March 12, 2025

The Inuit Child First Initiative has been extended by the Government of Canada for one year. The funding for the program—which supports educational services for Inuit children, in addition to other supports—was originally set to expire at the end of March. Several advocates expressed their relief about the extension to Nunatsiaq News, though they noted the need for a long-term solution. “It was just so good to hear that the communities will have some interim support while we figure out long-term proactive plans,” said Arctic Children and Youth Foundation Executive Director Taya Tootoo. Nunavut Tunngavik Inc President Jeremy Tunraluk also welcomed the news, adding that a “longer-term commitment to ICFI is necessary to protect the rights of Inuit children in Nunavut and to achieve substantive equality.”

Catherine T Kwantes (University of Windsor), Wendi L Adair (University of Waterloo), and Leanne Gosse (Conestoga College) have created an online resource to help Canadian organizations build stronger connections with Indigenous employees. The “Building Trust with Indigenous Employees: the Indigenous Workways Toolkit” includes six self-guided training modules that offer insights into the worldviews and workplace experiences of Indigenous peoples. It also offers three manuals with information about how to support cultural safety for Indigenous employees, develop mentorship networks, and guide organizational outreach. It was developed over six years, with all corresponding research conducted with guidance from Indigenous Elders, an advisory council, and a team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars.

The Government of Alberta and Government of British Columbia have each released their 2025 budgets, which include investments into Indigenous learning. AB’s budget includes $4M for the First Nations Colleges Grant—which is distributed across five colleges in rural and remote Indigenous communities—as well as an investment into the construction of 100 new and updated schools across the province, including in regions like Muskiki Lake that serve Indigenous communities. BC’s budget includes capital investments into K-12 and postsecondary schools to support projects such as the construction of the new George Pringle Secondary School, which will include an Indigenous cultural space. It also allots $36M to critical language preservation and revitalization efforts to meet the demand for Indigenous language instruction.

The University of Manitoba has released The Truth and Reconciliation Framework: Time for Action, which will serve as a guiding document for UManitoba’s efforts in advancing reconciliation and working with Indigenous persons and communities. The framework is centered around four focus areas: Integrating Indigenous knowledges and ways of being, creating a sense of belonging, empowering learning, and decolonizing and Indigenizing spaces and places. “Success will be built on love, relationship, trust, truth-telling and promise-keeping,” commented Knowledge Keeper Leslie Spillett. “It is the work of warriors – those who lead, listen, act, and take full responsibility for what we do right, what we get wrong, and what we fail to do.” UManitoba Vice-President (Indigenous) Angie Bruce, who is Red River Métis from St Laurent, shared that the framework outlines how all members of the institution will contribute to truth and reconciliation: “What I love about this is that everyone — every single one of us, whether it be the clerk who is processing our payroll, whether it be professors, instructors, facilities, whether it be administrative assistants — there is a role for all of us.”

The New Frontiers School Board and Lakehead University have each shared updates on their dedicated spaces for Indigenous culture and learning. NFSB has opened two new Cedar Rooms at its Howard S Billings High School and Chateauguay Valley Regional (CVR) High School. CVR Teacher and leader of the Cedar Room Isabelle Arsenault, who is Inuk, said that the space’s goal is “to provide academic and social emotional support to our Indigenous community and to educate and to provide cultural information to the whole school community.” The Cedar Room serves as a cultural centre where students can relax and have tea; it also hosts activities such as bannock making, beading, and outings for Indigenous students. Lakehead has received $1M from BMO to make its outdoor Indigenous learning space into a more accessible, indoor-outdoor space that can be used year-round. “It’s been transformative,” said Lakehead Vice Provost of Indigenous Initiatives Denise Baxter, who is a member of Marten Falls First Nation. “It’s a real honour to be working together to really think about what it means to have more spaces for cultural engagement, community connections, Indigenous education and land-based learning at the university.”

Nunavut Arctic College and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) focused on training and research in the High Arctic. QIA is currently building a Research and Training Centre in Pond Inlet that is expected to be completed in 2026. The MOU will see the two partners exploring innovative approaches to program delivery through the new centre. The agreement will also create a hub for training and skills development in a variety of fields including Inuit governance, mining, and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. In the future, the partners hope to bring university-level programs and more specialized training to the centre. “Although the scope of our efforts is different, they overlap in the support of training and education for Inuit, so that they can participate in the territory’s development,” said Government of Nunavut Minister responsible for Arctic College Margaret Nakashuk. “I look forward to seeing these efforts result in graduations in the future.”

The First Nations School Board’s Saint Elias Community School is celebrating the success of its inaugural food sovereignty course. The course, which is the first to be locally developed by a school in FNSB, was created in response to requests from students to have a greenhouse on campus. It covers topics such as farming in northern regions and the cost of produce, and includes on the land activities and field trips. “It’s really important that our children see themselves reflected in their learning,” said FNSB Director Erin Pauls, who emphasized the importance of locally developed programming. “When our children see themselves reflected in their learning, their attendance is stronger, they are more excited to come to school.”

Southeast College will introduce Indigenous equity seats in its full-time postsecondary programs starting in the 2025-26 academic year. This initiative will set aside designated seats in several programs for students of Indigenous ancestry. Eligible students will also have access to scholarships and support services. “We are excited to take this significant step towards promoting equity and inclusion within our institution,” said Southeast Interim President Jody Holzmiller. “By designating seats for Indigenous students, we hope to create a more diverse and supportive learning environment that reflects the rich cultural heritage of our communities.”

School District 72 has released the 2023/24 Aboriginal Report: How Are We Doing, which identified a need for numeracy instruction improvements. The report found that literacy scores were relatively similar between non-Indigenous and Indigenous students in the earlier grades, though literacy had dropped for Indigenous students over time. However, there was a notable gap in numeracy: The report shared that in Grade 4, 34% of SD72’s Indigenous school population was on track with numeracy, compared to 55% of non-Indigenous students; a similar divide was spotted among Grade 7 students. The district has reportedly already begun to address the need for improved numeracy by hiring dedicated staff and developing a numeracy committee, according to SD72 Superintendent Geoff Manning. “This isn’t just a Campbell River trend. This is a provincial trend,” explained Manning. “Numeracy rates across the province have nosedived, and we are really taking a hard look at this and try[ing] to address it locally.”

Mount Allison University has unveiled the name for the Centre for Indigenous & Critical Canadian Studies, formerly known as the Centre for Canadian Studies. The centre was renamed through a strategic visioning process committed to anti-colonialism, support for the Indigenous Studies program, and engagement with the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. The centre also has unveiled its new logo, created by MtA alumna Emma Hassencahl-Perley (Tobique First Nation). This logo includes imagery of the Great Horned Owl, symbolizing knowledge and wisdom, as well as other symbols including Wabanaki double-curves, the maple leaf, and the Wampum belt.