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‘Basketball was my lifeline,’ mentor shares at gang prevention forum By Angela Brown SaskToday.ca
Ends August 3, 2025
Ends August 3, 2026 2025 Ends Feb 28,
NORTH BATTLEFORD — A Vancouver-based youth mentor, advocate and school liaison shared his story about avoiding gang life and finding success through his love of basketball at the second annual Gang Prevention Symposium on Feb. 6. The session was part of a three-day event held at the Don Ross Centre in North Battleford from Feb. 5 to 7. The symposium is offered through a partnership with the City of North Battleford, the Battlefords Regional Community Coalition (BRCC), Concern for Youth, and Safer Schools Together (SST). Jonathan Mubanda told his story about the challeng-
es he faced settling with his family in East Vancouver after coming to Canada as immigrants from Uganda. He talked about his journey from Africa to Canada and how Safer Schools Together helped in it. He explained that his high school basketball coach, Theresa Campbell, was an inspiration for him. “She took us under her wings and showed us a different life here, and kept us out of trouble,” he said. “Basketball incredibly helped me a lot and just getting connected with different organizations, [like] Safer Schools Together,” Mubanda said. “Basketball was my lifeline at that time in order to stay out of trouble.” Continued on page 2
Jonathan Mubanda. | Photo by Angela Brown
BATC asks for answers in missing and murdered Indigenous people’s cases By Angela Brown SaskToday.ca
battlefordsflooring.ca
NORTH BATTLEFORD — There was a sea of red in a room at Eagle’s Landing in North Battleford on Feb. 5 as families and supporters came together to honour missing and murdered Indigenous men and women.
The event was organized by Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs Inc. (BATC). The date marked the anniversary of when the remains of Candie Pritchard were found on Red Pheasant Cree Nation two years ago. The gathering honoured her memory and recognized the ongoing impact on
families across area First Nations. Holding back tears, Pritchard’s family members, including her mother, Lorna Stone, and her sister, Sugar Dupuis, spoke at the event. “Her life mattered,” Dupuis said of Pritchard. “Her voice mattered. She left behind eight beautiful children ... She also had two grandchil-
dren who she never had the chance to hold. Losing her has brought unimaginable pain.” “It’s been two years and we haven’t got any answers,” Dupuis said. “Anybody who can come forward, the case isn’t closed yet. We’re very heartbroken. It’s hard to talk about.” Continued on page 2
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