Photo: Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald The Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) recognized Fond du Lac firefighter Georgie McDonald (centre) during their Annual Assembly on Monday at the Prince Albert Exhibition Centre.
On Monday and Tuesday, the Prince Albert Grand Council hosted their Annual Assembly at the Prince Albert Exhibition Centre.
The event opened with a Grand Entry on Monday morning along with presentations of the Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements.
PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte said it is nice to have the Assembly to update the people who live in the 12 First Nations on the year in the PAGC.
“It’s a very important to have it because it’s like an AGM of a company,” he said. “(It’s) bringing in people to give them an update on where we are (and) the state of everything in the Prince Albert Grand Council.
“It’s, of course, being a transparent, and accountable, to the membership, not only to the Chiefs, Senators and the councillors, but also to the grassroots people.”
After lunch and before returning to the Audited Financial Statements, the PAGC took time to honour individuals and groups for their work this past year.
Michelle Vandevord, Director of Saskatchewan First Nations Emergency Management introduced a special honour for Fond du Lac structural firefighter Georgie McDonald who received recognition for 37 years as a firefighter and a Star Blanket. Later in the presentation he received an honour from FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron.
“We honoured Georgie McDonald from Fond du Lac, who’s had many, many years as a structural firefighter, volunteer firefighter, and also in the area training in the Prince Albert Grand Council as a whole,” Hardlotte said.
The team from Black Lake who recently competed in the National Indigenous Firefighting Competition in Calgary was also recognized.
They also paid tribute to the organizers for the rescue of the Thanksgiving hampers after a fire nearly destroyed them.
Hardlotte said that the membership and volunteers did an excellent job rescuing the hampers that could be saved.
“It’s Gene Der who is also our finance controller and also Betty Marlow from agriculture lead that event and they do a really good job,” Hardlotte said. “It’s just honouring everybody that’s involved and then the community in every which way they were helping out.”
The PAGC also honoured the Type 2 and Type 3 firefighters after the busy summer fighting fires up north.
“Not only Prince Albert Grand Council, but other nations that were involved in fighting the fires and making the community safe this past summer 2025, we also honour them for their efforts and the good work that they’ve done,” Hardlotte said. “(It’s) dangerous work that they do, and we honour them. I’m so grateful that we did. We honoured all these people.”
Hardlotte also received the Saskatchewan Protective Services Medal, presented from the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, on behalf of the Premier of Saskatchewan.
“I’m very honoured to receive that on behalf of all the chiefs and also the councillors and also on behalf of the communities,” Hardlotte said.
Hardlotte’s lifelong commitment to public service has included being a firefighter, then a forest firefighter trainer, First Aid/CPR Cree instructor, and now as a regional leader advocating for safer, self-determined First Nations communities.
He said the first fire he went to was in 1980.
“Althrough the years of the 80s and early 90s, I was involved in the forest fires right on the ground, being boots on the ground,” Hardlotte said.
“I became a trainer of a Type 3 firefighters…. I was a Cree trainer, because the best firefighters that were out there at that time, 30 years ago, some of them could have the challenge of literacy. But, they were the greatest firefighters being out there, so they needed someone to do Cree instruction and two day exam in Cree. I’m very proud that I did that. But all those people are pretty much retired now.”
Hardlotte was also a CPR Trainer through St. John Ambulance as a Cree Instructor.
“My tour of duty was with the Prince Albert National Park and the fighting fires throughout Canada with the national parks, wherever the fires were,” Hardlotte said.
On Monday, there was the opening of nominations for the election of Vice Chief and speeches by candidates. On Tuesday, the Assembly included the Election for Vice Chief.
The four confirmed candidates were Alanis Rose Charles, Randy Clarke, Shavonne Rae Custer and the incumbent, Christopher Jobb. Clarke, Custer and Jobb are from Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, while Charles is from Lac La Ronge Indian Band. Jobb, who was first elected in 2016, is seeking his fourth term.
Final results were not available by press time.
Hardlotte said that in general everything is going well in the PAGC. The assembly makes sure the finances are in order, which Hardlotte said is key for a large organization like the PAGC.
He said that the audit has been completed by the finance people and they are doing a good job.
Hardlotte thanked all the people, especially from the grassroots who took the time to attend the assembly.