TBT News – Jan 22, 2017
The Lakehead District Public School board says the growing popularity of its Native Studies and Native Language programs has resulted in an expansion to additional schools. Already provided at each of the board’s four high schools and three elementary schools (Algonquin, Ecole Gron Morgan and the school in Armstrong,) instruction in Ojibwe will soon be provided at three more elementary schools.
https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/lakehead-board-expands-native-language-program-512785
A New Beginning for Indigenous Community At The University Of Toronto
Anishinabek News – Jan 23, 2017
“Today we are here to celebrate the accomplishments of many people and recognize the work of many people before this report also,” stated Jonathan Hamilton Diabo, director of Aboriginal student services at First Nations House and coordinator of U of T’s Council of Aboriginal Initiatives. “We felt it was important to celebrate this time and to not just to hand it off or to just give it over to an office…it’s a public demonstration of the commitment and the work that went into this report…”
‘On The Map’ for Conferences
Northern Ontario Business – Jan 20, 2017
Since the opening of the Manidoo Baawaatig Event Centre in September, the venue has hosted “hundreds” of concerts, training seminars, and conferences and conventions ranging from groups of 20 to delegations of 300, according to facilities coordinator Mark Duggan. The Event Centre is located at the Seven Generations Education Institute in Kenora, where the former Lakewood High School has been renovated floor by floor to provide updated classroom space for Indigenous adult learners.
Kenora Chiefs Advisory Receives $1.3 Million in Funding for Life Skills Program
Kenora Daily Miner and NEws – Jan 20, 2017
A new community-driven initiative to help people gain skills and leave the cycle of poverty is getting a boost from the provincial government. Chris Ballard, the Minister of Housing and Minister Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy, announced Ontario will provide $1.3 million in funding for the Kenora Chiefs Advisory’s Life Skills program on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the Seven Generations Education Institute.
Opinion: Teaching Mcgill Law Students About Indigenous Legal Traditions
Montreal Gazette – Jan 5, 2017
After their holiday break, first-year students at McGill University’s Faculty of Law came back to something different this week. They are participating in an intensive course on indigenous legal traditions. It’s a first for us at McGill and possibly a first at any Canadian law faculty. It’s a promising step toward remedying some of the legal system’s wrongs toward indigenous peoples.
SK Students Learn About Science through Combined Indigenous Teachings, Western Science
CBC – Jan 12, 2017
Students at 11 schools in southern Saskatchewan are learning about science through a program called Learning the Land, which combines Indigenous culture and teaching with scientific knowledge about conservation. “It’s a better way to engage students,” said Program Co-ordinator Scott Fulton. “They’ve got natural inclinations, I think, for environmental outdoor education, learning that takes them outside the classroom.” CBC explains that the program recently teamed up with the University of Saskatchewan’s Saskatchewan Farmland Moose Project. Students learned how to identify animals by their hides and antlers, learned about how moose were tracked for study, and had the opportunity to try out the tracking equipment. “Nobody ever does anything like that around here,” said Grade 11 student Josh Lerat, who later added, “I saw it interested my friends and they were wanting to find out more. They liked it too.”
Trent, Sault Partner on Education Program with a Teachable in Ojibwe
Sault – Jan 12, 2017
Trent University and Sault College have signed an articulation agreement that will see graduates of the Sault Anishinaabemowin certificate program graduates enter into Trent’s Indigenous Bachelor of Education program with advanced standing and the opportunity to earn both a certificate and a degree in five years. Sault explains that the agreement will see graduates gain a teachable in Ojibwe. “Language is central to education and speaks directly to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action.” explained Trent School of Education Director Cathy Bruce, director of the School of Education at Trent. “The beauty of this partnership is that the graduates are equipped with the qualifications and understandings to teach Anishinaabemowin – Ojibwe language.”
UQAT Receives $5M in Infrastructure for First Peoples Pavilion
Canada – Jan 12, 2017
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue has received $5M in combined funding from the Quebec and Canadian governments to expand the First Peoples Pavilion at its Val-d’Or campus. The First Peoples Pavilion was established in 2009 and serves to provide training for Aboriginal students and conduct research on Aboriginal issues and concerns. “The Government of Canada is working to ensure that Inuit and First Nations youth have access to a high-quality education that will allow them to gain the skills they need to join the labour market,” said Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs. “The expansion of the First Peoples Pavilion will not only provide a learning space that is culturally adapted to the needs of Indigenous students but also offer students, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, a unique space to meet and learn from each other.”
