2018-2019 Action and Activity Report Cynthia C. Wesley-Esquimaux, Ph.d. Chair On Truth And Reconciliation (Ctr)
I would like to express my utmost gratitude for the exceptional work done by Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Lakehead University’s Chair on Truth and Reconciliation. This report also represents the accomplishments of everyone who has worked together to further Truth and Reconciliation at Lakehead University in so many ways. I acknowledge the incredible amount of work done by our Truth and Reconciliation Committee members, by Lakehead’s Vice-Provost (Indigenous Initiatives) Denise Baxter along with her team, and the many contributions by Lakehead’s Elders’ Council and by the members of our Ogimaawin Indigenous Education Council (formerly the Ogimaawin Aboriginal Governance Council). In August 2019, Cynthia joined me at a special program hosted by Yukon College, Vancouver Island University and the McConnell Foundation. The inaugural summer institute, Perspectives on Reconciliation, was held in Whitehorse and brought together representatives from 31 colleges and universities from across Canada. The purpose of the Institute was to share stories, best practices, and explore what more we as post-secondary leaders can do to remove boundaries and barriers for Indigenous learners, and support their goals. I returned home with a renewed perspective on what Lakehead has accomplished for Indigenous learners, but also on how we must continue to work together to expand opportunities, supports, build trust, and deepen relationships. Lakehead University’s campuses — situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe Peoples of Fort William First Nation (Thunder Bay) and the Chippewas of Rama First Nation (Orillia) — are uniquely positioned to support positive change. We look forward to strengthening our engagement with Indigenous communities and working together to enhance experiences and outcomes for Indigenous students. As we embrace open and constructive dialogue among cultures, and to enhancing shared knowledge, Lakehead University recognizes the wisdom of Elders and Indigenous community partners to help inform decision making, research initiatives, academic programs, cultural spaces on campus, and supports for students. I will continue to look to leaders like Dr. Wesley-Esquimaux, and our dedicated Indigenous staff, faculty, students, and community partners to help us shape our approaches and focus our actions to make a difference. Chi-Miigwetch,
Moira McPherson, Ph.D. President and Vice-Chancellor Lakehead University
2018-2019 Community Engagement Throughout 2018-2019 the Chair on Truth and Reconciliation hosted or participated as a speaker or educator in 100 community engagement events and 42 public education events. The following are a selection of the highlights for the Chair on Truth and Reconciliation over the past two years: In January 2018 the CTR met with the Indigenous coordinator for the Magnus Theatre in Thunder Bay to discuss bringing together the Indigenous peoples of Thunder Bay and the Arts offered by Magnus. https://magnustheatre.com/ Magnus demonstrated a strong commitment to Indigenous history and contemporary issues by hosting several Indigenous based productions. In response, Lakehead made a commitment to bringing Instructors and Native Access Program and other Indigenous students to attend shows and the response by students was very positive. Lakehead has also hosted some very dynamic productions, such as “Material Witness” which I had the pleasure of taking in and sharing some good laughter with Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler and Anna Chief. The administration of Lakehead made a strong commitment to support the City of Thunder Bay meetings on reconciliation and healing, and the Chair attended sessions with President McPherson and the Vice Provost of Aboriginal Initiatives prior
to her move to the Orillia campus in July 2018. Open conversations in Thunder Bay continue to be incredibly important to the health and well-being of the entire population. https://www.thunderbay.ca/en/ city-hall/walk-a-mile-film-project.aspx Also in July 2018, President McPherson and the Chair attended the Assembly of First Nations Annual gathering in Vancouver, and gained fresh insight into National Indigenous issues, while meeting people from across Canada who continue to contribute so much to the process of truth and reconciliation. The Chair has been a Director of the Teach for Canada non-profit since 2015 and has been invited to continue on the Board through 2022. Teach for Canada is responsible for ensuring teachers are properly trained and ready to teach in remote First Nation communities. https://teachforcanada.ca/en/ In addition, Lakehead University has hosted the Teach for Canada Summer Enrichment Program for the past five years through the Department of Education. The Chair has been a Director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation since 2014 and has been renewed through 2020. The Centre is responsible for the gathering and protection of Indian Residential School records, both written and photographs. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is the archival repository for all of the material collected by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. And for ensuring the survivors of Indian Residential Schools are represented in their efforts to receive and prompt healing across Canada. http://nctr.ca/map.php/
Over 2018, the Chair also worked very closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in North Western Ontario, she met with hundreds of conservation officers and employees on reconciliation and conservation. These discussions often lasted 2-3 days and were intense and inspiring opportunities for education on Indigenous issues and the exchange of knowledge and experience. The Chair was appointed to the Board of the Lester B. Pearson School of the Pacific in 2016 and resigned in 2018 because of a lack of forward movement and engagement on reconciliation. There is only so much time available to anyone, including me, to do the work on reconciliation and I believe it takes everyone to make a commitment to keeping the dialogue going and a process of true engagement happening. In 2018 Jack.org https://jack.org/Home took over the Healthy Minds Canada Board where the CTR was a Board member for 5 years, and the Chair was asked to become an advisory member for the organization as they moved forward with the recruitment of Indigenous youth and grew their national conversations on youth suicide and mental health. The Chair attended several sessions hosted by a diversity of Canadian youth in Toronto in 2018 and 2019.
In December 2018, the CTR brought together First Nation Chiefs, Education Directors and Lakehead University Faculty to discuss the programming Lakehead University has to offer First Nation, Metis and Inuit students and to introduce people to each other. The Chiefs and
Education Directors were very pleased with the presentations by the faculty and the faculty were absolutely fabulous and did a great job of sharing their courses and academic interests. Throughout 2018 and 2019 the Chair frequently worked with the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Banff, Alberta – https://www. banffcentre.ca/ to design and implement Truth and Reconciliation courses on Right Relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada and to restore and implement Wise Practices in Indigenous governance practices – https://www.banffcentre.ca/articles/wisepractices-indigenous-communities-share-theirstories and http://communities4families.ca/wpcontent/uploads/2014/08/Aboriginal-CommunityDevelopment.pdf Although there were so many exciting and inspirational moments throughout the past two years, it was the people I had the pleasure of supporting and championing that made everything worth the time and travel. As we move forward into reconciliation the appointment of some very special Indigenous people needs to be acknowledged, and the celebration held for Shirley Cheechoo was a special moment where I got to celebrate the renewal of her appointment as Chancellor of Brock University in St. Catherines.
2018 Public Education Presentations and Workshops Cynthia has spent over 35 years immersed through her lived experience and personal and academic studies on the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Over the years she has been invited to present to hundreds of groups, organizations and governments on a variety of subjects related to Indigenous concerns and her own written and community work. The following represent a listing of the many presentations she has made in the interests of public education for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous interests. The CTR modifies each presentation to accommodate the needs of those requesting very specific types of conversation. The CTR presented a two-day course on “History and the Era of Reconciliation” to 20 staff from Immigration Canada in Ottawa on February 12-13th A similar two-day course on “Indigenous History and the Era of Reconciliation” was delivered to 75 Fire Fighters from the Ministry of Natural Resources in Thunder Bay, on February 14-15th
In the evening of the 15th the CTR presented “Unbundling Uncomfortable Conversations in Thunder Bay”, a two-hour presentation to teachers and interested allies from Lakehead Public Schools at Westgate High School. Indigenous lawyer Delia Opekokew and the CTR designed and co-hosted an “Indigenous Women in Leadership Forum” at the Wabano Aboriginal Health Centre for 150 Indigenous women and girls, Ottawa, on February 21-23rd
Glenn Nolan, Vice President, Government Affairs, for Noront Resources and the CTR delivered a presentation on “Unbundling Uncomfortable Conversation in Mining and Public Relations” at PDAC, in the Aboriginal Stream, in Toronto, on March 6th A similar presentation was designed and delivered by the CTR on “Uncomfortable Conversations in Education” for the Matawa Education Conference, in Thunder Bay, on March 8th On March 13th the CTR was invited to present on “Uncomfortable Conversation in Mental Health and within Families” for the Owiiji’iwe Reconciliation Conference, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The CTR and Steven Koptie delivered a presentation on “Reconciliation Social Work” for the International Aboriginal Mental Health Symposium, at GuelphHumber University, Toronto, on March 2-21st which would also result in a mutual publication. Cynthia (CTR) addressed the “94 Calls to Action” for the Dennis Franklin Cromarty Conversations on Reconciliation Symposium, in Thunder Bay, on March 22nd The CTR, Ry Moran, Erin Dixon delivered a program on “Right Relations” A Reconciliation Forum for Allies, the Banff Centre on Arts and Creativity on March 25-30th Cynthia delivered a presentation on “Reconciliation Through Restorative Justice” for the Ministry of Natural Resources, in Toronto, on April 4-5th The CTR was invited to present on “Reconciliation and the Practice of Cultural Safety and Anti-Racism” for the Children’s Services of Toronto, Thunder Bay, on April 19th Cynthia (CTR), Ry Moran, Elder Sykes Powderface, Elder Dila Houle, and Erin Dixon delivered a program on “Right Relations” A Reconciliation Forum for Allies, at the Banff Centre on April 22-26th The CTR and Steven Koptie delivered a presentation on “Uncomfortable Conversations in Mental Health and Violence” for the Victim Services Branch of Niagara, on April 30th
The CTR convened a conversation on “What is Reconciliation?” at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, on May 10th with excellent attendance of community members who wanted to know what they might do together to forward reconciliation within their city. Cynthia presented a “Right Relations” Reconciliation Forum for the Banff Centre on Arts and Creativity and the Canadian Environmental Grantmakers’ Network, May 14-16th Cynthia presented an “Indigenous Issues Update” for the Ministry of Natural Resources at the request of Matthew Orok, Manager, Provincial Enforcement Operations Section Enforcement Branch | Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry at the Prince Arthur Hotel, Thunder Bay on June 5th The CTR facilitated a discussion for the “The United Church of Canada” on a proposed Indigenous governance model on September 15th at the YMCA in Orillia, Ontario. Cynthia, Ry Moran, Daryl Kootney, Elder Sykes Powderface, and Erin Dixon presented a “Right Relations” Reconciliation Forum for Allies at the Banff Centre on September 23-28th
Cynthia and Alexia McKinnon presented “Pathways to Reconciliation” and “Taking Action for Reconciliation” sessions at the Banff Centre and the Bow Valley Community Centre on September 27th The CTR was asked to present a session for Haudenosaune Elders and Survivors on “Uncomfortable Conversations & Indian Residential Schools Impacts” for the Mohawk Institute in Brantford, Ontario on September 29th The CTR was asked to facilitate a “Community Dialogue” by Robert Daum on “MMIW and 2- Spirited peoples” in Toronto and hosted by Simon Fraser University, October 9-11th
Cynthia opened a session for Jane Philpott and Max Fineday on “Reconciliation in Action” providing an opening prayer and comments for their community dialogue on October 27th Robert Daum again requested the CTR to facilitate a“MMIW and The Inuit” Community Dialogue in Inuvik and hosted by Simon Fraser University, on October 30th – November 3rd Cynthia and Robert Daum facilitated a final session on “MMIW and The Metis People” Community Dialogue in Winnipeg and hosted by Simon Fraser University on November 19-21st Cynthia, Erin Dixon and Daryl Kootney hosted “Wise Practices in Indigenous Leadership” program at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity on November 24-30th
2019 Public Education Presentations and Workshops The CTR was asked to deliver a presentation on “Trauma Informed Care” for Rama First Nation on January 16th Cynthia, Erin Dixon and Ry Moran presented on “Right Relations” at a Reconciliation Forum at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, January 26 – 31st Cynthia and Erin Dixon co-facilitated a “Right Relations” Reconciliation Forum for Energy Futures Lab of Alberta, February 1-3rd The CTR facilitated a “Transformational Leadership” session for Val Dickson | General Manager: Leadership Development /Barrie YMCA, at Geneva Park on February 6th
Cynthia and Brian Charles were invited by Kerry-Anne Charles of Georgina Island to deliver sessions on “Canada’s Wampum Belts” by Brian Charles and “94 Calls to Action and The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” by Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux for Conservation Ontario in Toronto on February 27th Cynthia facilitated a “Wise Practices in Health Care” seminar for Alberta Health Services at the Banff Centre on March 5th Cynthia facilitated a conversation on “Reconciliation within the United Church of Canada” at Geneva Park on March 15-17th Cynthia, Erin Dixon, Daryl Kootney, and Elder Dila Houle facilitated a “Wise Practices” Reconciliation Forum at the Banff Centre March 24-29th The CTR was invited to present a session on “Reconciliation in Education” by Lisa Harris, Director of the Aboriginal Mentorship Program,
at Lakehead Thunder Bay on April 3rd https://anishinabeknews.ca/2019/04/16/we-needindigenous-students-to-understand-that-they-havemore-choice-says-cynthia-wesley-esquimaux/ The CTR was invited by the Senate of Canada Child Welfare Committee to provide testimony on the “Child Welfare Legislation” with INAC in Ottawa on April 9th Cynthia, Erin Dixon, Daryl Kootney, Elder Sykes Powderface, and Ry Moran facilitated a “Right Relations” Reconciliation Forum at the Banff Centre, May 12-16th The CTR was invited back to offer a 2nd “Transformational Leadership” seminar for Val Dickson | General Manager: Leadership Development / Barrie YMCA, Geneva Park on June 14th The CTR presented on “Reconciliation in Canada: Where are we now?” to the Professional Women’s Association of Barrie, on June 18th Cynthia was invited to offer a session on “Truth & Reconciliation” for incoming law students at the Boris Laskin Law School in Thunder Bay, on August 28th Cynthia, Erin Dixon and Marilyn Poitras delivered a four-day training session on “Indigenous Women in Leadership in Kamloops, BC, September 30 - October 4th The CTR, Erin Dixon, Daryl Kootney and Elder Dila Houle co-facilitated a Reconciliation and Right Relations Forum at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, October 7-11th
The CTR was invited to moderate a discussion on Leadership between The Honourable Paul Martin and Senator Murray Sinclair at the International Leadership Association in Ottawa, on October 25th
Cynthia and Paul Francis facilitated a “Walk a Mile and Reconciliation” discussion with staff at the St. Joseph’s Care Group, Thunder Bay, on November 4th
Cynthia provided a “Reconciliation Update” for the Telfor Executive Leadership Forum, in Ottawa on December 5th
The CTR, Erin Dixon, Daryl Kootney, and Elder Dila Houle co-facilitated a “Wise Practices in Governance Forum” at the Banff Centre, November 9-15th
The CTR, Lenora Charles, Delores Charles, Betty Lou McNabb, Lynn Mooney gathered at the Georgina Island First Nation after a suicide of a young man from the community to organize the “Community Engagement of GI Youth” for 2020 on November 2829th and December 14th
The CTR and Alexia MacKinnon co-facilitated a “Board of Governor’s Update on Wise Practices and Right Relations at the Banff Centre on November 20th
2018-2019 Presentations at Juried Conferences The CTR, Brain Calliou, Director of Indigenous Programming at the Banff Centre & Erin Dixon cofacilitated a session on “Pasapkedjinawong: Rivers of Courage within Truth, Reconciliation and Right Relations in Canada”, at the International Leadership Association, Ottawa, on October 25th The CTR, Brian Calliou, Director & Cora Voyageur, Full Professor, University of Calgary co-facilitated a session on “Indigenous Leadership in North America:
Contemporary Challenges and Ancient Wisdom” International Leadership Association, Ottawa, on October 26th Cynthia, joannakidman@vuw.ac.nz, jaritag@stanford. edu, a.trimbee@uwinnipeg.ca, lavallee@ryerson.ca, jackie.ottmann@usask.caand and Jarita Greyeyes participated on a “Women in Academia Panel” at the NAISA Conference, New Zealand, in June 2019
2018-2019 Academic Lectures In 2018, the CTR was invited to present on “Unbundling Uncomfortable Conversation” at a lunch and learn for the Masters of Environmental Studies – Departments of Anthropology and Geography at Lakehead University, February 16th
The CTR was invited to provide a key note address and lead a conversation on “Indigenous Worldviews and Reconciliation” with the students of Ridley College in St. Catherine’s on February 27th
The CTR delivered a key note on “Reconciliation and the Academy” to students at the University of Ottawa on February 28th
Cynthia was invited to deliver a talk on “Truth and Reconciliation and the Law” for the Bora Laskin Law School Orientation on August 30th
Peggy Pitawanaquat, Coordinator for First Peoples Programs, invited the CTR to deliver a key note on “Indigenous Ways of Healing” at Seneca College in King City, on May 3rd
Cynthia delivered a conversation on “Unbundling Uncomfortable Conversations” for the Matawa Education Centre, Thunder Bay, on September 21st
Cynthia and Jonathan Hamilton-Diabo, Director of Indigenous Initiatives, University of Toronto, Mark Solomon, Director, Student Life, Seneca College, Bill Lee, Author & Faculty, Anishnawbe Health Toronto convened a panel at the “Tommy Douglas Institute on Education, Community and Change: Indigenous Ways of Knowing” at George Brown College, Toronto, on May 28th The CTR, Lee Maracle, Tom Wilson, Tanya Talaga, Drew Hayden Taylor, Waubgeshing Rice, Rosanna Deerchild, Roselyn Akulukjuk, Armand Garnet, Ruffo, David Kanatawakhon Maracle, and Sid Bobb all participated in the “First Nations Literary Festival” Lakehead Orillia on July 28th
In 2019, the CTR taught a seminar on the “A History of Rights” for William (Bill) Taylor, NRMT/INDI 2054 - Indigenous Peoples and Natural Resource, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, on January 21st The CTR was invited to teach a couple of classes on “Social Differences in Education” for Dr. Gary Pluim, at Lakehead Orillia, Department of Education, on March 12th The CTR was invited to deliver a key note on “Orange Shirt Day and Reconciliation” for Mohawk College on September 25th The CTR taught a class on “University in the Community” at Innis College, University of Toronto for Dr. Joanne Mackay-Bennett Coordinator University in the Community – 6:30 to 8:30pm, October 23rd
2018-2019 Publications in Refereed Journals Wesley-Esquimaux, C. and Steven Koptie (2019) “Indigenous Culture and Diversity through a Clinical Lens” Chapter for the International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction (IJMHA), Fall Wesley-Esquimaux, C. and Steven Koptie (2019) “Reservationization – After this noting happened” International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction (IJMHA) Summer
Wesley-Esquimaux, C. and Steven Koptie (2019) “Reconciliation Social Work”, Chapter for the International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction (IJMHA), Spring
2018-2019 General Publications and Research Reports Through 2018-2019. The Chair and The President’s Council on Truth and Reconciliation; President Moira McPherson, Rita Deverell, Rhonda Kostner (retired), Sonja Grover, Sandra Jeppesen, Robin Sutherland, Gary Pluim, Allysha Wassegijig, and Jerri-Lynn Orr worked together on the development of eight “Training Modules and On-Line Courses” for the Lakehead University community. Wesley-Esquimaux, C. (2018) “Rematriating our Nations” The Department of English Language and Literature, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam,
India, International Seminar during 8th and 9th of December, 2017 on the topic Recreating Spaces: Language, Culture and Gender Issues, published in 2019. Wesley-Esquimaux, C. (2018) “Indigenous Women’s Suffrage” for Ontario Heritage Trust - 100 years of women’s suffrage in Ontario, Heritage Matters Magazine, February 2018 issue. Wesley-Esquimaux and Delia Opekokew (2018) “Women as Change Makers Report” for the Indigenous Women in Leadership Forum, Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation in May 2018 and attending this conference was one of the young women Cynthia mentors through Indspire, Taylor Arnt, a Carlton University student.
2018-2019 Thesis, Book and Article Peer Reviews The CTR provided editing and community contacts for “The Chippewa of Georgina Island: A People of Stories” by Dr. John Steckley and the Elders of Georgina Island First Nation, she was requested to review the manuscript by Siobhan McMenemy, Senior Editor, WLU Press, Wilfrid Laurier University, December 2017 – published in 2018. The CTR reviewed “Layers of Harm as Barriers – Layers of Safety as Solutions: Effective Knowledge Sharing in Indigenous Communities” for Walking the Prevention Circle Program Assessment, Blind Review,
International Journal of Indigenous Health, January 2019 The CTR reviewed “The Courage of a Nation: Healing from Intergenerational Trauma, Addiction, and Multiple Loss” by Teresa Naseba Marsh who explored treatment models and interventions from both Indigenous and Western practices, May 2019
Activities Related to Community Based Research or Services In 2018, the CTR was interviewed by Lisa Barry Senior Producer for an Anglican Video documentary for the Anglican Church of Canada about the Doctrine of Discovery and its centuries of devastating impact on Indigenous Peoples and cultures on Georgina Island, July 10th https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQwkB1hn5E8 Cynthia was asked to stand as the Liberal Federal Candidate for the 2019 election, and went on Leave of Absence from September 11 – October 22nd The CTR was invited to participate in a “A Community Driven Reconciliation Round Table” hosted by Senator Gwen Boniface in Orillia, Ontario. This is a broad-based community conversation and will be ongoing through 2020.
Media The CTR was interviewed by Katie Toth, CBC North regarding “Continuing Trauma in Indigenous Populations” August 1st 2018. The CTR did an interview with Stephen Davis, CBC, on August 20th Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux and Michael Coteau (2019) Coteau visits York-Simcoe’s Liberal candidate Cynthia WesleyEsquimaux to kick off campaign, September 18th https:// www.bradfordtoday.ca/canadavotes/michael-coteau-visits-yorksimcoes-liberal-candidate-cynthia-wesley-esquimaux-to-kick-offcampaign-1697365 Wesley-Esquimaux, C. (2019) “Interview on Federal Candidacy” Rick Garrick, Thunder Bay, September 17th Wesley-Esquimaux, C. (2019) Sharing salsa and policies with the Liberal candidate in York-Simcoe, October 17th https://www. bradfordtoday.ca/local-news/sharing-salsa-and-policies-with-theliberal-candidate-in-york-simcoe-1751347
Professional Appointments Advisory Member - Katimavik Canada 2019-2022 Board Member - Waypoint Research Ethics Board, July 2019-2021 Advisory Member - Jack.org – July 2018-2019
Board Member - Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, 2016-2019 Committee Member - Canadian School of Public Service (CSPS), 2017-2019
2018-2019 Continuing Education In June 2018 I had the privilege of attending a 4-day training on the “Neurosequential Model and ACE’s” hosted by Dr. Bruce Perry and the Banff Centre in Banff, Alberta.
In August 2019 President Moira McPherson and I attended a 7-day Perspectives on Reconciliation conversation hosted by Yukon College in Dawson City and Whitehorse, attended by 31 university and college presidents and their leads on reconciliation.
There we examined the need for improved community engagement, the cost and potential crisis of not implementing reconciliation in Canada, and what education might look like and contribute to the process in the future. A renewed commitment was tabled by the presidents of universities and colleges to the ongoing expression of reconciliation in education for participating Canadian institutions.
Lakehead University’s AMP Program The goal of the Aboriginal Mentorship Program (AMP) is to increase interest in a variety of academic disciplines through student-to-student mentorship, increase high school student graduation rates, remove geographical, educational and economic barriers, and increase Indigenous student enrolment at Lakehead University and post-secondary institutions in general. It is an investment in Indigenous youth built on trustful partnerships to inspire and facilitate
educational opportunities, employment options, and the building of capacity and sustainability within northern communities. AMP regional classroom visits and on-campus learning experiences allow for culturally appropriate hands on activities, experiments and motivational challenges which foster in-depth conversations about post-secondary programming and subsequent career opportunities. Over the course of the school
year, students build meaningful relationships with peers and mentors, learn valuable research and presentation skills while discovering educational and career opportunities. AMP students experience Lakehead University’s campus first hand through student-centered lectures, presentations, interactive seminars and campus tours. Our partnerships with regional school boards and community organizations allow for land-based experiential learning opportunities between institutions and the transformation of current curriculum to reflect Indigenous knowledges and perspectives. Post-secondary academic institutions that recognize Indigenous worldviews, knowledges and land-based learning as distinctive, but also equivalent to Western knowledge systems, provide important opportunities to lead the way in decolonizing the educational systems in our country, change the way we see the world and empower First Nation youth and their communities to build capacity and self-governance.
ORILLIA CAMPUS Third Age Learning Lakehead, currently running in both Orillia and Bracebridge, is lecture series that targets seniors from all walks of life, giving them an opportunity to engage with a timely and complex issue from multiple perspectives. In Orillia, more than 300 people attend the series, which is offered three times a year. Topics range from “’There is No Plan(et) B’: Climate Change and our Evolving Legacy” to, most recently, “Religion in the 21st Century?”. Attendees take in a 45 minute lecture followed by a coffee break - an opportunity to connect and discuss - and a 45 minute question and answer session. All lectures are videotaped for those that might miss one, and we are working with Jarlette Homes and Lakehead students to bring these lectures into retirement facilities through an intergenerational learning experience. Allysha Wassegijig Aboriginal Affairs Coordinator
I would like to thank the Lakehead University community, President Moira McPherson, and all the wonderful people who have made our mutual journey towards Truth and Reconciliation a powerful experience in respect, humility, grace, learning and sharing, and knowing that the work we do today, holds great promise for the future!