TRI News

Mamidosewin Centre marks Powley Day

To observe the importance of Powley Day, the Mamidosewin Centre hosted a screening from the Métis Nation of Ontario with a powerful film documenting this powerful story.

The landmark legal case recognized and affirmed that Métis people and communities lived on the land before the country was officially recognized as Canada and that their rights were to be entrenched within Section 35 of Canada’s Constitution.

The significance of the case cannot be understated. Because of this decision, the Métis in Canada are recognized as a distinct Indigenous people within Canada. In this case in 2003, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled unanimously in favour of Métis people and members of a Métis community.

About the case

(Reprinted from the Métis Nation of Ontario website)

In Powley, the courts recognized and affirmed what the MNO had been saying all along–-that there were distinct Métis people and communities on the land before Canada became Canada, before Ontario became Ontario, with a culture and identity all their own, and that their rights were entrenched within Section 35 of Canada’s Constitution. While other Métis rights cases had been fought in the courts before, Powley was the first to be appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court. It was led by the MNO, the Powley family and the Métis community around Sault Ste. Marie, but all Métis communities across Canada have greatly benefited from it.

The victory in Powley set the stage for a series of achievements for Métis people, not just in Ontario but across the Métis Nation Homeland, including the ground-breaking Métis Government Recognition and Self-Government Agreements signed in June 2019 by the MNO, the Métis Nation of Alberta, Métis Nation–Saskatchewan and the Manitoba Métis Federation.

Algonquin College updates its land acknowledgement

Why was the Land Acknowledgement updated?green text with Indigenous art elements

Anishinábe Aki means the land of the Anishinàbe Algonquin people. Algonquin College has recently worked with members of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg and Pikwakanagan communities to expand its relationship. This includes regular meetings, knowledge sharing and flying the flag of the Anishinàbe Algonquin Nation on its three campuses. This also includes collaborating to co-develop and update the Algonquin College land acknowledgement statement.

What was the process to consider the various language components?

The goal of updating the land acknowledgement was to acknowledge the past and promote awareness, education and healing to move forward together with respect and mutual learning. Attention is also given to place a focus on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Continue reading →

Algonquin College Kwey Indigenous Video Language Series  returns ahead of National Day of Truth and Reconciliation 

Sept. 4, 2024, Ottawa, ON – Algonquin College has welcomed back more than just its students this fall. The Kwey Indigenous VideoTitle card in Algonquin green to introduce Indigenous language series called Kwey Language Series has returned with new video content, reaffirming the college’s commitment to embracing the traditional Anishinàbe Algonquin language on campus.

The video series is called Kwey, an Algonquin greeting that means hello. Launched in June 2024, the videos expanded on the College’s commitment to language revitalization to enhance and increase hearing and speaking the Anishinábe Algonquin language.

The newest collection continues this promise with topics including greetings and salutations and cultural information around smudging, community circles and the Seven Grandfather Teachings, which are Anishinàbe Algonquin Nation principles to live by. Continue reading →

Four Algonquin College Indigenous students return from Turtle Island Indigenous Cultural Exchange Project in Australia

Four Algonquin College students recently returned to Ottawa from studying in Wollongong, Australia, for two and a half weeks after participating in a for-credit study abroad experience at the University of Wollongong.

Students embarked on the transformative two-week study tour in Wollongong, where they were exposed to an immersive exploration into the rich tapestry of Indigenous Australia. Highlights included a visit to the Daintree Rainforest, where they participated in a “Welcome to Country” and “Dreamtime Walk,” as well as Stories with Elders and Rangers, a whale watching cruise with First Nations experts, a guest lecture on Indigenous whale stories and a guest lecture with Indigenous artist Josie Atkinson-Flanders about using art for sharing stories and activism. Continue reading →

Algonquins of Pikwakangan flag raised at Pembroke Campus by President Brulé

On a bright and hot sunny day along the shores of the Ottawa River, a light breeze unfurled the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan flag after it was raised by Algonquin College President Claude Brulé at the Pembroke Waterfront Campus. President Brulé called it a historic day as he spoke to college employees, members of the Pikwakanagan community and special guests who gathered around the flag pole to watch the flag raising.

Continue reading →

Red Dress Day marked at Ottawa Campus

A small group took to the campus on Thursday to hang red dresses in prominent locations to raise awareness and advocate for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) in Canada.

Red dresses were hung in and around E Building, as well as on surrounding nearby trees and nearby structures at the Ottawa Campus. Continue reading →

Algonquin College celebrates Indigenous graduates

Indigenous graduates from the Ottawa-area post-secondary institutions, including Algonquin College, were celebrated on Friday April 26group photo of graduates attending ceremony during the 16th annual Indigenous Graduate Honouring Ceremony held at La Cité.

Students from Algonquin College, Carleton University, La Cité, the University of Ottawa and various other institutions gathered at Excentricite to celebrate their achievements in a ceremony which included Indigenous guest speakers, ceremonial drumming and musical performances.

Jay Odjick, a writer, artist, and television producer of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg delivered a keynote to inspire the students on their education journey. Odjick is known for his graphic novel and television series Kagagi: The Raven, children’s book Bear for Breakfast (with Robert Munsch). He was Department of English at the University of Ottawa’s first Indigenous writer in residence in Fall 2023. Continue reading →

Walking the path towards Truth and Reconciliation

Algonquin College prides itself on its commitment to Indigenous knowledge and Truth and Reconciliation as part of the institution’s culture.headshot of Dan McFadden A key part of that is the Indigenous Education Council (IEC), a group of 12 volunteers who are committed to providing support, developing plans and initiatives and guiding the College towards meeting the needs of First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities on campus.

The IEC is co-chaired by Algonquin College President and CEO Claude Brulé and Dan McFadden, an Indigenous education specialist with the Métis Nation of Ontario. McFadden became co-chair in September 2023. He has been a member of the IEC since 2022.

McFadden, who is from Calgary, sees a range of opportunities for Algonquin College to support Indigenous students: “Most of us who sit at the IEC table have an idea of the barriers students face. We have an opportunity to share our experiences and see how the College can offer support. We are currently working with the Mamidosewin Centre to develop more key dates to recognize, celebrate and reflect the different cultures of First Nations, Métis and Inuit learners.” Continue reading →

Algonquin College officially unveils new street names on Ottawa Campus

Greetings were given, dignitaries were welcomed, tobacco was offered and with that, four Indigenous street names were publicly celebratedLarge group of people standing around a street sign with the new Indigenous street names from the Ottawa Campus at Algonquin College’s Ottawa Campus today.

The official ceremony included community elders, local, provincial and federal representatives, College leadership, members of the Board of Governors and Indigenous Education Council and guests from Pikwakanagan and Kitigan Zibi.

President and CEO of Algonquin College, Claude Brulé praised the new signage. “I hope that these street signs extend an additional sense of welcoming and inclusivity for our learners and employees. By embracing and recognizing the Anishinabe language, we look to reaffirm our commitment to fostering an environment where every member of our community feels acknowledged, appreciated, and respected. It’s a way of allowing learners to see themselves reflected in the very fabric of our institution.” Continue reading →