August 7, 2024

The Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation (SNGRDC) has announced a $1M investment into the Grand River Post Secondary Education Office (GRPSEO) to support Indigenous postsecondary education. GRPSEO will use the funds to increase its general scholarship fund by $50K per year for 20 years. GRPSEO Director of Post-secondary Student Services Justine Henhawk-Bomberry told the Hamilton Spectator that the increased financial support “will definitely make an impressive difference for students since they will be able to focus more on their academics and be less distracted by the financial demands of higher education.” The investment increases the total amount pledged by SNGRDC to $2.48M.

Several educators in the Nunavik region of Québec say that it is due time to open a cégep in the region to serve the local community. Journalist Mathieu Perreault for La Presse reports that every year, approximately one-third of high school graduates from the Kativik School Board in Nunavik leave the region to attend a cégep in the southern regions of Québec. Teacher and educational advisor James Vanderberg said that a cégep in Nunavik could normalize the postsecondary pathway for students in the region and encourage them to pursue further education after graduating from high school. While building a cégep in the region would cost an estimated $200M–and another $200M if new residences are required–the community has long expressed its support for this educational infrastructure.

University of Alberta instructor Trudy Cardinal recently held a summer training course for teachers that focused on teaching literacy through an Indigenous lens. Cardinal designed a course that “bring[s] life” into literacy teaching after realizing that literacy classes she was teaching at UAlberta lacked the “joy” found in elementary school classrooms. The class gives Indigenous and non-Indigenous K-12 teachers practical tools and ideas for their classrooms as they gain a broader perspective on literacy education. Teachers practiced taking what they were learning and putting it into action by reimagining a past lesson or project. “There’s an embodied way of knowing, being and doing that you feel when you’re sitting together at a table discussing something, when you’re sharing markers and crayons with somebody, when you’re helping each other learn the beading technique, when you’re sitting outside on that very land that you’re talking about, sharing stories of who you are and what you hope for the next generations,” said Cardinal.

Students and staff from Algonquin College, Cambrian College, and Georgian College recently took part in a cultural and educational exchange in Australia. They visited the University of Wollongong and the Daintree Rainforest to learn about Australia’s Indigenous peoples, history, culture, and activism. During the exchange, students and staff took part in a guided walk in the Australian bush, attended guest lectures, and participated in a whale watching cruise with First Nations experts. “I could never have imagined how profound of an experience it would become for all students and staff involved,” said Cambrian Chair for the Schools of Interdisciplinary Studies and Public Safety Bradie Grange. “Being able to take 20 Indigenous students from three institutions to Australia to learn about their Indigenous cultures and […] share about our own cultures and reconciliation journey has created an incredible shared connection.” The exchange is part of a larger partnership between the three colleges and Wollongong, which is supported by funds from the Global Skills Opportunity program.

In a recent opinion piece for the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, First Nations University of Canada President Mizowaykomiguk paypomwayotung (Jacqueline Ottmann) and Mastercard Foundation Senior Director of Canada Programs Jennifer Brennan discuss the need for better postsecondary options for Canada’s Indigenous population. Ottmann and Brennan write that the province’s Indigenous population is young and growing faster than non-Indigenous populations, which makes postsecondary funding and options critical for empowering Indigenous youth. To serve this population, the authors also argue that it is especially important to address the chronic underfunding of Indigenous postsecondary institutions, which have higher graduation rates because they deliver high-quality programming that meets community needs and integrates Indigenous approaches. “Indigenous youth matter; they are drivers of our collective prosperous future,” write the authors. “Canada needs to get behind Indigenous post-secondaries and work with and invest in them with sustainable, equitable funding, full accreditation and academic autonomy.”

New Head Start program spaces have been proposed for both the Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda First Nation community of Mînî Thnî (Morley) and the Îyârhe Nakoda First Nation community of Bighorn. In Mînî Thnî, the Head Start program offers a culturally-based educational foundation to 3-to-5-year-old children. Stoney Health Services executive director Aaron Khan said that Mînî Thnî has already been approved for a new building for the program, which is proposed to be constructed south of the community’s existing daycare. The facility will have a new playground and parking lot. “This space will be very important for early learning and provide opportunity to our young kids and families,” said Khan. Cochrane Eagle reports that the Head Start facility is in planning for Îyârhe Nakoda First Nation.

Thanks to a $1M investment from the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan, the Ya’ thi Néné Land and Resource Office will be able to deliver the Dziret’ái Pilot Training Program to Indigenous students in Northern Saskatchewan this year. The commercial pilot training program will kick off this Fall with 15 students who will take part in an elevated skills program; 10 of these participants will be selected to enter the two-year professional pilot training program, which will start in January 2025. A formal graduation ceremony is planned for June 2026 and graduates will be guaranteed jobs as First Officers with Rise Air. “This program not only empowers our community members but also echoes our mission to foster sustainable development and opportunities in the Athabasca Basin,” said Ya’ thi Néné Lands and Resources Board Chair Mary Denechezhe. “Together with our partners, we are creating pathways to success for Indigenous residents and women, ensuring they have the support and resources they need to thrive in the aviation industry.”

In a recent article for The Conversation, Alexandra Nychuk (McMaster University) discusses how research on the health of Métis people—specifically Red River Métis—has been underfunded and unstudied. Nychuk writes that without adequate Métis health research funding, we do not know the degree to which colonialism and resistance has impacted the health of this population. The author discusses the roadblocks that Métis health research faces, including challenges accessing data on health service needs and chronic underfunding at universities. “Now more than ever we need Red River Métis health data that is conducted ethically and is respectful of both individual and collective rights, and accurately represents our distinct population,” writes Nychuk.

Three postsecondary schools recently partnered with Indigenous organizations and communities to offer summer camps on their campuses. Nova Scotia Community College’s Nautical Institute and Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey partnered to offer a youth marine camp. Participants took part in marine training and traditional Mi’kmaq practices and activities and earned Transport Canada MED DVS certificates. The University of Prince Edward Island’s Atlantic Veterinary School, with support from VCA Canada and Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey in Nova Scotia, is piloting an Indigenous Vet Camp this week. Forty Indigenous junior and high school students will participate in various activities such as equine physical examinations and wildlife conservation sessions. Student feedback will be used to shape the foundation of a new Indigenous vet camp program starting in 2025. The University of Regina partnered with File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council to create a coaching and performance camp for First Nations athletes and coaches. The three-day event covered topics such as mental performance, nutrition, and strength and conditioning. “A lot of the time, sport is kind of like that gateway into higher education,” said camp organizer Jordynn Pewapsconias.

MST Education and Training Society and Seaspan Shipyards have announced a new marine training program for students from Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation), and Musqueam Nation. The three-year program includes trades apprentice and shipbuilding courses, career path mapping, essential skills, and health and safety certificate training. “The marine industry has long been part of the economic backbone of our territory, and this new education and training program will offer our young people the opportunity to pursue skilled careers in this expanding industry,” said Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw elected council member Sxwíxwtn (Wilson Williams).