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Saskatchewan weighs benefits of healing lodge

Apr 3, 2013 | 6:42 AM

The provincial government will not rush to a decision regarding the future of a healing lodge on Wahpeton First Nation.

The facility has been closed for almost a year. Funding was pulled last year over administrative issues. Prince Albert Grand Council has submitted a new proposal to the government for how to better run the facility.

The Ministry of Corrections and Policing is currently reviewing all its community corrections programs, with a focus on ways to improve rehabilitation services.

“In light of this re-organization we really wanted to go back and consider what our ongoing needs for the future were, in terms of the kinds of services that might be provided by the Prince Albert Grand Council,” said the ministry’s Judy Orthner.

Orthner said their future plans may include the healing lodge or some other partnership with the grand council. That being said, she added that healing lodges like the one at Wahpeton do plan an important role.

“It provided programming with a cultural bent, and that's certainly a really key issue in our corrections programming with Aboriginal offenders,” said Orthner. “We recognize how important cultural and spiritual programming is.”

Orthner said the goal of their review is to look at what community programs will have the best results making sure offenders can get back in the community, and reduce the risk of them re-offending.

The province is expected to have an answer for Prince Albert Grand Council before the summer.

nmaxwell@panow.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell