Casino retires mortgage early

By Calvin Daniels Staff Writer

It was a big win for the Painted Hand Casino Friday as a celebration marking the final payment on the facility.

“Today is a gathering to celebrate the milestone of paying in-full the mortgage on the Painted Hand Casino building,” read M.C. Justin Holness.

“It’s such an honour to be up here,” said YTC Tribal Chief Isabel O’Soup, adding it was a memorable event that was possible through the efforts of so many through the development of PHC. “. . . It’s really apparent all the time and effort that went into this.”

Heather Bear, ViceChief with FSIN said casinos such as PHC are so important for Saskatchewan First Nations because of the economic benefits they provide.

“They create jobs for our people,” she said, adding that is important in terms of bringing “prosperity to our people.”

Across the province some 1700 are employed at First Nations casinos.

Mary Culbertson, Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan said the creation of First Nation casinos was very much about creating a better tomorrow.

“They weren’t thinking about today. They were thinking about the future,” she said, adding the effort dovetailed into First Nation’s . . . “inherent right to self determination.”

Like Bear, Culbertson also focused attention on the casinos creating jobs which teach skills that allow First Nation new opportunities citing her own past where a job at

PHC allowed her “to feed my kids,” and eventually become a lawyer and the province’s first female Treaty Commissioner.

Holness noted the facility was actually paid off early, which is good news financially.

“The PHC Holdings Ltd. Mortgage for the building shell which is home to the Painted