SGI funds new scholarship-sponsorship program

Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) has announced that it is funding a new scholarship and sponsorship program which honour the contributions of Harold Johnson.

A member of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation, Harold Johnson was a Harvard University-educated Crown prosecutor, an author and a community advocate. Across his career, he published 12 books, including Firewater: How Alcohol is Killing My People (And Yours).

“Harold was a critical influencer who engaged communities to change the story around alcohol,” said SGI minister Don Morgan. “In 2016, he developed the vision for the Northern Alcohol Strategy – an initiative now supported by SGI – which empowers and inspires community collaboration to reduce alcohol-related harms.”

Johnson passed away in February 2022. In memoriam, SGI announced the creation of the Harold Johnson Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is meant to help develop the next generation of Indigenous community leaders by supporting their secondary education needs. It will award one post-secondary Indigenous student up to $10,000 each year, and recipients will also receive a maximum of $2,500 per year for up to four years.

In addition to the scholarship, SGI is also contributing to the Harold Johnson Memorial Sponsorship. The program will award a one-time sponsorship of $10,000 to a charitable or non-profit organization that is making a positive difference in the Indigenous community.

According to a release, winners of both the scholarship and sponsorship programs will be announced later this year in the fall of 2023. Applications opened February 01, and will close on June 30, 2023.

Last November, SGI launched a new ad campaign called “Let’s get you home safe.” It is an ad campaign that aimed to encourage drivers to have a backup plan should they ever be impaired.