The North Saskatchewan Regiment Pipes and Drums are based in Saskatoon, SK under the command of Pipe Major Craig Shirley. Comprised mostly of volunteers, and a few enlisted members, the band is active in the community and participates in both military and civilian parades. 

Alla Melnychuk, concert pianist from Ukraine. She graduated from Kharkiv National University of Arts. An experienced concert pianist, she has been teaching piano for more than a decade in many European countries such as Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, Spain, and Italy and continues to teach them online. She has been honoured with various awards for outstanding creative and intellectual achievement in many international competitions.

Becca Bartlett is a 19 year old Newfoundland singer/songwriter and performer. She enjoys playing original songs and covers. In 2021, Becca was awarded the Focus on Youth Performing Individual award by the City of Mount Pearl, in recognition of her involvement in the local entertainment industry.. Her original song “Calypso” was produced and performed by local musician Pete, and her first single “Dreams were made for sleeping” will be available on all major streaming platforms. 

Rhonda Downey is a Settlement Trainer at YMCA, Newcomer Connections.  Working as an English teacher for over 10 years and then as a Settlement Trainer for over 6 years, Rhonda has applied her passion to help others learn about culture differences and help newcomers to settle in New Brunswick.  Newcomer Connections provides wraparound services to clients, taking a holistic approach to assistance with community connections, language, employment supports and settlement orientation. 

Cheryl Simon is an Assistant Professor who will teach Property and Special Issues in Aboriginal Law and Indigenous Governance at the law school. She is a proud Mi’kmaq woman from Epekwitk (PEI) with extensive experience in community-based policy development. She completed her BA in Native Studies from the University of Lethbridge and a law degree from the University of Victoria. She also studied Maori law and comparative Indigenous studies in New Zealand. She completed an LLM with a constitutional specialty at Osgoode law school in 2020. After briefly practicing law, Simon worked as manager of Governance Advisory Services with a national organization. She worked with First Nations communities across the country, assisting in developing governance models based on traditional systems before opening her own consulting business. Simon moved on to work for Mi’gmawe ’l Tplu’taqnn, a Treaty rights implementation organization, while teaching courses on identity law with Cape Breton University.

Growing up in a musical house hold, it didn’t take long to realize that music was in the cards for him. Now at the age of 23, Ben has played over 1500 professional shows as a singer/pianist as well as serving as a musical director for the Sassy Awards, and the University of Fraser Valley. In 2022 Ben Performed alongside Mathew V at the Legendary Massey Hall. Ben also works as a composer having written music for TV shows such as “Momondays” and “When paintings come alive”. He was named “One of the ten artists to look out for” by the Vancouver press in 2016 and has been a guest on Shaw’s “ViaMia” as well as “Generation Y”.  He also works as a producer and arranger.

Ben Cottrill is a spirited west-coast artist with a soulful Folk-Rock sound, shaped by a decade of performing on streets across Canada. Blending live vocal looping with the warm rhythms of piano & guitar. Chosen from 20,000 applicants across Canada to appear on CTV’s music series “The Launch”, he was one of a few select artists working with both Canadian legend Bryan Adams and industry mogul Scott Borchetta on the program. Cottrill has also played 300+ live dates across Canada with performances at the Vancouver Shipyards Festival and Richmond World Festival, and has opened for groups Bedouin Soundclash, Jon & Roy and more. His latest EP collection “Velvet Regrets Vol. 1&2” and its accompanying short film was released Fall 2020, he has been named the 2021 Folk Artist of the Year from the Fraser Valley Music Awards.

Arlene Ruiz, the proud owner of Alexene Immigration & Employment Services Inc and an ICCRC & CAPIC member, has been practicing as a licensed immigration consultant and recruiter since December 2013 with the office situated in the heart of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. Ruiz offers clients a wide variety of immigration services, assisting in permanent residence applications, Canadian citizenship applications, family sponsorships, student permits, visit visas and more.  Ruiz has also received a Consumer Choice Award in the category of immigration consulting category in 2022. She was also one of the top finalists for the Saskatoon Achievement in Business Excellence Awards (SABEX) in the Entrepreneur of the Year category. SABEX awards are Saskatoon’s premier business awards, honouring businesses in the community that exemplify high performance, quality and achievement. In addition, Arlene is also recognized and recipient of the 2020 RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award.  

Pamela Barnes is an Okanagan Elder and member of the Westbank First Nation. Her formal education is in Aboriginal Government. She has worked as an Indigenous Educator for 35 years and is an Adjunct Professor at UBCO School of Nursing. Pamela also offers Syilx cultural teachings to the public, in partnership with the Kelowna Heritage Museum, the Kelowna Art Gallery, the Rotary Centre for the Arts and the Regional Parks.

Grandmother Barbara is Algonquin Anishinabeg from the Kitigan Zibi community in Quebec. She is a drum keeper, a community volunteer, and a spiritual advisor.   
She travelled across Canada as an advisor with the Canadian Department of Justice to witness the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls National Inquiry. 
Barbara’s work has inspired her path to honour and empower Indigenous women and youth