Rick Pawliw, Assistant Deputy Minister of Immigration for the province of Saskatchewan, has accepted an invitation to give the opening address at the Saskatchewan Council for the Education of Non-English Speakers (SCENES) annual conference hosted this year by Briercrest College and Seminary on April 12.

"We are thrilled that the government recognizes the importance of TESOL to the future of this province," said Briercrest TESOL professor Darla Gamache, who is chairing the conference. "It is exciting to see the government taking this opportunity to address TESOL educators from all over the province. We look forward to finding ways that SCENES and the government can work together to meet the needs of new immigrants in Saskatchewan."

Conference organizers expect up to 100 teachers, students, and book publishers such as Pearson Education and Cambridge University Press to attend.