TRI News

Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Marie Wilson speaks at Pembroke Campus

For six and a half years, Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Marie Wilson listened to thousands of survivors of Canada’s Indian Residential Schools. It was emotionally draining and heartbreaking work and now the former commissioner is sharing her experiences in a new book entitled, North of Nowhere-Songs of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner. Wilson spent two days at the Pembroke Campus, first participating in a speaker series event focused on her book and then following up the next day by engaging in a day long dialogue hosted by the campus for its community partners.

More than 55 senior leaders from the Pembroke Campus, the Renfrew County public and Catholic school boards, the Pembroke Regional Hospital, Renfrew County Family and Children Services, the city of Pembroke and the County of Renfrew participated in a Kairos blanket exercise, before engaging in a conversation on how the group could collectively respond to the calls to action in the commission’s landmark report. The dialogue was facilitated by campus Elder Aimee Bailey.

Wilson called her time at the Pembroke Campus “uplifting,” adding that it “reassured her that we are moving forward and that education will get us out of this mess.” Wilson was the only non-Indigenous member of the commission that was chaired by Murray Sinclair, who recently passed away. The third member of the commission was Chief Wilton Littlechild.

Wilson’s book has been released almost ten years after the commission issued its 94 Calls to Action. She commended Algonquin College for its leadership, adding that she was leaving the Pembroke Campus “very encouraged and it has bolstered my spirits about the good work that you are doing here.” Wilson lives in Yellowknife and is married to a residential school survivor and the former premier of the Northwest Territories, Stephen Kakfwi.

Algonquin College faculty present at National Indigenous Education Symposium

On Oct. 28, Sheila Grantham (Algonquin College), Ela Smith (Teaching and Learning Consultant in Indigenous Education, Mohawk College), Carly Renauld (Manager of Indigenous Research and Development within the First Peoples’ Centre, Canadore College) and Harmony Nadjiwon (Indigenous faculty in Specialized Academic Certificates, Centennial College) presented at the 2024 National Indigenous Education Symposium on their involvement with the Ontario Colleges Indigegogy Circle. Continue reading →

Tomson Highway shares his journey through life and literature

On Wednesday, Oct. 30, Algonquin College welcomed novelist, playwright, musician and composer Tomson Highway to the Ottawa CampusModerator Darren Sutherland, Tomson Highway and Professor Kerry Potts as part of its Indigenous Leader Speaker Series.

In a lively and unstructured conversation, Highway shared animated stories about his upbringing, his life experiences, working collaboratively with other artists and his views on nature and the environment. Continue reading →

Tibàdjimowin – News about the Nation event inspires attendees

participants at the news of the nation conference

On Friday, Oct. 25, the Indigenous Initiatives Office hosted a knowledge exchange conference to engage and share new experiences with Algonquin College employees, learners and community members.

“By incorporating Indigenous content, inviting guest speakers and organizing cultural activities, we strive to provide a well-rounded education that respects and reflects Indigenous world views,” said Algonquin College President and CEO Claude Brulé. “Our aim is to enrich the learning experience for all students, fostering understanding, empathy and respect for Indigenous cultures, languages and traditions.”

Continue reading →

Algonquin College marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

A sea of orange T-shirts filled Nawapon on Monday as Algonquin College employees marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.Guests attend the event marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at Algonquin College

Drummer Awema Tendesi opened the event with a drumming song and tobacco offering. Krista Pearson, Vice President of Student Services gave a welcome and shared the College’s new land acknowledgement.

Algonquin College President and CEO Claude Brulé welcomed Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, College Ward City Councillor Laine Johnson and Indigenous advisor Jenny Buckshot Tenasco to the Ottawa Campus. Continue reading →

Ottawa, Perth and Pembroke campuses take part in Tebwewin circles

As we look ahead to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we want to reflect on an important series of events hosted by theOttawa participants from the Tebwewin circle Indigenous Initiatives Office throughout September.

The Tebwewin — Truth series occurred at all three Algonquin College campuses and gave the College community a chance to hear stories of the residential schools first-hand. These three gatherings saw speakers, employees and learners joined in speaking circles and provided residential school survivors the opportunity to share and reflect on their experiences. Continue reading →

Mamidosewin Centre marks Powley Day

To observe the importance of Powley Day, the Mamidosewin Centre hosted a screening from the Métis Nation of Ontario with a powerful film documenting this powerful story.

The landmark legal case recognized and affirmed that Métis people and communities lived on the land before the country was officially recognized as Canada and that their rights were to be entrenched within Section 35 of Canada’s Constitution.

The significance of the case cannot be understated. Because of this decision, the Métis in Canada are recognized as a distinct Indigenous people within Canada. In this case in 2003, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled unanimously in favour of Métis people and members of a Métis community.

About the case

(Reprinted from the Métis Nation of Ontario website)

In Powley, the courts recognized and affirmed what the MNO had been saying all along–-that there were distinct Métis people and communities on the land before Canada became Canada, before Ontario became Ontario, with a culture and identity all their own, and that their rights were entrenched within Section 35 of Canada’s Constitution. While other Métis rights cases had been fought in the courts before, Powley was the first to be appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court. It was led by the MNO, the Powley family and the Métis community around Sault Ste. Marie, but all Métis communities across Canada have greatly benefited from it.

The victory in Powley set the stage for a series of achievements for Métis people, not just in Ontario but across the Métis Nation Homeland, including the ground-breaking Métis Government Recognition and Self-Government Agreements signed in June 2019 by the MNO, the Métis Nation of Alberta, Métis Nation–Saskatchewan and the Manitoba Métis Federation.

Algonquin College updates its land acknowledgement

Why was the Land Acknowledgement updated?green text with Indigenous art elements

Anishinábe Aki means the land of the Anishinàbe Algonquin people. Algonquin College has recently worked with members of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg and Pikwakanagan communities to expand its relationship. This includes regular meetings, knowledge sharing and flying the flag of the Anishinàbe Algonquin Nation on its three campuses. This also includes collaborating to co-develop and update the Algonquin College land acknowledgement statement.

What was the process to consider the various language components?

The goal of updating the land acknowledgement was to acknowledge the past and promote awareness, education and healing to move forward together with respect and mutual learning. Attention is also given to place a focus on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Continue reading →

Algonquin College Kwey Indigenous Video Language Series  returns ahead of National Day of Truth and Reconciliation 

Sept. 4, 2024, Ottawa, ON – Algonquin College has welcomed back more than just its students this fall. The Kwey Indigenous VideoTitle card in Algonquin green to introduce Indigenous language series called Kwey Language Series has returned with new video content, reaffirming the college’s commitment to embracing the traditional Anishinàbe Algonquin language on campus.

The video series is called Kwey, an Algonquin greeting that means hello. Launched in June 2024, the videos expanded on the College’s commitment to language revitalization to enhance and increase hearing and speaking the Anishinábe Algonquin language.

The newest collection continues this promise with topics including greetings and salutations and cultural information around smudging, community circles and the Seven Grandfather Teachings, which are Anishinàbe Algonquin Nation principles to live by. Continue reading →