The Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club’s promise is to be a leader in Saskatchewan by actively showing an increased level of understanding and education towards Truth and Reconciliation as our province and nation move together towards collective healing and a commitment to do more. Over many years, the Club and the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation have worked with Saskatchewan Indigenous communities and with Indigenous and inner-city organizations and charities to provide support for their programming. In 2021, the Club and Foundation created a task force made up of Roughrider staff and members of the Saskatchewan Indigenous community to determine the ways in which the Roughriders could be the best possible ally to our Indigenous people and make the greatest impact. As part of this commitment, the Club focuses on Calls to Action #87-92 as outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Report. Which specifically pertain to Sports and Reconciliation and Business and Reconciliation and how our Club can make a true impact.

Call to Action #87

Provide education that tells the story of Indigenous athletes in Rider and Saskatchewan Football History.

  • Visible accountability and action planning that can serve as a resource for educational storytelling.
  • Utilizing Roughrider events to celebrate the rich Indigenous culture of Saskatchewan. In 2022 the Roughrider Football Club will hold its first kisiskâciwan (cree for Saskatchewan) game. The game will celebrate and incorporate Indigenous culture throughout all the touch-points of our football game.
  • Using the Club’s large digital reach and influence to engage and amplify stories of Indigenous athletes.

Call to Action #88

Ensure Long term Indigenous athlete development and growth within Saskatchewan.

Call to Action #89

Ensure policies and programs to promote physical activity as a fundamental element of health and wellbeing, reduce barriers to sports participation through pursuit of excellence, and build capacity in the sport system within Saskatchewan that are inclusive to Indigenous peoples.

  • Funding opportunities for all kids to play through KidSport
  • Introduction to the game of Football through the Grow the Game program
  • Providing funding and hosting the Northern Saskatchewan Football League Jamboree
  • Providing funding to reduce barriers on sport equipment and opportunity
  • Bringing Indigenous families to experience a professional football game

Call to Action #91

Ensuring Indigenous involvement in all aspects of planning and execution of Rider & Foundation events.

  • Participation in Indigenous events to exemplify leadership as a community partner
  • Involve Roughrider Players in Indigenous communities across Saskatchewan to provide mentorship and leadership

Call to Action #14 i.

Celebrating Indigenous languages and incorporating them into the Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club and Foundation organizations.

Call to Action #92

Adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principals, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples.

  • With guidance from the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, develop a written Indigenous Engagement Strategy with clearly defined goals.
  • Implement a plan to educate through specific training courses, the workforce on Indigenous history and culture that will create an organizational culture where all levels of the organization are working toward developing positive relationships.
  • Recruitment Diversity Impact: To achieve impact on ensuring engagement of Indigenous people through recruitment and selection we will approach the strategy through three main buckets. These buckets include:  education to barriers, recruitment, and selection.

  • Norther Saskatchewan Football League (NSFL) – over 200 Indigenous youth from Northern Communities get to participate in football in their community. This is funded by the SRF and some support from the Northern Lights School Division. We have hosted camps in the past and hosted the entire league last November at a Rider game. Our goals are to assist the league in creating sustainability, and more opportunities are offered to other communities and kids in the north. This is a co-ed league and that holds emphasis on education and leadership.
  • Grow the Game Camps – We are offering inner city youth camps in both Saskatoon and Regina with 200 plus youth in each centre. These would primarily be Indigenous youth. The intention is to grow this reach to other communities.
  • In partnership with Red Cross, our players travelled to many Indigenous communities to offer Imagine no Bullying workshops in the past and provided visits to communities in crisis after suicides or disaster.
  • North Central Regina Project – for the past 4 years we have supported Makana Henry and to a certain extent Charleston Hughes to offer activities, support, and encouragement to inner city youth from Scott Collegiate. This project continues to grow and the SRF funds it.
  • We assisted the Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club players to provide 100 backpacks for the past 3 years for grade 9 students at Scott Collegiate.
  • We supported Chili For Children and CHEP in Saskatoon with funds for their lunch program during Covid.
  • We have funded and worked in partnership with the mâmawêyatitân centre in our neighbourhood to offer free game tickets and community funding.
  • Through Crescent Point Community Zone we have hosted many First Nation communities to attend Rider games.
  • Through the Red Cross we sent over $50,000 is merchandise to be distributed in Northern Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan.
  • The SRF has funded 6 mini camps for kids in inner city Regina through Makena Henry
  • Through our Wiser’s Community grant we supported a FN community this past year.
  • In partnership with File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council, the SRFC and SRF supports events they host, do player appearances at their community events, and donate tickets to Rider games.
  • The SRFC created an Indigenous Task Force made up of SRFC staff and Indigenous community members from across the province. Their role will be to guide the SRFC and SRF in long term initiatives and addressing Truth & Reconciliation calls to action.