Posted on Friday, April 26th, 2024
Algonquin College prides itself on its commitment to Indigenous knowledge and Truth and Reconciliation as part of the institution’s culture.
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.” Read more >
Posted on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024
Greetings were given, dignitaries were welcomed, tobacco was offered and with that, four Indigenous street names were publicly celebrated
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.” Read more >
Posted on Thursday, March 14th, 2024
The Pembroke Campus celebrated the naming of its Grandfather drum when
Elder Barry Sarazin shared its name is Chijaack (pronounced Chee-Jack), a name that comes from the crane spirit. The drum is named after a Blue Heron.
Elder Sarazin told the audience of students and employees who gathered for the name revealing ceremony that “I had dreamed about a beautiful blue heron that flew down by the corner of the school,” when the name was presented to him by the spirit. Read more >
Posted on Wednesday, March 6th, 2024
A welcome crowd and beautiful backdrop of the shore of the Ottawa River
played host to former Federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould. Wilson-Raybould spoke to a large group in person and online at the Pembroke Waterfront Campus on Tuesday, March 5 as part of the Algonquin College Speaker Series to mark International Women’s Week.
Wilson-Raybould was speaking about her latest book True Reconciliation. She addressed the roles of women in her culture and in society, about leadership and Truth and Reconciliation and how individuals can make substantive and impactful changes that will yield results. Read more >
Posted on Tuesday, February 27th, 2024
“We are a people with roots as deep and as long as any other Indigenous people
in North America,” said Tony Belcourt as he addressed a small crowd of about 30 participants as part of Monday’s Indigenous Speaker Series.
Belcourt was speaking about “What Makes Métis Identity.” He provided analysis and detail from Métis history dating back to the 1700s and including photos and information later from 1846, the first records of his family’s history. Read more >
Posted on Thursday, February 22nd, 2024
The process of naming the campus drum at the Pembroke Campus has begun.
Now, the campus awaits Elder Barry Sarazin’s return to reveal what the name will be.
Elder Sarazin told the campus community it could be as little as four days or longer, but he promised a “great social celebration when the name is revealed to him.”
The drum has been part of the campus community since 2018 when it was built by students under the direction of knowledge holder Pinock Smith and Elder Skip Ross of the Circle of Turtle Lodge, a project called three drums, three campuses. The drum is kept in the campus library, a place that is active with people throughout the day. Read more >
Posted on Wednesday, February 7th, 2024
Kerry Potts wants people to learn about colonization. Formerly a professor at
Humber College, Potts began co-creating an interactive timeline in 2022 to help fellow teachers share the ongoing history of colonialism in Ontario, Indigenous resistance efforts and other topics relating to governance and Indigenous knowledge.
Upon moving back to Ottawa and beginning her work as a professor and Indigenous Pedagogy and Curriculum Consultant at Algonquin College, Potts continued working on this project with a small team that included professors from Humber, filmmaker Michelle St. John and Indigenous designer Katie Wilhelm. The team created an interactive and comprehensive tool to complement courses and programs taught at Ontario post-secondary institutions Colonization Road Ontario: A Timeline is now available for free to educators in Ontario. Read more >
Posted on Tuesday, September 26th, 2023
Summer is a time when many people enjoy the great outdoors. For a group of
13 incoming and current Algonquin College students, six days in late August was more than just campfires and starry nights. It was a foundational and transformative time to learn more about truth and reconciliation.
Read more >
Posted on Thursday, June 22nd, 2023
With summer strawberries, bannock treats and Indigenous coffee in
abundance, employees came together to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day through learning, conversation and knowledge sharing.
Algonquin College President and CEO, Claude Brulé, welcomed everyone to Algonquin College’s Indigenous Learning Commons (Nawapon) to celebrate the day. Read more >
Posted on Thursday, June 22nd, 2023
The Pembroke Campus celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Day with a
special ceremony on June 21. The ceremony included Indigenous teachings about the importance of feasting a drum by an Elder who spoke about need for the “drum to never eat alone,” and the importance of the drum in Indigenous culture. The feast includes wild rice and fresh berries that were shared with College employees who attended the special ceremony.
The ceremony was also built into a full day of activities held by the city of Pembroke at its waterfront park, next door to the Pembroke Campus. Employees were able to participate in the ceremony through dancing as the drummers played special songs including a “food song” as part of the drum feast. The employees also brought gifts for the drums, items that could be given to people in need in our community such as colouring books for children.