Community members gathered at the Access Communications Center for the flag raising ceremony. (Image Credit: City of North Battleford/ Facebook)

By Alyssa Rudolph

PROMOTING INCLUSION

‘This means so much’: Flags raised in North Battleford brings community together

Mar 25, 2026 | 1:30 PM

As a young boy, Tyson Wuttunee would sit on his hockey team’s bench at North Battleford’s Access Communications Centre, waiting for his turn to step onto the ice. 

Often, his gaze drifted across the rink to two flags hanging from the rafters – one for Saskatchewan, the other for Canada.  

“Something I struggled with was sitting there, being the only First Nation kid, not feeling welcomed. But that’s the past. It’s time to build into the future,” said Wuttunee. 

That’s why the longtime player and coach submitted a request to city council, asking for The Treaty 6 flag and The Métis Nation of Saskatchewan flag to be hung alongside the others.  

Tyson Wuttunee standing in front of the flags. (Image Credit: Alyssa Rudolph/ battlefordsNOW)

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“By these flags hanging up across from those benches, if there’s only two or three kids that aren’t feeling welcomed, they can look up and say, ‘There’s my flag’.” 

“It’s building those relationships, growing into something better into the future where we can work together and share this land and build things that benefit us all,” he said. 

Wuttunee hopes these flags will help to build a connection between all youth playing in the Battlefords. 

“There’s a lot of kids that struggle, that are out of place, that don’t feel connections. Not even just the Indigenous kids, but the non-Indigenous are learning too. They’re going to wonder what these flags are about; they’re going to ask questions. They’re going to educate themselves,” he said.  

Mayor Kelli Hawtin reflected back to when she first received the request letter from Wuttunee, and said her first thought was ‘Let’s do it’. 

“When a request like this comes from the grassroots, it comes from the community…you know it means even more,” said Hawtin.  

“This is a real symbol of the partnerships that we value so much in our community. Having our treaty relationships and our Métis relationships displayed at this facility, where we have such large public gatherings…that’s a display to all the community that everyone belongs here.” 

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Alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com