The late Elder Ida Tremblay and Miriam Körner won two Saskatchewan Book Awards. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Accomplishment

Three northern authors win Saskatchewan Book Awards

Jun 19, 2020 | 12:47 PM

Three authors from the tri-communities are 2020 Saskatchewan Book Awards winners.

When We Had Sled Dogs: A story from the trapline, a collaboration by late Elder Ida Tremblay and Miriam Körner won two Saskatchewan Book Awards on June in the Children’s Book Literature and Publishing in Education categories. The third winner is Harold Johnson, who won the Saskatchewan Indigenous Peoples’ Writing Award for his book Peace and Good Order: The Case for Indigenous Justice in Canada.

“I am so grateful about the time I spend with nohkom Ida and all the stories and teaching she shared so generously with me,” Körner said. “By creating this book I hope her story will continue to inspire new generations of children for many, many years to come.”

The children’s book tells Tremblay’s story of following the seasonal cycle of trapline life as a young child. She had hoped that when children read this book, they will be inspired to go out in the bush with Elders to learn about the traditional way of life, and even live it a little bit.

The book also won a silver medal in the international Moonbeam Awards 2020 and was a finalist in the 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

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Johnson’s book explores the idea of replacing deterrence with redemption in the legal system. He began writing it shortly after the conclusion of the Gerald Stanley trial in February 2018, when the Biggar-area farmer was acquitted of charges in the death of 22-year-old Indigenous man Colten Boushie.

Harold Johnson won the Saskatchewan Indigenous Peoples’ Writing Award. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

With redemption, Johnson believes the system can change to allow offenders to earn their way back into society. When accept what they have done and are willing to pay the price, he stated those people tend not to return to court in the future.

“If we can encourage or put in place a system that encourages people to take responsibility for their actions, I think we are going to be a lot further ahead,” Johnson said. “One of my arguments is the justice system is making our situation as Aboriginal people worse.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno