Saddle Lake Post Secondary

Assisting Students to Achieve Personal Success & Academic Excellence

Vision:

Education is a Treaty Right and the Saddle Lake Education Authority will, through continuous development, maintenance and accountability provide quality education which will encompass healthy lifestyles, Cree traditions, language and culture and modern technology and shall utilize contributions of indigenous people to promote self-sufficiency and empower onicikiskwapowin Cree Nation members.

Mission Statement:

“The Saddle Lake Post Secondary program will facilitate and administer post secondary education for onicikwapowin Cree Nation members, provide career and personal counselling and financial assistance for students; it will be the students’ responsibility to achieve personal success and academic excellence.”

Saddle Lake Post Secondary Team

  • Bernadine Houle-Steinhauer

    Bernadine Houle-Steinhauer

    DIRECTOR

    bernadinehs@saddlelake.ca

  • Betty Ann Cardinal

    Betty Ann Cardinal

    STUDENT ADVISOR

    bettyanncardinal@saddlelake.ca

  • Amberly Makokis

    Amberly Makokis

    ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

    amberly.makokis@saddlelake.ca

Saddle Lake Education Authority

  • Debra Cardinal

    Debra Cardinal

    Superintendent

    dcardinal@saddlelake.ca

  • Pam Quinn

    Pam Quinn

    Assistant Superintendent

    p.quinn@saddlelake.ca

  • Adeline Large

    Adeline Large

    Administrative Assistant

    adeline.large@saddlelake.ca

  • Tamra Steinhauer

    Tamra Steinhauer

    Human Resources Manager

    tamra.steinhauer@saddlelake.ca

2022-2025 Council Portfolio for Education

  • John Large

    John Large

    Council Member

  • Pauline Hunter

    Pauline Hunter

    Council Member

  • MaryJane Cardinal

    MaryJane Cardinal

2022-2025 Education Board Members (3 year term)

  • Anne Frierson (Hunter)

    Anne Frierson (Hunter)

  • Ruby Stone

    Ruby Stone

  • Mona Cardinal

    Mona Cardinal

  • Gloria McGilvery

    Gloria McGilvery

    Elder

  • Candace Houle

    Candace Houle

Saddle Lake Cree Nation
Council Members

Elected June 2022-2025

Back left to right: James Steinhauer, Eric Shirt, John Large, Charles Cardinal
Front left to right: Jason Whiskeyjack, Maryjane Cardinal, Chief Terry Cardinal, Pauline Hunter, Kevin Delver

Historical Fact:

On September 9, 1876, we signed Treaty #6 (history according to Saddle Lake Cree Nation) which stated our children’s education would be taken care of as an agreement to share the land…

Treaty Right to Education – Refers to Treaty No. 6 between Her Majesty the Queen and the Plains and Wood Cree Indians of Fort Carlton and Fort Pitt 1876 as follows:

“And further, Her Majesty agrees to maintain schools for instruction in such reserves hereby made as to Her Government of Dominion of Canada may seem advisable, whenever the Indians of the reserve shall desire it”

onicikiskapowin Cree Nation #125 maintains that Post Secondary Education is included as a Treaty Right.

A hundred and ten years later on April 1, 1986 Saddle Lake First Nation #125 officially opened their Post Secondary sponsorship program, it was initially named the Post Secondary Assistance Program.  Prior to this date, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), currently known as Indigenous Service Canada (ISC), administered and managed all educational sponsorship for Saddle Lake Band members.

This was a historical moment in history for our people and proven to be a success with hundreds of graduates from Upgrading to Doctoral Degrees.

Treaty Right to Education:

Refers to Treaty No. 6 between Her Majesty the Queen and the Plains and Wood Cree Indians of Fort Carlton and Fort Pitt 1876 as follows:

“And further, Her Majesty agrees to maintain schools for instruction in such reserves hereby made as to Her Government of Dominion of Canada may seem advisable, whenever the Indians of the reserve shall desire it”

onicikiskapowin Cree Nation #125 maintains that Post Secondary Education is included as a Treaty Right.