Students at Hillcrest School learned a little about their rights, as the school celebrated National Child Day with some special guests.
Bob Pringle, a former MLA and now Saskatchewan's advocate for children and youth, attended the school with a pair of Saskatchewan Roughriders, Milt Collins and Chris McKenzie, along with Gainer the Gopher.
After the athletes entertained the school, answering questions and talking with the students, the Riders went off to serve breakfast to the younger students, while the more senior students stayed back to hear from Pringle.
Pringle, who is originally from Carnduff, talked about his role advocating for children and what it means for today's youth.
"As a child advocate, I'm legally required by the legislature to look at how Saskatchewan is doing in terms of the rights of children in this province," said Pringle.
The Saskatchewan children's advocate is funded by the government but operates independently, making recommendations for policy, as well as ensuring children are safe within their own homes.
"For the most part, the province may not agree with everything, but they appreciate the work we're doing, and we try to be as constructive as we can. These are complex social issues," said Pringle, of what they are often dealing with. "If you take the issues we've been hearing about in Estevan and Weyburn the last couple of days, there are no easy solutions. There's poverty; there's lack of housing; there's lots of pressure on families. There are addictions issues and mental health issues. There are just a lot of challenges. There's a lot of strength in the community, but when you deal with the kind of influx you have, (these issues arise)."
When looking at those issues, his job is to see how those elements affect children in the community.
"We promote the rights and the value of the children in our communities and their right to be respected. In a sense we monitor government programs and legislation to ensure children get the services they are entitled to by way of being citizens from here."
Things like the right to education and health care are some of the issues Pringle and other advocates are particularly attuned to.
"We look at everything and whether or not it's child centred. We consider what is the impact on children of the current policies and practices in the province as provided by the government," Pringle said. "My authority allows me to investigate anything we believe can infringe upon the rights of children."
He submits a report annually to the legislature regarding the current state of the child in Saskatchewan. It's a difficult task, in part because he must be aware of what today's children's needs are.
"If you're going to be a voice for children, you have to make sure you're talking to children," he said. "That's what gives us legitimacy in the offices, is that we actually speak to thousands of children every year. Every child in Saskatchewan has a right through provincial legislation to call us and call us in privacy."
He said they receive about 1,600 calls each year.
Pringle said it's days where he visits schools that are a lot of fun.
"To be welcomed like we were, (is exciting)," he said.
Pringle attended a meeting later in the day with a number of child-serving community members at the Days Inn. He was able to get an idea of some of the children's issues they see in the community.
"We're coming to listen. We're not experts. We're just all in this together," he added.
