Saigon's saint has changed dates (12)

I believe the answer is:

assignations

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'dates' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are plural nouns, I don't see how they can define each other.

'saigon's saint has changed' is the wordplay.
'has changed' is an anagram indicator.
'saigons'+'saint'='saigonssaint'
'saigonssaint' is an anagram of 'ASSIGNATIONS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for assignations that I've seen is " Lovers' meetings".)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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