REGINA — Award-winning author and veteran journalist Joe Ralko is launching a sweeping new project to capture the human story of Saskatchewan as the province approaches its 125th anniversary in 2030. Called People Matter More: The Human Fabric of Saskatchewan, the initiative will spotlight 125 remarkable individuals who have shaped the province’s identity across a diverse range of fields.
Two decades ago, Ralko made a defining contribution to Saskatchewan’s cultural legacy with his book Building Our Future: A People’s Architectural History of Saskatchewan, published in 2005 as part of the province’s Centennial celebrations. That work chronicled the “bones” of the province through architecture, highlighting the people behind the buildings and the communities they shaped.
Now, Ralko is turning his attention from bricks and mortar to the people who animate Saskatchewan’s social, cultural, and intellectual landscape.
Celebrating the human fabric
“Twenty years ago, I chronicled the bones of our province through its architecture,” Ralko said. “The book was called Building Our Future: People’s Architectural History of Saskatchewan. Today, I am looking at the heartbeat, the fabric of the province about people. This project is a complete departure from my previous work.”
The project will profile 125 individuals representing five pillars of legacy: Builders and Leaders, Community and Activism, Culture and Creativity, Innovation and Discovery, and Pioneers and Pathfinders. “We are identifying a hundred and twenty-five distinct lives, advocates, creators, innovators, pathfinders, who have shaped the Saskatchewan spirit,” Ralko said. “Twenty-five people in each of the categories.”
Ralko deliberately designed the pillars to capture impact beyond traditional measures of fame or politics. “I did not want to have a category for just politicians or sports people. I wanted people involved in science, community activism, human rights, First Nations leadership, a broad human spectrum.”
To ensure fair and knowledgeable selection, Ralko plans to work with a nonprofit and corporate sponsor to establish a five-person selection committee. “That committee would get direction from the sponsor and myself about deadlines for nominations, what must be provided to support the nomination, and so on,” he explained. “It is not just me as the creator of the project who will select the 25 individuals for each of the five pillars. A committee of knowledgeable people in those pillars will adjudicate the selection.”
A multimedia legacy
People Matter More will be a multimedia experience with a landmark publication at its core, supplemented by an interactive website and a narrative podcast series leading up to and through 2030. The podcast will allow Ralko to tell deeper human stories, giving voice to people whose achievements are extraordinary yet underappreciated.
Funding and sponsorship are key. Ralko is seeking partnerships with nonprofit organizations and corporate entities to underwrite the project and help define participation criteria.
More than a history project
Ralko’s vision goes beyond celebrating achievements. He wants People Matter More to serve as a cultural mirror and guide for Saskatchewan’s future. “Our grandchildren need to know about the history of the province, not just from nostalgia or facts and figures, but to understand where we have come from and whose shoulders they are standing on,” he said.
He aims to lift up stories like Nobel laureate Henry Taube, who grew up near Neudorf and went on to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and artists like Joe Fafard and Allan Sapp, whose work defined Saskatchewan’s visual culture. “The fabric of the people in Saskatchewan never ceases to amaze me,” Ralko said.
From centennial milestone to a new chapter
As 2030 approaches, People Matter More promises a human dimension to Saskatchewan’s story, celebrating both everyday citizens and extraordinary figures. Ralko himself brings decades of experience as a journalist, author, and chronicler of the province, ensuring that the stories he shares will be rich, accurate, and deeply human.
“I have been telling stories about the province since 1978,” he said. “I like to make it about human interest and human anecdotes, not just he did this or she did that. Once People Matter More is complete, I might take a long walk with my grandchildren before deciding what project comes next. For now, my focus is on people, everyday citizens and extraordinary figures alike, and ensuring their stories become part of Saskatchewan’s shared legacy.”
