Posts By: NORDIK Institute

NORDIK Institute is launching its new Aki Kikinomakaywin (Learning on the land)  program, which offers hands-on, Indigenous science, technology, engineering, arts, and  math (STEAM) training for Indigenous youth.  

The program will run for one week in July at Lakehead University and Confederation  College in Thunder Bay.  

Aki Kikinomakaywin is a women- and Indigenous-led program that teaches Indigenous  youth from Northern Ontario First Nation communities Indigenous ways of knowing and  being through learning on the land through the use of western science techniques.  

Aki Kikinomakaywin will be running a week-long camp in Thunder Bay at Lakehead  University and Confederation College this summer 2022. The program is free to youth  ages 12-14 and covers all costs for accommodation, transportation, and food. In future  years, programs will be run in both Thunder Bay and Sault Ste Marie, Ontario.  

Youth participating in the program will learn from local Elders, Water Walkers, and  Knowledge Holders about Indigenous water laws and governance, as well as how to  complete an Indigenous Impact Assessment using Indigenous ways of knowing and  being.  

Youth will learn how to code sensors to collect environmental data and learn how western  science techniques can be used to support Indigenous science, while also becoming more  confident in university and college settings.  

“The Elders have said that we need to teach our young on the land. Mother Earth is our  education system, she is our pharmacy, our kitchen, our everything. By learning on the  land, our young will come to understand she is our everything” said Dr. Susan Bell Chiblow, Assistant Professor at the University of Guelph, NORDIK Research Associate  and, and Anishinaabekwe from Garden River First Nation, who is a Co-Lead to the  program.  

“The youth will learn that we all come from water and need to protect the waters. They  will gain the understanding that water is life, is alive with spirit, and is medicine. They 

will understand that as Anishinaabek, we always did science. This will provide confidence  in who they are and potentially assist them in career decisions,” Dr. Chiblow said. 

Aki Kikinomakaywin is led by an Advisory Group that is comprised of Indigenous women  who are all leaders in the education field and their communities.  

This Advisory Group is led by Marnie Yourchuk the Education Program Manager at  Mamaweswen, The North Shore Tribal Council; Erin Desjardins is a Stewardship Intern  at Matawa and Four Rivers, as well as an M.Sc. candidate at Lakehead University; Lisa  Harris is the Coordinator of the Niijii Indigenous Mentorship program at Lakehead  University; Mary Wabano-McKay is the Vice President of Nyaagaaniid, Anishinabe  Initiatives, Equity and Student Success at Algoma University; Nicole Nicolas-Bayer is the  Director of Mukwa Waakaa’igan at Algoma University; Carolyn Hepburn is the Dean of  Indigenous Studies and Academic Upgrading at Sault College, and lastly Jasmine Baxter  is an Environmental Technician with Matawa and Four Rivers who is also completing her  Honours B.Sc. in Environmental Science at Lakehead University.  

Dr. Gayle Broad, Professor Emerita at Algoma University and Research Associate at  NORDIK Institute, has also played an integral role in developing the program.  

Aki Kikinomakaywin is also fortunate to be partnering with Water First and Let’s Talk  Science to provide engaging water-focused and coding hands-on western science  activities.  

“Aki Kikinomakaywin is an important program aiming to support Ontario’s northern  First Nation youth in learning about careers in STEAM,” said Haley MacLeod, a Ph.D.  Candidate at Lakehead University and a Co-Lead on the program.  

“Allowing youth to learn from local Elders and Knowledge Holders will provide a unique  opportunity to get youth excited about their own knowledge systems and future career  opportunities. I am excited to help get youth on to the land and in the lab and to provide  more education opportunities in the North,” MacLeod said. 

Applications and additional information are available on the program’s website at  akikikinomakaywin.com.  

NORDIK Institute is excited to aid in this program. This program will benefit Indigenous  youth in Northern Ontario through providing them with unique learning opportunities  and provide a model for future land-based learning opportunities in the region. 

The new issue honours Daniels’ work to advance the rights and well-being of Métis in Canada

This news release is also available to read Michif (click here).

REGINA – At an event today in Regina, Canada Post unveiled a new commemorative stamp recognizing the accomplishments of Métis leader Harry Daniels. A politician, activist, writer and actor, Daniels dedicated his life to the rights and well-being of Métis and non-status Indians in Canada.

This is one of three stamps that will officially be released on June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples Day – in recognition of the contributions each Indigenous leader has made to their communities.

About Harry Daniels

Born in Regina Beach, Saskatchewan, Daniels (1940-2004) – known for his quick wit and joie de vivre – served as an outspoken advocate for his people for more than 40 years. Many consider his contributions to Métis rights to be without equal in modern-day Canada.

First elected to office in 1972 as vice-president of the Métis Association of Alberta (now Métis Nation of Alberta), Daniels would go on to represent Indigenous and Métis Peoples provincially, nationally and internationally. He was elected secretary-treasurer of the Native Council of Canada (now Congress of Aboriginal Peoples) in 1974 and later served as its president and chief executive officer.

One of Daniels’ most important contributions was successfully leading an effort to convince the federal government to enshrine the inherent rights of Métis and non-status Indians in the new Constitution. As a result, Métis are included, along with First Nations (named as Indians) and Inuit, as Indigenous (identified as Aboriginal) Peoples in the Constitution Act, 1982.

For Daniels, however, constitutional recognition was just a first step. Since 1867, the federal government had recognized only “status Indians” as being its jurisdictional responsibility. The provincial governments had also not claimed responsibility for Métis and non-status Indians. To this end, in 1999, Daniels and several other plaintiffs launched Daniels v. Canada to determine the federal government’s relationship with the two groups. The case was not decided until 2016, 12 years after Daniels’ death, when the Supreme Court upheld the Federal Court ruling that Métis and non-status Indians are Indians under the British North America Act, 1867, and therefore, come under the federal government’s jurisdiction.

Over his lifetime, Daniels wrote several books on Métis issues and many articles and papers on the Constitution and Indigenous rights. An actor of both stage and film, he also held degrees from the University of Saskatchewan, Carleton University and the University of Ottawa (honorary doctorate). During his later years, he taught Métis history at the University of Saskatchewan and guest lectured at universities across Canada. In March 2004, Daniels was awarded the Order of the Métis Nation by the Métis National Council.

About the Indigenous Leaders stamp series

This stamp set is the inaugural release in Canada Post’s new multi-year Indigenous Leaders series. On June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples Day – Canada Post will issue three stamps in honour of Indigenous leaders Harry Daniels, Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier and Jose Kusugak.

This week, two more stamp unveiling events will be held:

• On June 14, the stamp commemorating Jose Kusugak will be unveiled at an event in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.
• On June 15, the stamp honouring Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier will be unveiled at an event in Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask.

Stamps and collectibles will be available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada beginning June 21.

Here are links to find images of the stamp and other products, and other resources:

• External folder with high-resolution images (click here).
• YouTube video (click here).
• Canada Post magazine article (click here).
• Social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Vancouver, B.C. (June 14, 2022): The Office of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, in partnership with the BC Achievement Foundation, is honoured to announce the recipients of the second British Columbia Reconciliation Award. The award recognizes six extraordinary individuals and organizations who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, integrity, respect, and commitment to furthering reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in the province of British Columbia, or inspired others to continue reconciliation efforts.
Individual Recipients:

• Kwuntiltunaat, Kim Baird (Tsawwassen)
• T̓łaḵwagila, Chief Bill Cranmer (Alert Bay)
• Brendan Eshom (Prince Rupert)

Organization Recipients:

• Atomic Cartoons in partnership with GBH (Vancouver) 
• DIVERSEcity – Surrey Local Immigration Partnership (Surrey)
• Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc and the City of Kamloops (Kamloops)

“Reconciliation builds relationships and bridges the gap between two worlds through the efforts of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. By recognizing the truths of past wrongs and showcasing examples of how to make things right, others will be inspired to follow,” said BC Achievement Foundation board member Cloy-e-iis, Judith Sayers. “In its second year, the British Columbia Reconciliation Award continues to celebrate innovative and empowering ways to embark on this journey, designed and decided by Indigenous peoples, allowing them to thrive while making the world a better place. On behalf of BC Achievement, we are privileged to announce and honour the 2022 awardees. Congratulations to all the recipients and thank you for your efforts on our collective reconciliation journey.”

The BC Achievement Foundation has several established programs honouring excellence and inspiring achievement throughout British Columbia, including the Indigenous Business Award and the Fulmer Award in First Nations Art.
“For the second year of the British Columbia Reconciliation Award, I have been heartened by the continued focus on advancing reconciliation in BC,” said the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. “The 2022 recipients represent elders and youth, partnership and leadership. They showcase creative ways of educating young generations and new Canadians on the history and culture of Indigenous people, ensuring all are included on the journey of reconciliation. It has been my deep honour to champion the award, and I couldn’t be prouder to share the accomplishments of the 2022 recipients with British Columbians.” 
The Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, has chosen reconciliation as one of the key priorities of her mandate. This commitment includes participation in promotion of public awareness of the ongoing journey of reconciliation, and developing a legacy through the creation of this award.
The British Columbia Reconciliation Award draws inspiration from the work of the Honourable Steven Point [Xwĕ lī qwĕl tĕl], 28th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, and a founder of the Award. His hand-carved red cedar canoe, Shxwtitostel, currently on display at the BC Legislature buildings, was created as a symbol of reconciliation, with the understanding that “we are all in the same canoe” and must “paddle together” to move forward. In honour of this legacy, this year’s recipients will receive a print of a canoe paddle beaded by Dene and Carrier artist Crystal Behn to commemorate the award. Crystal Behn is the Emerging Artist recipient of the 2021 Fulmer Award in First Nations Art.
The selection committee for the 2022 British Columbia Reconciliation Award, including representation from Indigenous Elders and leadership, is:

• p̓i·q̓, Dr. Christopher Horsethief – Ktunaxa Nation
• T’esóts’en, Patrick Kelly – Leq’á:mel Nation 
• Nicole McLaren – Métis Nation 
• Cloy-e-iis, Dr. Judith Sayers – Hupacasath Nation
• T,łalisam, Dr. Kim van der Woerd – ‘Namgis First Nation

Members of the selection committee, along with the Honourable Steven Point, led in the creation and design of the BC Reconciliation Award, ensuring the award was founded on the principles of Indigenous culture and knowledge.
Interviews with representatives of the BC Achievement Foundation, as well as BC Reconciliation Award recipients, are available upon request. Awardee bios and high resolution images are available here.
For more information about the BC Achievement Foundation or BC Reconciliation Award program, please visit www.bcachievement.com.

ANISHINABEK NATION HEAD OFFICE (June 14, 2022) – On behalf of the Anishinabek Nation, Grand  Council Chief Reg Niganobe and Children’s Commissioner Ogimaa Duke Peltier have issued a statement  in response to the recent report released by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child  expressing deep concerns about the welfare of Indigenous children in Canada. 

“All children deserve equal opportunity and access to adequate health care, education, nutrition, and  shelter, surrounded by their family, community, culture, and history. In this era of truth and  reconciliation, Canada must step forward to fulfill its obligation to the many Indigenous children who  suffered and continue to suffer as a result of discrimination,” states Grand Council Chief Niganobe. 

In 2021, the Parliament of Canada passed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous  Peoples Act (UNDRIPA), committing the Government of Canada to “take all measures necessary to  ensure that the laws of Canada are consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of  Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).” The Government of Canada has since committed to implementing  Article 14 of UNDRIP, honouring the rights of Indigenous peoples to “establish and control their  educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner  appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning”. 

“Almost all First Nation children are still required, by law, to attend schools where they do not learn to  speak their own languages. This amounts to the ongoing, forced, assimilation of these children. The  perilous state of most First Nation languages makes the need for the implementation of Article 14  pressing and urgent. The implementation of Article 14 can be achieved through amendment of the  Indigenous Languages Act, making it enforceable in Canadian courts,” states Commissioner Ogimaa  Peltier. 

Released on June 9, 2022, Concluding observations on the combined fifth and sixth reports of Canada recommends that Canada “put an end to structural discrimination against children belonging to  Indigenous groups, and address disparities in access to services by all children, including those in  marginalized and disadvantaged situations”. The report also raises concerns that Canada’s “child  welfare system continues to fail to protect Indigenous children and adolescents from violence.” 

“The Anishinabek Nation has been working tirelessly to advocate for and protect the rights of  Anishinaabe children and youth. Through the Anishinabek Nation Child Well-Being Law, the  Anishinabek Nation Child, Youth, and Family Well-Being System, and the Anishinabek Nation Children  and Youth Bill of Rights, we are exercising inherent jurisdiction over child welfare to protect and 

promote the well-being of Anishinaabe children, youth, and families. We must honour each and every  child to ensure the success of our future generations and to create the best future for our Nations,”  adds Commissioner Peltier. 

Harry Daniels, Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier and Jose Kusugak to be commemorated in upcoming stamp set

This news release is also available to read in Michif, Cree and Inuktut (click here).

OTTAWA – On June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples Day – Canada Post will issue a new set of stamps to pay tribute to the lives and legacies of three Indigenous leaders. Harry Daniels, Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier and Jose Kusugak will each be featured on a stamp in recognition of their incredible commitment and contributions to strengthening the Métis, First Nations and Inuit communities they served.

The upcoming stamp set is the inaugural release in Canada Post’s new Indigenous Leaders stamp series. Prior to issuing the set on June 21, the stamps will each be unveiled at local events in Regina and Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan, and Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.

Harry Daniels stamp unveiling event: June 13, 11 am, Regina, Sask.

Harry Daniels (1940-2004) was a politician, activist, writer and actor who dedicated his life to the rights and well-being of Métis and non-status Indians in Canada. Among his most important contributions was ensuring their inherent rights as Indigenous Peoples by lobbying to have them included as one of the Indigenous Peoples recognized in the Constitution Act, 1982, and recognized as “Indians” under the British North America Act, 1867. In March 2004, he was awarded the Order of the Métis Nation by the Métis National Council.

Jose Kusugak stamp unveiling event: June 14, 6 pm, Rankin Inlet, Nunavut

Jose Kusugak (1950-2011) was an Inuit activist, linguist and broadcaster who played a critical role in the efforts that led to the creation of Nunavut in 1999 – for which many consider him a Father of Confederation. He dedicated his life to raising awareness of Inuit identity and issues in Canada, as well as promoting and preserving Inuit language and culture, and coined the phrase “First Canadians, Canadians First” to describe his people. Kusugak was also part of the first generation of Inuit children who were sent to residential schools.

Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier stamp unveiling: June 15, 2 pm, Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask.

Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier (b. 1954) spent nearly 40 years as leader of the Okanese First Nation in Saskatchewan – the most consecutive terms ever served by an elected First Nations chief in Canada. She led several projects related to education, wellness and social reform, while also working to preserve the culture, language and traditions of her people. In 2018, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada. This spring, she was in the Indigenous delegation that met with Pope Francis at the Vatican to discuss the Catholic Church’s role in the residential school system, of which she is a survivor.

Stamps and collectibles will be available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada starting June 21.

Links to find images of the stamps and other products, and other resources will be available on the day of the local events.

Presenting progressive, distinct and exceptional fashion, textiles and craft by Indigenous artists at the intersection of art, fashion and culture.

The biennial Indigenous Fashion Arts Festival is almost here! June 9 – 12, 2022 at Harbourfront Centre in downtown Toronto. Featuring runway shows, a marketplace with over 60 designers, panels, workshops and exclusive online content.

We have exciting news for those of our audience members who cannot join us in-person. We will be live-streaming all Festival panels and runways to our YouTube Channel, website and social media!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive reminders and updates on all IFAF live-stream content.

As an added bonus to our on-line viewers, an IFAF Video Collection will accompany the runway shows with a program featuring short videos shot and directed by each runway designer at their homes and studios on the land with iPhone 13 Pro. IFA will broadcast each video exclusively online before each runway on IFA social media and website. The videos are edited and produced by the IFA team, under the consultation of director Shane Belcourt (Métis), with a music score by composer and musician Cris Derksen (Cree).

Click the image below to watch our IFAF Video Collection trailer!

Indigenous Fashion Arts sustains Indigenous practices in fashion, craft and textiles through designer-focused initiatives, public engagement and sector innovation.

IFA’s primary activity is the biennial Indigenous Fashion Arts Festival. Our programming and initiatives illuminate perceptions of and celebrate Indigenous people and our cultures.

We are committed to nurturing the deep connections between mainstream fashion, Indigenous art and traditional practice with amplified visibility of and led by Indigenous women and non-binary people.

As part of Ocean Week Canada (OWC), the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC), together with 15 national content partners and marking World Ocean Day tomorrow (June 8) with a national program of over 100 events taking place across the country.

Why a national ocean celebration matters

Canada has the longest coastline of any country in the world, 50% of which is in the Arctic, and 20% of the planet’s freshwater resources. Of the 38 million people in Canada, over 7 million live in coastal marine areas; 1 in 2 Canadians live along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Whether coastal or inland, all Canadians are connected to the ocean, and each other, through watersheds.

Canada has committed to protecting 25% of Canada’s ocean space by 2025 and 30% by 2030. Currently, we are halfway there. There is only one big interconnected global ocean. Canada has a role to play in caring for it. Biggest coastline, big responsibility. In February 2023, Canada will be hosting the global community at the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) in Vancouver. 

2021-2030 is the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Canada is actively supporting and contributing to this global initiative, including the creation of a ‘community of champions’ to mobilize the Canadian ocean community and foster innovative and transformative science-based actions. 

Canada is the first country with a national ocean literacy strategy. Widely defined as the extent to which we “understand the ocean’s impact on you and your impact on the ocean,” ocean literacy is fundamentally about our relationship with the ocean. The National Strategy (launched in spring 2021) provides a common framework for action over the course of the UN Ocean Decade and serves as an important opportunity for people in Canada to work together to help ensure a healthy, equitable, and sustainable relationship with the ocean and local waterways for present and future generations.

Ocean Week Canada is an annual national celebration of ocean events, learning, and engagement held during the week of World Ocean Day (June 8). This national ocean celebration is an important part of this framework for action. 

Giant map and augmented reality ocean learning experience

Canadian Geographic, COLC, and Ocean School have partnered to bring Ocean, Freshwater, and Us – a giant interactive floor map to locations across Canada, featuring the latest in augmented reality technology. This initiative is part of Ocean Week Canada and the Ocean Festival, a pan-Canada ocean education and marine conservation celebration made possible through a collaboration between the COLC and 15 national partner organizations, together with the generous support of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 

The giant floor map (8m x 11m) shows that all waterways are connected to the ocean by allowing visitors to follow the flow on a massive scale. Augmented reality, 360° video, and other interactive activities help bring data layers on the map to life. The map is made to walk on – putting a network of watersheds, coastal areas, and marine protected areas right beneath your feet. Learn more about the map here.

On World Ocean Day, the map will be at the below locations.

Vancouver

Where: Science World

1455 Quebec St, Vancouver, BC

When: June 8 — World Ocean Day

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Representatives from COLC, Swim Drink Fish, Year of the Salish Sea, Friends of False Creek, and other invited partners will be in attendance.

The map will also be at the Vancouver Maritime Museum on June 10 and the Beaty Biodiversity Museum on June 11.

Toronto

Where: Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada
         288 Bremner Blvd, Toronto, ON

When: Through June 12
Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

An additional giant floor map is being activated throughout the Greater Toronto Area during Ocean Week Canada by COLC’s National Education Coordinator, Jae Williams, at the following locations: 

• Ecole La Mosaïque – June 9 
• North York Central Public Library and Great West Life – June 10-11

Other Locations

The map will also be at the Discovery Centre in Halifax on June 11, the Biosphere in Montreal from June 10-12, and Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria on June 12. 

Ten copies of this giant floor map will be travelling across the country throughout the summer-long ‘Ocean Festival’ – a unique to 2022 extension of Ocean Week Canada as part of the lead up to Canada hosting IMPAC5. To book the map for your space or to learn more, visit the Ocean Week Canada website.

Other events taking place on World Ocean Day as part of the Ocean Week Canada celebration include:

• The virtual Launch of the Blue Expedition
• COAST Talks: Connecting Ocean Knowledge to Ocean Action 
• Clean Water Kickoff in Vancouver, Toronto, and Kingston
• The Canadian Museum of Nature Ocean Scavenger Hunt
• Oceans & You: World Oceans Day event at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
• Rivers to Oceans Day 2022 in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories 
• The virtual World Oceans Day: Revitalisation – Mini to Massive
• International Student Video Conference
• Water Rangers’ Beach Days in Victoria, British Columbia 

About Ocean Week Canada and the Ocean Festival

Ocean Week Canada is a national celebration of ocean events, learning, and engagement that is held annually during the week of World Ocean Day (June 8). Ocean Week Canada 2022 is taking place June 3-12. Unique to 2022, Ocean Week Canada will continue with events and activities throughout the summer as Canada gears up to host the global community at the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) in Vancouver in February 2023. 

Over the following three months and beyond, Canadians will learn about the importance of the ocean and sustainable interactions with it. The Festival will strengthen Canadians’ connections to their local watersheds and Canada’s coastline—the longest in the world—and inspire community-based action to ensure a healthy ocean for future generations. The Festival will celebrate Indigenous-led, community, government, and private sector conservation success stories and help to build momentum towards reaching Canada’s conservation targets of protecting 25% of Canada’s ocean space by 2025 and 30% by 2030. Through both in-person and virtual events, this national celebration includes art installations, film screenings, cultural programming, educational workshops, presentations and panels, community science activities, and many other types of events taking place in communities across the country. For the full events program, visit www.oceanweekcan.ca 

Ocean Week Canada is nationally coordinated by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC) project office. This year’s celebration brings together 15 diverse organizations/ institutions from across Canada as national content partners, including the IMPAC5 Secretariat, Canadian Geographic; Canadian Museum of Nature; Ingenium, Indigenous Leadership Initiative; Students on Ice Foundation; Ocean School (a collaboration of the National Film Board of Canada and Dalhousie University); Parks Canada, Water Rangers; Ocean Networks Canada; Canadian Network for Ocean Education; Hakai Institute; Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) Canada; Entremission; and Emdash. Ocean Week Canada and the Ocean Festival also bring together over 100 event partners from across the country.

This national collaboration and celebration is made possible through a contribution of $2.3 million from Fisheries and Oceans Canada over two years (2021-2023) through the Oceans Management Contribution Program.

To learn more about Ocean Week Canada and the Ocean Festival, visit www.oceanweekcan.ca.

Quotes

“Canada’s oceans connect us all and are a vital part of our past, present, and future as Canadians. Restoring and regenerating them for future generations is a goal we can only achieve by working together. That’s why I am so proud the Government of Canada’s Oceans Management Contribution Program provided $2.3M over two years to support the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition and its many organizations, networks, and communities that are working together to better understand and advance ocean literacy in Canada. With such exciting and meaningful initiatives on the agenda for the coming year, I look forward to joining forces to help educate millions of Canadians about the importance of valuing and protecting our oceans.”

The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

“Our connections with land, freshwater, coastal areas, sea ice, and the open ocean are deeply shaped by our diverse experiences. When we share, strengthen, and celebrate our relationship with the ocean and local waterways, and come together to conserve and protect what we care about, we ensure a healthy ocean for future generations. This is the core mission of our national collaboration.” 

Dr. Diz Glithero, National Lead, Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition 

“Canadian Geographic is pleased to bring innovative educational and engagement tools to this important collaboration to make Canada’s enormous ocean better known to Canadians and the world.” John Geiger, CM, CEO, Canadian Geographic 

“The ocean connects us all, touches us all, brings us all together. As a proud founding member of the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition, the Ocean School team looks forward to contributing to this special celebration of our ocean connections. Let’s create a wave of excitement for our ocean nation.”

Boris Worm, Scientific Director of Ocean School

As part of our commitment to supporting the development of Indigenous lawyers, First Peoples Law offers an annual scholarship to an Indigenous law student with a demonstrated commitment to serving and advancing the interests of Indigenous Peoples.

Everyone at First Peoples Law is extremely excited for the opportunity to support the scholarship recipients in their studies. We are confident they will make important contributions to defending the rights of Indigenous Peoples across Canada.

Applications for this year’s $10,000 scholarship are now open! The deadline is July 31, 2022. 

Click here to apply.

Download poster.

Meet last year’s winners.

First Peoples Law LLP is a law firm dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of Indigenous Peoples. We work exclusively with Indigenous Peoples to defend their inherent and constitutionally protected title, rights and Treaty rights, uphold their Indigenous laws and governance and ensure economic prosperity for their current and future generations.

Chat with us

Sign up for our First Peoples Law Report

TREATY 5 ADHESION TERRITORY, MB, June 6, 2022 /CNW/ – Through their Emergency Medical Responder and Medical Transportation Initiative, Keewatin Tribal Council and Four Arrows Regional Health Authority are doing important work to increase the number of Indigenous Emergency Medical Responders in Manitoba.

Through this initiative, First Nations in the region will benefit from skills and knowledge training to deliver emergency response, management and support in their communities. This program also acts as a stepping stone for those who want to train to become advanced care paramedics. The recruitment and training of First Nations people in community is helping to ensure the safe transportation of community members within the communities they serve and that they have access to health care services where and when they need them.

These investments and the Emergency Medical Responder and Medical Transportation Initiative align with the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action to increase the number of Indigenous professionals in Canada’s health systems. Indigenous Services Canada has supported this work with $1 million in investments in the 2021-22 fiscal year to help develop and deliver safer and more culturally inclusive care.

The federal government remains committed to supporting work to address anti-Indigenous racism in health systems and the legacy of colonialism that continues to impact the health outcomes of Indigenous Peoples.

Quotes

“Too many Indigenous people have experienced racism and negative experiences when they need to access health care. But we can do better together. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting measures that will lead to health care approaches that are equitable, culturally safe, community-led, and distinctions-based. Keewatin Tribal Council and the Four Arrows Regional Health Authority are leading the way in creating and supporting Indigenous-led health systems that provide safe and appropriate health resources in First Nation communities. We must do more together to make sure that our health care systems are safe and respectful for Indigenous Peoples.”

The Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Indigenous Services

“The Tribal Health Partnership Emergency Medical Responder Training and Medical Transportation Program will enhance delivery of health care services and improve health outcomes for the population it serves. This includes two Tribal Councils, fifteen First Nations and 31,731 First Nation people on and off reserve.”

Alex McDougall, Executive Director
Four Arrows Regional Health Authority

“The current pandemic has demonstrated the need for emergency medical responder training and non-emergency transportation vehicles for First Nations to properly respond to health emergencies. This program is the beginning of First Nations creating the capacity and infrastructure, at the community level, for the transfer of control of health services which are culturally safe and appropriate.”

John Spence, Director of Health
Keewatin Tribal CouncilRelated products 

• Statement by Ministers on the work to eliminate racism against Indigenous Peoples in the health systems
• Minister of Health and Minister of Indigenous Services Announce Funding & Federal Response to support efforts to address racism in health systems

Associated links

• Government of Canada actions to address anti-Indigenous racism in health systems
• Addressing anti-Indigenous racism in health systems: Federal response

Stay connected 

Join the conversation about Indigenous Peoples in Canada:

Twitter: @GCIndigenous 
Facebook: @GCIndigenous 
Instagram: @gcindigenous

Facebook: @GCIndigenousHealth 

You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.isc.gc.ca/RSS.

Expert on climate crisis and role of storytelling

Ahead of World Environment Day 2022 this Sunday, the Crookes Professor in Environmental and Climate Journalism at the University of Victoria is available to media for comment on the role of storytelling and how to build hope in the aftermath of cataclysmic fires, floods and storms devastating communities across Canada and around the world.

Sean Holman (Dept. of Writing) leads the Climate Disaster Project, a consortium of Canadian journalism students and media partners amplifying the stories of those who have experienced such disasters. Their efforts will be preserved in a climate disaster memory vault, “similar to other important oral history projects that have humanized the impact of natural disasters and humanitarian crises around the world,” Holman says. The first set of stories debuts today on APTN National News, followed by dedicated June issues ofMegaphone and Asparagus magazines, with more stories to be released this fall. Holman is available to the media daily through June 5. (smholman@uvic.ca or 403-397-4751)

World Environment Day is led by the United Nations Environment Program and has been held annually since 1973. It is hosted this year by Sweden.