in Batoche, Saskatchewan, and is organized by the Métis organization to reclaim the site of Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont's 1885 defeat.

CUPE represents 26,000 public sector workers in Saskatchewan who work at health care facilities, municipalities, school boards, universities, libraries and community-based organizations.

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For more information contact:

Geraldine Harris (mobile) at: 533-5752

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