Program

Recipient: Tribal Chief Mark Arcand

Tribal Chief Mark Arcand is a member of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation located in Treaty Six Territory and resides in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Since his election to the role of Tribal Chief of Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) in October 2017, Tribal Chief Arcand has dedicated his work to reversing residential school effects through restoring cultural education and nourishing the gift of each child. Previous to his new role as Tribal Chief, Mark held the position of Saskatoon Tribal Council Vice-Chief from October 2013 to October 2017.

Prior to his leadership roles with Saskatoon Tribal Council, Tribal Chief Arcand was an employee of Saskatoon Tribal Council and held roles as the Labour Force Development Partnership Manager and Youth Sport Culture and Recreation Coordinator.

Tribal Chief Mark Arcand has led Saskatoon Tribal Council through many ground-breaking initiatives including securing food security for members residing in Saskatoon and its member First Nations during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Vaccination Clinic, Emergency Wellness Centre and was instrumental in taking the lead and coordinating with Federal and Provincial Governments and industry in implementing partnership and industry agreements.

Having grown up in a Saskatoon Tribal Council member community and having later been an employee, Tribal Chief Arcand has a lifelong connection that serves his drive to improve the quality of life through capacity building in First Nations. His passion for coaching and mentoring youth through sports and recreation continues in his community service work as a referee and coach. He organizes numerous sporting events and fundraisers including the University of Saskatchewan Youth Leadership Through Sports Program, the Saskatoon Tribal Council Swing Fore Kids Golf Tourney and various sporting tournaments.

He holds a professional designation (Pro. Dir.) in Board of Director management from Governance Solutions Inc. attained in May 2016.

Recipient: Cadmus Delorme

Cadmus Delorme, a Cree and Saulteaux man, was the Chief of the Cowessess First Nation. Mr. Delorme graduated from Cowessess Community Education Centre in 2000. He later moved to Regina to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Certificate in Hospitality, Tourism and Gaming Entertainment Management from the First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv), and a Master of Public Administration from the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. Recently, he has completed an Institute of Corporate Director’s designation.

In 2012, Mr. Delorme received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his hospitality in walking with King Charles III and Queen Camilla when they visited the First Nations University of Canada in 2012. In 2022, Mr. Delorme received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. In 2015 he was named one of CBC Saskatchewan’s Future 40, which celebrates the province’s new generation of leaders, builders and change-makers under the age of 40.

In 2016, Mr. Delorme was elected Chief at the age of 34. In 2019, Chief Delorme was re-elected to a second term in office. Under his leadership Cowessess First Nation has focused on economic self-sustainability for its nation and people and has moved forward on renewable energy, agriculture and efficiency in land use initiatives that have created both current and future business opportunities. Also under his leadership, Cowessess First Nation focused on political sovereignty and has moved forward on Child Welfare Reform, empowering full jurisdiction when it comes to child protection, prevention and the wellbeing of the entire family.

In 2021, Mr. Delorme faced one of the hardest moments as Chief when the Saulteaux and Cree First Nation made headlines with the validation of unmarked graves near the former Marieval Indian Residential School. Shortly after, Cowessess made headlines again as the first First Nations to sign an agreement with Ottawa and the province that returns jurisdiction over children in care to the First Nation. Federal legislation overhauling Indigenous child welfare was passed in 2019 and came into force last year. Mr. Delorme lives with his wife Kimberly, his daughter and two sons, and his brother-in-law on Cowessess First Nation.

Recipient: Mayor Greg Dionne

Mayor Greg Dionne is the 29th Mayor of the City of Prince Albert and has been a resident of the city for 35 years. He was elected in 2012, re-elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020 for a third term.

Mayor Dionne is currently involved with numerous local organizations including the Prince Albert Regional Economic Development Alliance, the Board of Police Commissioners, the Destination Marketing Fund, Airport Advisory Committee, the Prince Albert Exhibition Association, the Aquatic and Arenas Recreation Facility Steering and Fundraising Committees and the Northern Lights Community Development Corporation, to name a few.

He has shown leadership through the 2016 water crisis, the 2017 budget crisis and the pandemic. Mayor Dionne has worked diligently with the provincial and federal governments to secure a new multi-recreational facility; worked with the provincial government to secure a new multi-story addition to Victoria Hospital; and introduced a $1 million dollar partnership with Husky Oil to build the final phase of Rotary Trail, create a new community billboard and build a new spray park in Kinsmen Park.

The mayor’s goal for his term is to continue to fight crime, work on economic development and bring back the forestry industry to the City of Prince Albert.

Recipient: Brett Lauther

Over six CFL seasons Saskatchewan Roughriders kicker Brett Lauther has made an indelible mark on the province of Saskatchewan both on and off the field.

The Truro, Nova Scotia native burst on the scene for the Riders in 2018, when he made 90% of his attempted field goals – a Roughrider record – and was named a West Division All-Star. A consistent presence on the football field since then, Lauther has made 83% of the field goals he’s attempted over his career, scored 623 points and hit two career long 57-yard field goals in 2019 and 2022.

Alongside his many on-field achievements, perhaps Lauther’s biggest impact has been in the community where he gives back to the people of Saskatchewan.

Lauther serves as a Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation Ambassador working closely with the charitable wing of the Football Club in the areas of physical and mental wellness, education and amateur football. His work with the Foundation includes the Win with Wellness program which has taken Lauther all over Saskatchewan to help students understand mental wellness, provide tips for managing anxiety and stress, and how to maintain supportive and healthy relationships. Through the Rider Reading Program, he entered the classroom yet again, to read and play with elementary school students and teach them the importance of literacy. The 32-year-old also works closely with KidSport as an Ambassador and supports fundraisers and initiatives that make sport accessible to all children.

In 2023, Lauther founded and helped organize the first Annual Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation Winter Classic, a charity hockey game featuring past and present Roughriders, NHL alumni and other celebrity guests. The event raised $25,000 for KidSport.

Through the Foundation and Club’s community efforts, he also attends multiple football camps in Regina, Saskatoon and Northern Saskatchewan, teaching the next generation of footballers the game he loves.

A fan favourite player, Lauther’s commitment to Rider Nation and the community is punctuated with team awards that include being voted by the fanbase as the 2021 Wireless Age Player of the Year and winning the Mosaic Company Community Player of the Year in 2022.

Lauther also serves in a leadership role as a Team Captain and the Riders’ CFLPA player representative.