Uncategorized

Children Treated to Outdoor Session of Indigenous Storytelling

A rapt audience of children from the Early Learning Centre were treated to Indigenous storytelling Thursday as Ron Deganadus McLester, Vice President of Truth, Reconciliation and Indigenization, shared with them the genius of First Nations nature tales.

The event, held in the Ishkodewan Courtyard on a perfect fall day, was a child-centred prelude to the events that will mark the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at Algonquin College on September 30. The new federal statutory holiday is intended to recognize and commemorate the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools, and honour their survivors, families and communities.

Continue reading →

College Community Gathers to Honour 215 Children Found Buried at Kamloops

The Algonquin College community gathered together virtually on Thursday morning to honour the lives of the 215 children whose remains were recently found buried at the Kamloops Residential School.

The purpose of the gathering, explained President and CEO Claude Brulé , was also to honour “the victims and survivors of residential schools across our country” and to “reflect on the discovery.”

Ron (Deganadus) McLester, Vice President, Truth, Reconciliation and Indigenization at Algonquin College, who made opening remarks, said it was time for Indigenous people to be allowed to step back and grieve, and for settler allies to step up and act.

Continue reading →

Pembroke Kampus Kokum Offering Support to Indigenous Students

For many students, leaving family and loved ones behind to attend college means leaving a support network and family traditions. Luckily, Indigenous students at the Pembroke campus have the opportunity to interact with a supportive grandmother-figure who is ready and willing to engage with them.

Annie Parker is the Pembroke Kampus Kokum. A Kokum is an Algonquin Anishinaabe word for Grandmother. On campus, her roles to provide cultural and traditional insight, support and personal consultation for our Indigenous students.

It’s a new role for the College, and for Parker, and one she has embraced. “It’s a real honour,” she said. “I see it as being able to be open and honest with the students, I don’t have all the answers but I have a willingness to find the answers, to be approachable, and students can come to me. In short, develop relationships.” Continue reading →

AC and Ottawa Tourism launch Indigenous Tourism Entrepreneurship Training

Algonquin College and Ottawa Tourism celebrated the launch of Indigenous Tourism Entrepreneurship Training, which will support Indigenous entrepreneurs in the creation and development of their own business and tourism ideas.



Thanks to funding provided by the Canadian Experiences Fund, this partnership will see the creation of 10-week training modules, which will prepare Indigenous learners with the skillset to develop their business and tourism plans, and prepare them to pitch their idea to founders, as well as apply for funding through various agencies.

Continue reading →

Indigenous resources added to COVID-19 website

The Coronavirus Information site has been redesigned to improve navigability and help spotlight and organize resources for both students and employees.
Visit the new home page and special subsections devoted to Students and Employees.
Visit the new FAQ page, where you can find a variety of FAQs for students as well as a general FAQ for Employees and FAQ for faculty on Academic Continuity. New FAQ content includes Spring-Winter Term FAQs added to the Registrar’s Office FAQ located here.
Continue reading →

Algonquin College marks National Indigenous Peoples Day

Tureens of sweet-potato soup, fruit platters, bowls of salad, and baskets of bread. All this, along with flowers and sunshine, was there for those who came to Ishkodewan Friday to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day.

About 80 or so people – College leaders, students, and employees – enjoyed a noon-hour picnic on the lawn of the DARE District courtyard.

The event was intended to foster Indigenous storytelling and provide an opportunity for the College community to socialize in a beautiful setting. It was one of a number of National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations in the National Capital Region on Friday.
Continue reading →

ICYMI: Academica interviews VP Ron McLester on Indigenization at institutions

Academica President & CEO Rod Skinkle recently sat down with Ron (Deganadus) McLester, Vice President – Truth, Reconciliation & Indigenization at Algonquin College in Ottawa, with an aim to share the benefits of Ron’s experience working deeply in the area of Truth and Reconciliation with the rest of Canada’s post-secondary community.

Read the full article, titled “What it means for an institution to Indigenize,” or the excerpt below:

Continue reading →

2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL). Currently, 40% of the estimated 6,700 languages spoken around the world are in danger of disappearing. The fact that most of these are Indigenous languages puts the cultures and knowledge systems to which they belong at risk. Here in Canada, in 2016, 260,550 Aboriginal people reported being able to speak an Aboriginal language well enough to conduct a conversation.
Continue reading →