ZINADENE ZIDANE

My only qualification to write about this 'idol' is that I have awlays enjoyed the charm and skills of this once retired player. It is difficult to tell what was going on in his head but facts that are emerging indicate that he was insulted. One can say that he lost the nerve to contain the insult. I recently 'attended' a soccer mental training camp that my son's provincial Team arranged. I must say that it was one of the best. I learnt that soccer games are not only won by skill. Intimidation via insults, gestures and the like are part of the package that players with blessings of their coaches unleash on their opponents. Claiming innocence from match officials even when the offence is blatant is another tactic that is used without shame. These tactics are encouraged because of the big money involved in soccer and any sport for that matter. Materrazi, the Italian defence man who is alleged to have insulted ZZ was probably implementing what the coaches had put in his tool kit. It should be noted that this player (Materrazi) is quite a character too. He spat on a player during the European Champinoships and was sent off.

ZZ has issued an apology and by all means, soccer loving people should accept his apology. It was uncalled for, with only 10 minutes to go and millioms of people watching. The racial and terrorist overtones that have been linked to the incident suggests that even a man of steel can break. The zero tolerance to racism that was promoted at the start of the tournament is now moribund and the true colours of how racist soccer is in Europe are emerging. Remarks by an Italian politician/senator that France sacrificed the world cup by featuring an all black team is surely a case in point on how intorlerant Europe is to black players.

WORLD CUP IMPRESSIONS

I love soccer. It is indeed the world sport. I am looking forward to watching the final game on July 9. There have been dissapointments and moments of joy.

A lot can be written on the positive side. There are no more underdogs in world soccer. There was quality soccer no matter where the team came from (in the past, third world countries other than those from Latin America) generally fared poorly. Angola, Togo and Ghana for example put up excellent performances that shocked the traditional power houses. I hope that these teams will keep up the momentum (this is perhaps wishful thinking for teams from Africa where inconsistency is the norm). The quality of officiating has improved with most of the actors being tossed out or caustioned whenever offences fitting such punishment were committed.I was also impressed with the performance of unsung heroes on the pitch. Credit uusually goes to goal scorers in a soccer math but this world cup showed that the match can be won by defenders. Teams with soolid defences included Italy, Germany and France. Defendes like Cannavaro of Italy and Thuran of France were second to none. These defenders turned adventurous goal seekers into spectators. It was great to see that no one player as far as I could tell stood out as the star of the tournament. There is a lot of team work at play these days.

Dissapointments included the early exit of soccer power houses such as the south American countries including Brazil. I was equally dissapointed that the flair of these teams that has always been their signature appears to have evaporated. One soccer analyst suggested that this has to do with the fact that most of the south Ameican stars now play in Europe where the style is about being physical and racing with the ball. Deciding the winner by penalty shoot out has always been controversial. Good teams often exit the competition, robbing spectators a chance to see what they have to offer. Tough luck England! The golden goal rule, though not perfect encouraged players to work hard towards scoring that golden goal. It is no longer the case.Itwould appear that some teams chose not to play attacking football so that they could take the game into penalty shhot outs.

QUEEN CITY MARATHON REGISTRATION OPENS

The QCM (Queen City Marathon)registration has opened. The event takes place on September 10, rain or shine. As an early bird entrant, you only pay $50 if you register online. Some improvements to the QCM will be implemented this year. Although details have not been fully communicated at this time, it looks likely that there will be changes to the route. This is a welcome development because runners have always complained about the narrow paths and running the course twice in some places just to make up the distance.

Assuming no early freeze up, September has just about the perfect weather ingredients for the marathon. It is not too hot nor too cold. A shower or two feels like a massage to the runner. The leaves are just about changing colours too and it is a great incentive to look at the variety of colours in the woods. The Regina community is another great reason to come.There is always that grandma/grandpa clapping the entire time for you. If you have never participated, I encourage you to make it your first. You will not be disappointed!

WINNIPEG MARATHON WAS ON FATHER'S DAY (MAY 18)

This was the first time that I took part in this prestigious Marathon. I was not ready for the whole thing and so I chose to run the half. The atmopshere as would be expected for an event of this magnitude was terrific. Th start line was near the University of Manitoba and the finish line was in the Uuniversity's footbal stadium. Whether you are sore or not, just hearing the drums from 5 km away pumps you up to go to that finish line. Thumbs up too to the following:
1)there was no crowding along the way-running on wide streets for this kind of eevents is an excellent idea
2)the community cheer leaders are second to none, at one station one guy was giving free Molson larger! I wouldn't recommend this for anyone who is serious about running though. It is however his jovial attitude that has earned this guy an entry in my journal.
3) the music along the route was like caffeine that pumped you up
4)i didn't see a frown on any runner, you basically chatted with whoever
5)the volunteers were so cheerful!
6)the last mile - is named after IRV, a volunteer who passed on before the race. the distance by my estimation is longer than a mile and colleagues I talked to wondered about this too! Recognizing the silent majority who make things happen was great feat for me.
What about the downs? Here are some:
1)the unwinding area after the race was too small- too much crowding
2)too few conveniences at scheduled points- one toilet per station (some stations had 2 or more) created unnecessary waiting and lost time
This was over all a life time experience to remember. For full results of this event, check:http://www.manitobamarathon.mb.ca/
The over all winner was Michael Booth, a Winnipeger who clocked 2:31:54. Congratulations to him.

ROADSIDE MARKET

Roadside markets are an interesting feature of Zambia's life. How much money exchanges hands at this markets is not known but it is acknowledged that a lot of people draw their sustainance from them. Markets are part of the informal sector of the Zambia's economy. More people are employed in the informal sector than in the formal sector, according to official estimates. Other than at city markets where city officials levy a fee for trading, informal markets at road sides or peddling are not levied any tax. In the picture above, the road side market is strategically located at Mufulira turn off from Kitwe. The road from Kitwe continues on to the copper mining towns of Chingola, Chililabombwe and the newly opened copper mine of Kanshanshi in Northwestern province. Merchandice at these markets range from cooked food to live animals. In between are vegetables, eggs, curios etc. Weights and measures are not used and a good buyer is one who can bargain. The bargaining is what makes these markets most interesting. What starts like an arguements ends up in two people sharing jokes and their family experiences.In the end it is a win win situation.

COPPERBELT MEMORIES

Driving on the dual carriage way between Ndola and Kitwe was hair raising but a beautiful experience too. The trip looked shorter than when I used to ride mini buses, many years ago. As seen in the photograph, the island separating the road in the opposite direction was overgrown by grass and bushes ( to more than 2 meteres in many places). I recognized this as a danger. At almost every crossroad, the horn had to be used as people sprang up from nowhere onto the road. The grass denied me the chance to admire the beautiful crafts that are usually dispalayed along this highway. In one or two locations, I spotted toy cars, paintings and crafts which add to the beuaty of this highway if grass is cut. A copperbelt energy company usually cuts the grass but only where the power lines are located. The only hope that the grass will get 'cut' is when th bush fires arrive in June.

I took a ride along Chingola road to check out a farm of a relative. Passing by Ganerton, I was told that the suburb is now a shell of itself having lost a lot of people due to insecurity. The situation was better than a few years ago but the huge acreages with horses and well micured lawns was a thing of he past.

My favourite past time in Zambia has always been a roadside market. It is here that one can eat a freshly roasted cob of maize and just chat with whoever. At Mufulira turn off, we decided to stop by and pick up some chickens, tomatoes and rape vegetables. We were mobbed by the merchants. Everyone wanted to sell us something. The choice was so vast that we pretended we were just there to meet someone. We chatted a bit and took a photograph (see insert). We finally picked on one seller and got 3 chickens at a very good price. I was tempted to buy a roast cob of maize but i turned out that the cob was too hard for my teeth!

VISITING ZAMBIA

I touched down at Ndola Airport at about 12 noon. It was indeed a very warm welcome in all manner of detail. The theromometer was near 30 degree C. The low cumulus clouds reminded me that the cold season was just around the corner (see airpot picture in this posting). The staff of this small international airport were excellent and all smiles. This was my second time in 10 years that I had landed at Ndola. I was in a hurry to get to Kitwe, my final destination and flying from Johannesburg to Ndola made a lot of sense. My ride to Kiwe arrived 30 minutes late and during the wait, I made frienship with two guys. We talked about soccer, a very safe subject. My two friends were utterly dissapointed that the once upon a time soccer power house (Zambia) was a shadow of itself in the 21st century. The worst player to them was this guy in the UK! To make matters worse, the stadium that once hosted continental games (Dag stadium) was still lying in rubbles (the stadium was pulled down with the intentions of buiding an ultra modern facility for hosting the Africa Cup of Nations competition). It never took place because of soaring costs.

On my way to Kitwe, I couldn't help shading a tear for the Dag stadium, lying in ruins and probably in peace forever and ever. I hope that one day, someone will resurrect this once upon a time loveley stadaium where Zambia never lost a game ( according to a Zambian legend). The Central Hopspital caught my attention too. It was once a gem but it looked an eyesore. Industies are virtually non existtent in this city of nearly 2 million people. The drive on the dual carriage way to Kitwe was comfortable (this is the only divided highway in Zambia). The road appeared to be well maintained. The highway was however overgrown with grass and the island was basically a jungle! From time to time along the way, people sprang up from nowhere onto the oad. My ride's hand was constantly on the horn to avoid hitting anyone. The trip to Kitwe took about 45 minutes.

It was great to visit the markets, a few shops and eat the nshima and kapenta. The road side markets have always been my favourite. It is here that one can eat roast maize and perhaps get a few bargains from sellers. One experience is shared in the next posting along Chingola road.

VISITING BEAUTIFUL AFRICA

I arrived at 7:20 am at Johannesbury International, this moring of May 8. The airpot is going through a massive facelift. There is construction all over. I wondered why! I later learnt that the country is getting ready for the 2010 World Soccer Tournament. I also learnt later on that a new railway line is being constructed from Johannesburg to Pretoria for the same reason.

The drive from Johannesburg International to Pretoria took less than an hour. My first shock was how chilly the outside was. I soon reminded myself it is getting into the cool season now, Soth Africa being in the southern Hemisphere. What did I see on the way? The famous elephant grasses were as tall as you could imagine, the size of the elephant. My old geography knowledge returned. If the elephant grasses are as tall as can be expected, it is a sign that the wetaher has been good. And true to my observation, my chatty driver (from Friends of Africa Touring Company) confirmed that the year had been good in terms of rains. Food was ample and the tall grass was a testament of the good times. This warmed my heart. To crown it all, the hills on the way to Pretoria just reminded me of what I have been missing all these years of living on the more less flat landscape of the Canadian prairies. I saw the famous acacia trees, miombo woodlands and an occasional baobab tree.

I didn't realize how tired I was until I sat on the bed of the Farm Inn. Before sleeping, I decided to stroll around this gem. African birds greeted me. A bunch of warthogs were idling around. The Inn itself is built in an African style with a thatched roof. It is way out of Pretoria on what looks like a nature reserve. I am looking forward to eating supper. I am sure it is going to be mouth watering.

Family friends that I met 15 years ago in Scotland have invited me to visit with them tomorrow. I can't wait to see them.

HALF MARATHON CONQUERED IN FRIGID WEATHER

The siren went off at 8:30 am to signal the start of the Regina Police Half Marathon on that Sunday morning of April 23. Conditions were not the best for running, at least by my running. We had sub zero temperatures and a southerly wind of about 30 km per hour. My two colleagues from Saskatoon were on hand to enjoy the run with me. But wait, I forgot to say that we had to put on gloves and jackets to battle the elements. This extra armour helped initially but became a burden half way through the race. In spite of the elemets and heavy gear, it was a joy to run along and just chat with whoever was chasing the wind. Something you rarely see when people are walking by. I got the idea that maybe, people should be running more! They are more chatty!

My running buddies and I clocked 2 hours and 1 minute and thanks to them for encouraging me to 'keep up the pace.' I sure almost gave up when the wind nearly blew me off the road. When official results came in, I was surprised at how good we had done! In fact we had beaten the Mayor of the city (our dear Mayor of the city of Regina was once a boxer and a very affable man, he was also a boxing ref at the last Olympics in Greece) came in at 2 hours and 10 minutes. This was certainly not my best time. In practice and other competitions, I am way under 2 hours. The beauty of the 'windy city' marathons is that you become ready for anything. I am not sure the conditions we had compare to the hills that our dear sister is conquering in Capte Town! Now, this is putting my neck on the chopping board! You can check entire results of the RPHM at:http://www.winningtime.ca/
"Those who enjoy life keep on running"

IT NEVER RAINS HERE

The Horn of Africa and parts of east Africa are in the news again. No rain. Like most places in sub-Sahara Africa, this region depends on rain to grow a crop (grain). Irrigiation thouh it was used a long time ago as part of the early civilization (in Ehtiopia especially) does not exist or it may be limited to a select few. To make matters worse, the region has experienced insecurity for years. Some news agencies claim that banditry and lawlessness are the only things growing instead of crops. To understand the perenial food shortages of this region, a thorough analysis of the history and natural events is needed. History is not my turf. One natural event that overshadows lack of rain in the region is what goes on in the tropical Pacific ocean. This year, the ocean has been in a cold phase or the so called La Nina. The temperatue of the ocean water has been below average. The situation is slowly reverting to normal conditions (i.e. average ocean temperature). This situation has translated in ample rainfall in some southern African countries (with bumper harvests of grain expected this year) while other parts of Africa are seeing drought. This phenomenon is well studied and where support structures to anticipate it exist (see efforts from SADC countries and Australia http://www.sadc.int/english/fanr/food_security/food_update_january_2006.php), there is less pain on the vulenrable groups. Unfortunately, this is wishful thinking in war torn regions.

HAMMERING NAILS IN A PIECE OF LUMBER (PLANK)

I go to an adult Sunday school class at my local church. Our teacher (Pastor Darold Sauer) told us an interesting story two Sundays ago. It is worth repeating here. I am pretty sure he wouldn't mind that I am telling it.

'A teacher had a bunch of boisterous kids in his sunday school class. He decided to bring a piece of lumber (plank), some nails and hammers to class so that he could keep his class occupied in some activity. He asked each student to pick a nail and hammer it into the wood. The class had a lot of fun with the hammer and nails. The strong ones made sure that the nails went in as deep as the energy from the swing of the hammer could allow. When evryone had their nail in, the teacher asked the class to take the nails out since it was too dangerous to live them that way. Those whose nails went in the deepest had some struggles but they eventually got their nails out. Some nails had gone in at an angle. These lnails eft some very ugly marks when they were pulled out. Eventually, the piece of lumber was free of nails but it had lots of ugly marks and gaping holes.'

The story illustrates the reality of sin. God forgives us unconditionally. The reality though is that we remain with those dark memories or scars of our past, some of them extremely painful to even talk about. It is for this reason that one should flee from sin. One man who did this very courageously was Joseph (formerly sold into slavery by his brothers), to the point of living his jacket in the hands of Mrs Potipher who wanted to lie with him. A dear friend of mine used to say, "Don't smile at sin. Flee like Joseph."

What will people be doing in heaven?

My son (now 13) asked me from the blue after we had been to church, "What will people be doing in heaven dad?" He was 5 years old at the time. I answered the best I could but I somewhat felt that he was not convinced with my answer. I talked about being happy, no tears, no darkness etc but I believe he was looking for duties in heaven. I told him that I will do some more research and give him an answer another time. My research took me to the book of revelation. I found some 'duties' for the saved ones. One that stands out is worshipping the lamb (Christ). I wans't sure that that this duty was sufficient to keep people preoccupied for eternity. Then I read a book which talks about the duties that God gave to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. The author says Adam and Eve worshipped God by looking after the garden, naming all the plants and animals and having God around to talk to as a friend! Unfortunately, their work was cut out after they sinned. They no longer had the privilege of being the botanists, zoologists or anything else. Their preoccupation became survival instead of doing the honourable jobs that God had for them. The author says that God will restore these duties to his saved children in heaven. The worship that revelation talks about now makes sense and I now have a better answer for my son!

FAVOURITE QUOTES

Some quotes are forever new. The folowing are among my favourites:

1. If it is not broken, do not fix it (Unknown). "Our doctor would never really operate unless it was necessary. He was just that way. If he din't need the money, he wouldn't lay a hand on you." Herb Shriner.
2. Decay starts when growth stops (Our Daily Bread)
3. It is not about what your country can give you. It is about what you can give your country (JFK)
4. To be different is not to be defficient(Unknown)
5. To teach is to learn twice (Unknown)
6. The used key is always bright (Benjamin Franklin)
7. Now go, write it before them in a table, and not in a book (Isaih 30: 8)
8. By indirections find directions out (William Shakespear)
9. Have no friends not equal to yourself (Confucius)
10. I never forget a face, but in your case I will make an exception (Julius Henry)
11. To err is human, to forgive divine (Alexandar Pope)
12. There is always room at the top (Daniel Webster)
13. A good symbol is the best arguement, and is a missionary to persuade thousands (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
14. I could never make out what those damned dots meant (Winston Churchill)
15. The historian is a prophet in reverse (Frederick Shlegel)
16."The 'expectation' in a gamble is the value of the prize multiplied by the probability of winning the prize. According to Pascal, the value of eternal happiness is infinite. He reasoned that even if the probability of winning eternal happiness by leading a religious life is very small indeed, nevertheless, since the expectation is infinite (any finite fraction of infiniy is itself infinite)) it will pay anyone leading such a life (E.T. Bell, Men of Mathematics)

A visit from James by David Kitz (March 19)

I was blessed by David Kitz's one man show at my local church today. David performed the book of James by reciting scripture verses as recorded by James- the brother of Jesus Christ. I was reminded that James believed in the Lord after the resurrection when the Lord appeared to him. Before the resurrection, the gospels record that James did not believe. In fact James and other family memebers thought that their brother, the trvelling evangelist was a lunatic! What an impact the resurrection made! Please plan to tell the resurrection story to someone this easter.

In his performance, David opens by writing greetings to the churches. He then goes into the meaty stuff: faith and works, prayer, caring for one another etc. The desription of the mouth as an organ of evil caught my attention more than the other parts. With the mouth, one can set the whole world on fire! Yet, it is with the mouth that we also sing priases to God. What a testimonythe mouth carries before our living God!

David did another performance called the "The Centurion's experince". He gives a perspective on the dearth and resurrection of Jesus from the Roman soldier's perspective- the centurion. The Centurion's experience has a good ending. At the end of his experience, (he led the band of killers that nailed Jesus to the cross) he confesses that he was ignorant of what he did and begs for forgiveness.

David has CDs and a book which was the number one seller a few years ago in the Ottawa area.

MY BEST READERS

A number of books have left a lasting impression on me. The chief ones are:

1. The Bible
This classic is renowned as the best world seller. It has remained my number 1 reader, year in and year out. Here is why I go back to it so often:
-It has a very rich variety of styles. A number of books from the Old Testament are historical, while some are full of wisdom andyet others are poetic. Then we have prophesy and in the new testament, we find books that are easy to read (the four gospels of Mathew, Mark Luke and John present the story of Jesus or the good news) while the remainder of the new testament contains letters that were sent to churches or specific individuals. These letters describe how to relate with one another.
-I always find something new each time I re-read what I read a few years ago. Very few books have had this impact on me.
-I am amazed at the wisdom and scientific detail that is presented in the Bible. Modern knowledge, it would appear, is not new after all!
-The book claims to be the word of God and I am convinced it is.

2. The Diary of a Nobody - by George and Weedon Grossmith
This book is out of print but one can get a copy at any local library (at least in North America and Europe). The setting is England around 1600. It is basically a catalogue of daily entries of routine things including drinking English tea at 2pm! What drew me to the book was the thought or question that I had. Would somebody's life be so exciting or boring that they would want to share it with the whole world? Apparently, life is never boring if you can see the big picture.

3. Pio na Vera- by Stephen Mpashi
I picked up a reprint of this book at the University of Zambia book store in 2005. The book describes the courtship of a couple in a Copper Belt town of Ndola. It is written in a Zambian local language (Bemba). The man, Pio is a school teacher while Vera is an apprenntice of some sort. The description of the social life in a Zambian compound is quite breath taking especially for those who are now detached from home.

4. The Trials of Brother Jero- by Wole Soyinka
The author is a nobel prize winner for literature. The play is set in Nigeria. Christianity, politics and business mingle at the beach, the setting of the play. Soyinka has a way of letting you see the characters without watching the performance.

New Conservative Government elected in Canada

Canada went to the polls on January 23, 2006. Victory went to the Conservative Party who won by a small majority. This was after 13 years of being in opposition to the Liberal Party. The new government was sworn in on February 6. The new Prime Minister is Mr Stephen Harper and comes from Calgary, Alberta (western Canada). The Conservative party is strongest in western Canada but a number of seats were won in eastern Canada as well, including Quebec where separatist ideas are held high by some people. The Conservative party won the majority of their seats in rural ridings mostly.

What does the conservative party win for the ordinary person mean? The answer depends on who you ask and how you define the ordinary person. Issues that the new government ought to be judged on from a visible minority point of view include inclusiveness and poverty. The offshoots of these problems can be observed in gang violence in our cities, under-employment etc. Hopefully, the climate of change that the Conservative leaders campaigned on will be translated into action.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Wise saying may be conveyed as proverbs, chants etc. They are used to drive home ideas, issues, arguments, inspirations and so on, in the day-to-day life of an African. Wise saying are an integral part of the life and culture of an African. These philosophical words of wisdom have been preserved from generation to generation and are always handed over from parents to children as an inheritance. No matter how great an orator you are, or how eloquent you are, your speech is regarded as incomplete without proverbs which serve as ingredients for the speech. Africans hold proverbs in the highest esteem, and an African is regarded incomplete without the mastery of proverbs. Here are a few from Zambia:

A child who never travels beyond his village grows up thinking that his mother is the best book in the whole world ( from Zambia)

The hands of the porridge owner can never be dirty (from Zambia)

The man who refused to take advice from his friends arrived with feaces on his suit at his wedding (from Zambia)

It is not unusual for a cockrel to break its wing before adulthood (from Zambia

Saskatchewan Changes Immigration Rules for Family Members

My readers might be interested in knowing that the Sask Provincial government has made changes to immigration of family members of those residing in Sask (permanent residents) or citizens of Canada. The text below is a 'copy and paste' policy change for your information. The document has relevant links if anybody wants to explore the issue further.
___________________________________________________________________
SINP — Family Members Category
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?People living in another country that have family members who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents living in Saskatchewan may qualify. This includes:
mother/father;
daughter/son;
brother/sister;
niece/nephew;
aunt/uncle;
grandchild;
grandfather/grandmother;
first cousin; or
step-relative or in-law of the same level
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA To be eligible under the Family Members category you must:
Have a signed affidavit of support from one or more family members in Saskatchewan that indicates they will provide settlement assistance to you and your family. This may include financial support.
Be between the ages of 18-49;
Have completed at least one year of post-secondary education, training or apprenticeship;
Have at least one year of work experience in your field of education/training;
Have sufficient language capability to be employable in Saskatchewan that is verified by an employer affidavit or by education and language testing;
Have a fulltime permanent job offer from an employer in Saskatchewan or, intend to find work in Saskatchewan and have adequate funds to live in the province after arrival ($10,000 for principal applicant and $2,000 for each additional accompanying family member). The funds may be from you or your supporting family members.
For useful information about looking for employment in Saskatchewan please refer to the employer opportunities in our links section of this website.
Applicants who intend to work in an occupation requiring licensing or certification in Saskatchewan must contact the applicable provincial, national and/or industry regulatory association prior to applying for nomination to verify that they will be able to meet licensing or certification requirements. Before nomination the SINP will contact the appropriate regulatory body to ensure they have no objections to SINP nomination.
Applicants who intend to work in a medical profession requiring licensing or certification must apply under the SINP Health Professionals category.
For information on regulated and non-regulated occupations in Saskatchewan and Canada contact the Canadian Information Center for International Credentials at http://www.cicic.ca/ or Services Canada Work Destinations at http://www.workdestinations.org/.
Obtaining provincial or federal licensing or accreditation in your intended occupation does not guarantee you will be able to find employment in your field in Saskatchewan.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO BE A SUPPORTING FAMILY MEMBER? Supporting family members can include:
parents;
sister/brother;
daughter/son;
aunt/uncle;
niece/nephew;
grandparents;
first cousin; or
step-family member
CRITERIA FOR SUPPORTING FAMILY MEMBERS To be eligible as a supporting family member you must be:
A Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada who has lived in Saskatchewan for the past year; and
Financially self-supporting. You are not eligible to be a supporting family member if you have received financial support through the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan, Employment Insurance, or the Resettlement Assistance Program within the last six months.
APPLYINGApplicants must complete and send the following forms to SINP :
SINP-100-22: Family Members Category Application Form This form must be completed by the applicant.
SINP 500-8 Affidavit of English Language Ability This may be completed by the employer to support the language ability of the applicant.
IMM-0008: Application for Permanent Residence in Canada This form must be completed by the applicant.
Schedule 1: Background / DeclarationThis form must be completed by the applicant and (if applicable): his or her spouse or common-law partner; and all dependant children aged 18 years or older listed in the application for permanent residence.
Schedule 4: Economic Classes—Provincial NomineesThis form must be completed by the applicant.
IMM-5406: Additional Family InformationThis form must be completed by the applicant and (if applicable): his or her spouse or common-law partner; and all dependant children aged 18 years or older listed in the application for permanent residence.
The applicant may complete one or both of the following forms, if applicable: (a) Use this form to designate an authorized representative to handle your file: IMM-5476 — Use of a Representative. This form also authorizes CIC and Saskatchewan to release info rmation to and deal with your representative on matters pertaining to your file. (b) Use this form if you wish to have your application info rmation sent to a designated individual other than your representative: IMM 5475 — Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual.
For more information: Instructions on using a representative (PDF file).
Documentation:
Birth certificate for applicant and immediate family-members that list both parents, marriage certificate, divorce, custody and maintenance documents.
A police report (original only) from the last country where an applicant and accompanying family members over the age of 18 have lived for more than six months.
Valid passport (photocopy only). In order to ensure successful immigration processing, it is recommended that passports have an expiry date no less than two years from the date of your SINP application. Each family member must obtain an individual passport.
Documents required to verify eligibility:
Bank confirmation of personal funds.
Education/training credentials.
Letter of reference from previous employers to prove work experience or other proof of employment.
Regulatory or licensing credentials (if applicable)
Proof of language competency (English or French, if applicable). If the applicant does not have an offer of employment, educational documents or language testing results must be submitted to demonstrate their English language capability.
Letter of offer of permanent employment from the Saskatchewan employer stating position, wage, benefits and company contact information. (if applicable)
Proof of family relationship living in Saskatchewan as a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Supporting family members must complete and send the following form to SINP
SINP 500-22: Family Members Category Affidavit of Support
All documents submitted must be original or certified/notarized copies unless otherwise specified. Where documents are not in English, an original translation by a certified translator must be provided with the original or certified/notarized copy of the document. All forms must be original.