Terri Young
- BY TERRI YOUNG, Lumsden and area reporter
November 1, 2022
Justin Freitag, the Grade 5 teacher at Ecole Lumsden Elementary School, had completed many courses and studies pertaining to teaching treaties in the classroom. He asked himself, “can one person really make a difference?”
After a discussion with some members at the Office of the Treaty Commissioner, Justin set in motion the idea of permanently flying the Treaty 4 flag at the entrance of Regina Beach. The town’s council welcomed the idea wholeheartedly. After that flag-raising, Mr. Freitag felt that he had created some change within a large group of people.
Justin noted that his young son expressed pride in his father for getting this done, which encouraged him to discuss, with his grade 5 ELES students, the idea of having the Treaty 4 flag raised at the entrance to Lumsden. He asked them if they felt this would be a positive initiative for the Lumsden community. The student’s response was certain. Having been involved in first nations studies, they felt something was missing in their community, a symbol of belonging and inclusion to represent all as treaty people. The Grade 5 class began writing letters to the Town of Lumsden, and the wheels were in motion.
Terri Young
After a massive amount of trust and support from the ELES administration, the Town of Lumsden, the RCMP, and all local service groups involved, the project was approved. The proclamation was signed in Lumsden on September 30, 2022, in front of Ecole Lumsden Elementary School. It states that Lumsden will forever recognize September 30th as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. National Indigenous Peoples Day takes place on the summer solstice. The proclamation states that the treaty 4 flag will fly at the RCMP depot in Lumsden forevermore.
Terri Young
At the time, flags were at half-mast in honour of Constable Shaelyn Yang, who was killed in the line of duty on October 18, 2022. After her funeral service on November 2, 2022, the flags were raised to full mast.
Along with the Treaty 4 flag, the Canadian and Provincial flags fly. In attendance for the Treaty 4 flag-raising were Justin Freitag and his students from 5F 2021 and 2022. Other teachers from ELES, The Town of Lumsden Mayor and council members, Chris Exner, Community Coordinator for Lumsden, RCMP members, representatives from the Lumsden Historical Society, the Lumsden Library, and the Lumsden & District Lions Club. Piapot First Nation Chief Mark Fox, Tribal Council Chief Jeremy Fourhorns, and drummers Chase Sayer and Tony Ironchild.
When Chief Fox spoke to the children, he asked that they take away at least one positive thing from the Treaty 4 flag raising. He asked that they remember the year 1874, when Treaty 4 was signed at Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan.
To quote Justin Freitag’s answer to his original question, “yes, one person can make a difference but the impact can be much greater if others are involved and can work together to reach a common goal.”
