Uncategorized

The prepared remarks of President Claude Brulé.

May 15, 2020

Good morning, everyone. Bonjour à tous et à toutes. Kwe.

I am honoured to be with you today, even if only virtually, to celebrate this very special occasion for the Geomatics Technician Program Class of 2020. Congratulations to all the graduates — you have worked hard for this day, and you have earned your certificate.

Since 2007, Algonquin College has collaborated with the Canadian Forces to deliver a college-approved certificate in Geomatics. We are very proud of this partnership and I would like to thank everyone with the Canadian Forces who continues to make this possible. On behalf of the Board of Governors of Algonquin College, I want to congratulate this year’s graduates for their accomplishment.

I know that many of you have friends and family who cannot be at your side today, but who are thinking about you from afar with love and pride. Many of these people have likely helped you in some way as you have taken this journey. I hope you will join with me in acknowledging this supporting cast — when you get home, be sure to call them, email them, text them, or Zoom them and say a word of love and thanks.

Even though this ceremony is not what you imagined it would be, I would urge you to place it in context. It is true that you have probably dreamed of this day throughout your course — what it would feel like to stand on stage, to hold your certificate, to hug your friends and family in celebration.

But what you were really looking forward to was what all those things symbolized: that you had accomplished your goal. And that still holds true. Remember that no one and nothing, not even a global pandemic, can take that from you. That you did this in such extraordinary times should make you all the more proud. Despite all that you have faced, you never lost your direction.

Of course, we would accept nothing less from a group of experts in geomatics. But even though you are skilled in charting a course, I want to tell you that there are times ahead when you may feel lost. Life is full of challenges that, just like our recent situation, seemingly come out of nowhere.

Do not let these things stop you, for it is then that it is most important to press on. The unexpected directions, the fork in the road we didn’t think we’d take, the path that appears dark and sometimes fraught with difficulty — all of these can lead to new beginnings. It is during these times that we must lean on friends and family, take the advice of trusted mentors, and draw strength from lessons learned in the past. It is also these times that can lead us to the most rewarding and valued experiences of our lives, simply because they were hard won.

This convocation was hard won. And at times, I’m sure you wondered how you were going to graduate in these strange and often unsettling times. That you are here today is a testament to your dedication, perseverance and strength of character. It is a sign that your inner compass, the one that will be your guide for the rest of your lives, is ready to point you in the right direction.

As someone with my own ties to the Canadian Forces, I know that you will all have fulfilling careers, surrounded by our country’s very best. I spent nearly two decades in the Air Force, the motto of which is Per Ardua Ad Astra — “Through Adversity to the Stars.”

You have navigated through adversity now, and you will do so again. When you do, hold tight to your compass, the one that has served you so well these past few months, and keep your eyes and your mind focused on the future and your goals.

If you do, I promise you that the path through that adversity will be easier to bear, and that your steps will be guided by the starlight of limitless possibility.

Thank you. Merci. Miigwetch.

The prepared remarks of President Claude Brulé.

May 05, 2020

Hello, everyone. Bonjour. Kwe.

Welcome to AC Day 1, which marks the beginning of a new term.
My name is Claude Brulé and I’m your President.

Normally, we would all be gathered together on campus and I would be welcoming you in person, but things are a little different this year. With that said, I would like to virtually welcome you to your Spring Term.

These are unprecedented times. As we are all still adjusting to this “new normal,” I take comfort in knowing that we are united in spirit – a spirit that is strong and that will guide our way forward to a time when we can all be together again. For now, we continue to find innovative and creative ways to connect, teach and learn to provide you with the best college experience possible.

We may not be able to gather face-to-face, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t connected. I encourage you to get involved in campus life through the AC Hub, where you will find a variety of virtual events — from live music and exercise classes, to preparing for virtual interviews, and much more.

In a continued effort to help make the virtual transition as seamless as possible, we are still providing you with the same services that have always been available — just in a different way. Health Services, Counselling, Peer tutoring, Financial Aid, and the Mamidosewin Centre are just some of the supports for learners that are now virtually accessible.

Another helpful resource is our COVID-19 website at algonquincollege.com/coronavirus. This page includes all the latest information that you need to know, including resources such as Frequently Asked Questions, and a Student Learning Kit.

I am inspired every day by the strength and dedication of our College community — a community that includes you, our learners. We are here to help you succeed, and to support you as you achieve your hopes and dreams.

No doubt the year ahead will be filled with challenges, but it will also be filled with endless opportunities and choices. You have already started your year on a solid footing by making a very important choice — to study here, at Algonquin.

Algonquin has always led the way in education excellence, and as technology continues to evolve, so do we.

Now more than ever, we remain connected and resilient.

This day marks the beginning of your path to success and I wish you all the best.

Thank you. Merci. Miigwetch.

The prepared remarks of President Claude Brulé.

April 03, 2020

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the Algonquin College Cooperative Education Awards of Excellence – I wish I could be there today, but rest assured, I am with you in spirit.

Today is a proud day for our College as we come together to celebrate the accomplishments of our talented Algonquin College Co-op students, and the commitment of some of our most dedicated employers and co-op supervisors.

Today, you are seated in our Restaurant International. This space is a living lab where learners in our School of Hospitality and Tourism get to practise their skills in a real-world, fully functional, fine-dining restaurant. Today, you are all a part of their classroom experience.

To our Learners: We are incredibly proud of our co-op students each semester as we see them grow professionally and make the transition from college to career. You are the reason why employers look to us for their next hires. Congratulations on winning this award today.

To our Employers: Thank you for being here today, and for your continued support and dedication you have shown our learners and our College. Your work, directly with our students, is key to their development and professional growth. Thank you for your efforts, and congratulations on your well-deserved award.

To our Nominees: It takes time, effort, and initiative to nominate someone for an award – thank you for reflecting on your experience and making today’s event possible.

Congratulations to all of the 2020 Algonquin College Cooperative Education Awards of Excellence winners. We are so proud to have you with us today and cannot wait to see what additional accomplishments this co-op experience enables our learners, graduates, and employers to achieve today and in the future.

Thank you again for joining us today. This is an exciting time as our College continues to grow our co-op presence in the Ottawa region, in Ontario and in Canada — together with our talented co-op students, skilled faculty, and employer partners.

Thank you, merci, miigwetch

The prepared remarks of President Claude Brulé.

March 19, 2020

Good afternoon, everyone. Bonjour. Kwe.

It is so great to see so many of you here today, and it gives me great pleasure to introduce Algonquin College’s Third Thursday keynote speaker.

Françoise Gagnon is a leader and a fitting guest speaker to join us here — in our very own DARE District. As Naina mentioned, the DARE District is a space that represents Entrepreneurship. It’s a space that DAREs everyone to explore new pathways of innovation, it’s a space that fosters collaboration, and it is home to some of the latest technology, a Centre for research on Big Data, a Cybersecurity Centre, and more.

Our keynote speaker, Françoise Gagnon, is the only female CEO of a Canadian company, ADGA, active in the defence, security and enterprise computing sectors. The privately-owned firm, founded in 1967, is a major defence and security company in Canada with employees across the country. Since becoming its CEO in 2014, Françoise has seen the Ottawa-based company grow to more than 700 employees.

Françoise Gagnon has been described as one of the most powerful women in Canada’s corporate world. As ADGA’s leader, she has devoted herself to promoting gender diversity in both the company and the industry. She’s a role model and a trailblazer. At our most recent convocation ceremonies this past fall, it was my absolute privilege to recognize Françoise with an Honorary Bachelor of Applied Studies.

We are so pleased to welcome Françoise to campus and hear her understanding of the importance of Connectivity in the workplace. Please join me in welcoming her to our College.

The prepared remarks of President Claude Brulé.

March 09, 2020

Thank you Mr. Mayor and good morning everyone.

I am pleased to be here today to speak in support of Item 10 – Soundstage Campus and Creative Hub Loan Agreement.

As many of you know, Algonquin College is home to about 22,000 full time students and 4,000 faculty and staff.

Ontario Colleges offer a comprehensive program of career – oriented, postsecondary education and training to assist individuals in finding and keeping employment, to meet the needs of employers and the changing work environment and to support the economic and social needs of their local and diverse communities.

In Ottawa, we have a growing film and media production industry that supports local crews. The School of Media and Design at Algonquin College is introducing a new Film and Media Production program in September 2020 to meet the needs and interests of students in our region and to develop the well-trained production crew the industry needs to flourish.

In order to continue to grow this important local sector, Ottawa needs a purpose-built soundstage. The proposed Tribro soundstage is conveniently located 3km from Algonquin College making this an ideal partnership opportunity for our learners and faculty.

Algonquin College has held initial discussions about co-locating our new Film and Media Production program on-site at the soundstage and it’s an important point of differentiation for this very popular program.

This co-location will allow students from our region to be immersed in a creative environment that will support and advance their learning.

The soundstage location will enhance theory by providing opportunities for graduating students to have coop placements, internships and participation in real-world environments making graduates more employable.

The new facility will attract more films and series and thus create opportunities for these new graduates to start their career in this booming industry. With up to 50 creative, skilled and enthusiastic graduates joining the workforce each year, they will stay to work and live in Ottawa rather than leave for Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver.

Finally, we regularly hear that Ottawa’s animation industry needs talented staff in order to take on more projects. Companies have been asking us to grow our successful Animation program but we don’t have sufficient space at our Ottawa campus. Phase II of our partnership with Tribro is to consider moving our Animation program to the soundstage where we could expand our footprint to produce more graduates.

For these reasons, I’m proud to be here today on behalf of Algonquin College to speak in support of the soundstage as we all work together to make Ottawa a thriving centre for film and media production.

Thank you Mr. Mayor and members of the committee for your time and consideration. I would be pleased to answer any questions.

The prepared remarks of President Claude Brulé.

March 05, 2020

Good afternoon everyone. Bonjour. Kwe.

I want to thank you all for joining us here today for this very special announcement.

Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge the tremendous work of our Algonquin College team that made this new campus a reality — in this case, a virtual reality.

Please join me in congratulating and thanking:

• Patrick Devey, Dean of AC Online;

• Sara Munroe, Acting Dean, AC Online;

Page Break

And the departments who have worked tirelessly in the background:

• Lois Pollock and her Digital team;

• Alanna McDonell and her Marketing team;

• and Krista Pearson and her team in the Registrar’s Office.

Thank you one and all.

It is easy to dismiss an Online Campus as somehow less than a campus made of bricks and mortar. Just because something is out of sight, though, does not mean that it’s out of mind. In fact, the online world has been on our minds for a long time — it has been part of our evolution for more than two decades, including the past three Strategic Plans. This is why our college has emerged as a leader in digital learning and why we are recognized as a college of choice for personalized learning.

Last year, Algonquin College was ranked first in online enrolments among all colleges and CEGEPs in Canada based on the 2018 National Survey of Online and Digital Learning in Canada.

Now, we are going to cement that achievement by not only providing the quality and variety of courses that our learners have come to expect, but also the support they need to be successful.

From the moment a learner contacts us about online education, to the moment they graduate, they will receive the same support as someone who studies at any of our other campuses.

We won’t stop there, though. We will be using new technology, more interactive elements and custom video content to enrich our offerings and give our online learners all the tools they need to launch or enhance their careers.

I want to take you, for a moment, into a virtual world of scenarios that are, for many people, very real.

Imagine that you are a busy entrepreneur, working from dawn till dusk (and often beyond) in order to keep your business thriving. You simply cannot leave your work to attend classes without risking your business.

Or imagine that you are a single-parent without affordable childcare or adequate transportation to get you to and from classes. You want to upgrade your skills to provide a better life for your child — but you cannot leave him or her alone for the length of time it would take you to get to campus, attend class and travel home.

Or imagine that you have had a long career and have given many years of service to your employer. The only thing that stands between you and a promotion and pay raise is an additional qualification — but it’s impossible for you to take a course for that qualification because it’s only offered during your work hours.

Finally, imagine you are a shift worker who dreams of a different work environment. You can attend some classes, but not others, depending on your shift. Travelling to campus is impossible for you.

What if there was a way to assist all of these people, to give them options, and to help them be the person they know they are capable of becoming, if only they had the chance? When colleges were founded in Ontario a little more than 50 years ago, that was exactly what they were designed to do — to give people a chance, whether it was women training to join the workforce for the first time, or soldiers returning from military duty or those who had found a better career path than the one they had.

Educational technology expert Elliot Masie, the person who is thought to have coined the term “e-learning,” has said that educators need to “bring learning to people instead of people to learning.”

Page Break

That is just what our Online Campus will do, by offering courses to students when and where they want to learn, whether it’s overseas, in the middle of the night, or whether they need to learn quickly or whether they need extra time.

It will open new doors for those who previously struggled to find educational options to suit their lifestyle by giving them an alternative that fits their life, no matter who they are or their circumstances.

When you bring learning to people, you also eliminate barriers to education — our Online Campus is not only providing personalized education, but it is providing access where none previously existed for some people. I think that’s a reality we are lucky to live in.

Now it gives me great pleasure to introduce our final guest before our keynote speaker today. Jeremy Roberts, Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa-West Nepean, is no stranger to Algonquin College. Born and raised in Ottawa, he has been a long-time community volunteer and has devoted much of his time in elected office to advocating on behalf of caregivers and individuals with developmental disabilities. He has served as vice-chair of the Finance Committee and, since last summer, as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. I would like to thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to be here with us today — please join me in welcoming MPP Jeremy Roberts…

The prepared remarks of President Claude Brulé.

February 28, 2020

Good morning, everyone. Bonjour à tous et à toutes. Kwe.

Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathering on the traditional lands of the Algonquin people.

I want to welcome you all to Algonquin College and our third Knowledge Exchange. Previous Exchanges have focused on the Umbrella Project and the Opioid Crisis. Today we are so pleased you could join us to explore a topic that is critically important to all of us, and that, statistically speaking, has probably touched many of us in some way.

Suicide is a word that is difficult to say because it carries so much pain for so many people. But we will discuss it here today so that we can learn about best practices around suicide prevention and postvention in post-secondary institutions — and so that we can bring this topic out of the shadows and into the open in order to work together to find solutions.

Every suicide is a shattering, life-changing event for the family and friends of those left behind. A suicide attempt leaves a different life-changing path, no less devastating in many instances. Statistics Canada has reported that approximately eleven Canadians die by suicide each day – that’s the 9th cause of death in Canada this past year.

The Centre for Suicide Prevention has reported the suicide rate for First Nations male youth (age 15 to 24) is 126 per 100,000 compared to 24 per 100,000 for non-Indigenous male youth – that’s 5 times higher. For First Nations females, the suicide rate is 35 per 100,000 compared to 5 per 100,000 for non-Indigenous females – that’s 7 times higher. Suicide rates for Inuit youth are among the highest in the world, at 11 times the national average.

At Algonquin College, we are not immune from the impact of suicide. In the spring of 2019, Algonquin College students completed the National College Health Assessment.

We learned that, in the twelve months prior to the survey, over 11% of our students reported considering suicide and 2.5% of our students reported attempting suicide. But what is promising, and what you are building on today, is that 63% of students expressed a wish to receive information about suicide prevention.

Over the past couple of years, we have unfortunately seen a number of suicides by students on post-secondary campuses across the province. Post-secondary student populations are a reflection of society at large, and are not immune to suicide in spite of our best efforts.

Today’s Knowledge Exchange was designed with this reality in mind. Each post-secondary institution in Ontario, and a number in other provinces, has been invited to learn more about this vitally important topic, so our employees are better prepared to work with students who are suicidal. We also want to educate post-secondary employees about postvention best practices, so that, in the tragic instance when a student takes their own life, we can support students and employees in the aftermath of a suicide.

We are so happy you decided to join us today to learn from experts in the field of suicide prevention and postvention and look forward to learning together. Today’s Exchange has the potential to change the way we think and, I hope, it may also have the potential to save lives.

I wish you all an enriching day of sharing, learning and compassion.

The prepared remarks of President Claude Brulé.

February 19, 2020

Greetings everyone, and hello Denise, my name is Claude Brulé, President and CEO of Algonquin College. I really wish I could be with you all today, but my schedule takes me away. Nonetheless, we are truly honoured to host you at our Ottawa campus as you kick-off the CICan ImpAct project. You know the ImpAct project key focus areas truly align and resonate with us here at Algonquin.

First – In terms of campus sustainability, in 2007, we became the first college in Canada to sign the Talloires Declaration, an international agreement for advancing sustainability through teaching, research, operations and outreach. And importantly we have followed through with significant actions. As an example, the roof over your head in Nawapon hosts an indigenous green roof and water run-off enters into a giant cistern underneath the indigenous courtyard outside the window that is used as non-potable water in our DARE District building. Next to the DARE district is a co-generation plant that recently went on-line, capable of powering most of our campus. And we have just finished the installation of a major solar photovoltaic project on several of our building rooftops.  Campus Sustainability is embedded into our long-term strategic plan, our academic programming and our reporting.

Second – Algonquin College is an Access Institution. We run countless programs and initiatives that support access both through long-term programming and initiatives that address emerging needs in our community. But there’s more. In December, Algonquin became the first Ontario college with an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policy and launched a 3-year action plan to follow though on my commitment as incoming President that we would be a place where everyone belongs.

And third, we have embraced our role as a Community College to advance Social Innovation. In 2018, we opened one of the first Social Innovation Labs in the college system, called Service Learning in Design & Engineering or SLiDE, with a mission of “Empowering our community by sharing student creativity and technological knowledge to drive social change”. Through related initiatives such as SLiDE and broad community partnerships, the Social Innovation Lab has provided an open door for our local social sector. We are also honoured to have the Social Innovation Lab’s Managing Director, selected to be part of the CICan ImpAct Project Working Group.

In closing, please know we are committed, as an institution to work with all of you to help drive progress in each of these areas. And we know that when we work together with institutions from across the country, we all benefit. We are looking forward to sharing with and learning from each you on this 2-year journey. I sincerely hope you enjoy your visit to our institution and our beautiful city of Ottawa. If there is anything you need, just ask our staff, our campus is yours, our city is yours. Again I wish I was there to greet you in person, but I know you are in great hands with our amazing staff. Thank you, Merci, Miigwetch.

The prepared remarks of President Claude Brulé.

January 23, 2020

I want to welcome you all to Algonquin College’s new, innovative home for corporate training in downtown Ottawa.

This Learning Centre, located in the heart of the nation’s capital, is here to proudly serve employers and individuals looking for retraining, skills upkeep and development.

This facility reflects the growing demand for lifelong learning –

and our commitment to delivering it.

We want people to see Algonquin College not only as a place to launch your first career – but your second and third and fourth.

As a place for those re-entering the workforce, for those switching careers, or for those looking to acquire new skills to help them move within their current organization.

This Learning Centre offers a flexible learning environment that emphasizes digital teaching tools, networking and collaboration. Flexible floorplans and moveable walls allow for customized training sessions for small to large groups.

It is place designed to support the ever-changing demands of the modern workforce.

Businesses and employers are being challenged to continuously develop, adapt and improve. This Centre is here to help them meet their goals.

And our new Future of Work Speaker Series is part of that same mission. The lessons we learn at this dynamic series will allow leaders to understand, optimize and build the workplaces of tomorrow.

On that note, I’d like to welcome back Doug Wotherspoon, Algonquin’s Executive Director of Business Development, to introduce our inaugural Future of Work speaker.

The prepared remarks of President Claude Brulé.

January 10, 2020

Thank you everyone for attending our Horticultural Industries Day.

What a fantastic event for our co-op group! Today was a great example of a college education in action – students and industry networking and discussing future business and employment opportunities. We love it.

You know, a co-operative education is a major component of Algonquin College’s experiential learning strategy, and a major reason why our students and employers continue to seek out these co-op experiences.

Co-op is a key pillar in our strategic plan’s goal to lead the college system in co-op and experiential learning by growing co-op and further engaging our students while ensuring they are satisfied with their co-op experience.

To date, we have met the 50% mark of our strategic plan to increase the number of students registered in co-op to 11,000 by 2022.

To our students, I hope you found today to be a helpful exercise to practice your professional skills and network with potential co-op employers. Good luck in your upcoming job application and interview process for your Summer 2020 co-op work term.

We are incredibly proud of our co-op students each semester as we see them grow professionally and make the transition from college to career. You are the reason why employers look to us for their next hires.

And of course, to our Employers…

Thank you for being here today, and for your continued support of the Horticultural Industries Program. I am always impressed by the dedication employers from this industry have shown to our students, this program, and our college.

Not long ago, we worked closely together to reimage this program to reflect the current and future needs of the industry. We heard loud and clear that this is an important program in Eastern Ontario to develop future employees, and that we should build in more opportunities for students to engage with employers.

As a result, it was recommended that we add co-op to the program. We have now been offering co-op in the Horticultural Industries program for about 5 years, and industry engagement could not be stronger.

We have heard from our employers that they look forward to this annual event as it provides the opportunity to meet and reconnect with each other prior to the upcoming growing season, further strengthening their community of practice.

Thank you again for your continued partnership and support of Algonquin College and our talented students and graduates.

Merci, Miigwetch.