Topic: Today’s News

OTTAWA – Today, Tungasuvvingat Inuit (TI) honours and commemorates Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ (MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+) people who are missing, those who have been murdered, survivors and their families, wherever they live.  On this first anniversary of the release of the MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan (NAP), the 2022 Progress Report has been released.

On June 3, 2021, a NAP was released as a response to the Calls for Justice within the MMIWG Final Report.  The NAP was co-developed with a core working group that included the National Family and Survivors Circle, input from the First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and the Urban Sub-working Group, comprised of survivors, family members, front line service providers and experts with lived experience.  TI participated and contributed to both the Inuit group and within the Urban MMIWG final report group.  The core working group ceased to operate following the release of the National Action Plan however, all members have continued to work towards the 2022 Progress Report.   

The 2022 Progress Report highlights progress made over the last year since the release of the NAP.  It provides insights on steps that have been taken and the urgent action that is needed next on the path to transformational change to end systemic racism and violence against Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, wherever they live.  One of the most significant points is the demonstration of how much work remains to be done.

Since June 3, 2021, there has been very little progress made on commitments by any of the governments. With the release of the progress report, we remind the governments that violence against Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people is a national crisis.  Urgent action is needed now to prevent gender and race-based violence everywhere in Canada.

Vanessa Brousseau is an advocate for Missing and Murdered Women and Girls and has been personally affected by this tragedy. Her sister went missing on December 14^th of 2003 and remains missing to this day. Vanessa shared, “As much as I appreciate the steps that have been made within our own organizations, it is not even close enough to what needs to be done to end the Genocide of Indigenous peoples. The Federal Government must take accountability for their role and enforce the 231 Calls for Justice. My missing sister’s children along with thousands of other children are not only going without their mother, but without any support their entire lives. They deserve better and we will continue to fight for better.” 

TI remains focused on providing programs and services to support Inuit Women and Girls who are victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, and face threats to their personal well-being.  First Nations, Inuit, Métis and 2SLGTBQQIA+ people, as well all levels of government must continue to work in collaboration to implement all recommendations.

Collectively, it is our responsibility to ensure that Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ are safe and protected every day in every way. We envision a transformed Canada where Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, wherever they are, live free from violence, and are celebrated, honoured, respected, valued, and treated equitably.

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.

Victoria, BC, Canada, June 6, 2022 – Kennedy Rolston is the inaugural recipient of the ḴELOŦEN ȻE S,ISTEW̱ Fund Award. She is a fourth-year civil engineering student at the University of Victoria.

Established in June 2021 by AME Group, Gwaii Engineering, Diamond Schmitt, Number TEN Architectural Group, AES Engineering, RJC Engineers, and the Victoria Native Friendship Centre; the ḴEL,ḴELOŦEN ȻE S,ISTEW̱ Fund aims to bring more Indigenous voices into architecture and building design, imbuing these industries with Indigenous values, perspectives and ways of knowing, being and doing.

“Being one of very few women, and one of very few Indigenous people in my classes can be incredibly difficult. Some days it can be hard to find peers that can relate. Having Indigenous engineers and architects to look up to as role models and mentors makes a huge difference. Seeing the possibilities of what you can become and how you can make a difference makes it all seem possible,” said Kennedy Rolston. “I am so grateful to see that there are so many companies in the industry that are supporting Indigenous students in pursuing their careers in engineering and architecture. I hope that this award can inspire many more to pursue their passions in the field and remove the financial barriers that many are facing when it comes to pursuing post-secondary education. I am honoured to receive the ḴEL,ḴELOŦEN ȻE S,ISTEW̱ Award, and hope that someday I can be a mentor to other Indigenous students pursuing engineering or architecture.”

“On behalf of our fund’s partners, I wish to congratulate Kennedy Rolston for being the first recipient of our fund,” said Kear Porttris, Chair, ḴEL,ḴELOŦEN ȻE S,ISTEW̱ Advisory Committee. “Kennedy is a model of a young Indigenous technical professional with a very exciting career ahead of her. She embodies the hope we have for future Indigenous professionals, and we look forward to her future success.”

“Our group at ḴEL,ḴELOŦEN ȻE S,ISTEW̱ is building a foundation to create a network of support for future Indigenous engineers and architects,” continued Kear Porttris. “We are creating a mentorship program that provides Indigenous people access to working professionals that provide industry relationships and support pivotal career choices. On the other side, this program creates a network for Indigenous technical professionals to draw from and collaborate together. We’ve just had our first mentoring session with many of the 2021/2022 applicants, and we are looking forward to building connections and facilitating this network in the coming years.”

The ḴEL,ḴELOŦEN ȻE S,ISTEW̱ Fund provides an annual award of $5,000 to an Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit, or Métis architectural or engineering student in British Columbia. To be eligible, students must identify as an Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit, or Métis persons from British Columbia with a desire to pursue a career in the architecture and engineering industry. All applicants are provided with the opportunity to make direct connections with industry professionals through the fund’s mentorship program. 

For more on the Fund, please visit our website: https://indigenousaeaward.ca/

For further media enquiries, please contact: media@indigenousaeaward.ca

Download the release and image sheet here. 

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 (IFAF) will take place June 9-12, 2022, at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The Indigenous Fashion Arts Festival will present runway shows, a marketplace featuring over 60 designers, plus panels, workshops, and exclusive online content.

Each night the Indigenous Fashion Arts Festival will host a theatrically-produced runway show – Eternal Imaginaries (June 9), Sovereign Matriarchs presented by CIBC (June 10), Time Weavers presented by La Maison Simons (June 11) and A Letter from Home (June 12) – at Harbourfront Centre Theatre with 25 multigenerational designers from Canada with international guests. The 2022 IFAF designers are: Amy Malbeuf (Métis), Anne Mulaire(Anishinaabe/French Métis), Arctic Luxe (Inupiaq), BIBI CHEMNITZ(Greenlandic Inuit), Celeste Pedri-Spade (Anishinabe), Curtis Oland (Lil’Wat-Canadian), D’arcy Moses (Dene), EMME Studio (Puyallup), Evan Ducharme(Metis), Ix Balam (Petén Guatemala), Janelle Wawia (Opwaaganasiniing), Kadusné (Caucasian/Filipino/Alaska Native), Lesley Hampton (Anishinaabe), Livia Manywounds (Dene/Blackfoot/Sioux), Margaret Jacobs (Akwesasne Mohawk), Maru Creations (Māori), MAWO (Wichi), Michel Dumont (Ojibway French), mobilize waskawewin (Cree), Niio Perkins Designs (Iroquois), qaulluq (Inupiaq), Robyn McLeod (Dene), Section 35 (Cree), and Swirling Wind Designs (Anishnaabe).

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 Indigenous Fashion Arts Marketplace, presented by Today’s Shopping Choice, will be open June 10-12 at Harbourfront Centre’s Lakeview Market for the public to shop with over 60 exhibitors in fashion, craft, textiles, jewelry, gifts, and more. The Marketplace will feature a dynamic range of creators with sections including The Showroom, From The Pow Wow Trail, Made From The Land, Designs To Keep Warm To, Trending, For Beadwork Lovers, Aunty Glam, Grassroots and Local, and the Manitoba Spotlight. 

IFAF will also host academic-focused panels and hands-on workshops open to the public. The IFAF Fashioning Resurgence Panel Series, presented by The School of Fashion at the Toronto Metropolitan University with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, includes Digital Natives: Opportunities and Risks in New Technology For Indigenous Fashion Creatives To Know; Fashion Performance: In Conversation with Kent Monkman; Sarotial Sovereignty: Indigenous Governance Models for Fashion; All My Relations: Maintaining Reciprocal Relationships for Successful Partnerships; Anti-Fashion: Resisting The Fashion Establishment; Women In The Fur Trade: Tradition, History and Truths From Indigenous Women; and Orange Shirt Day: Fashion as a Tool for Sovereignty and Healing.

IFAF Workshops, supported by Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training, include a four day Hide Tanning workshop with Amber Sandy and Kanina Terry; Learn to Bead Vamps & Speak James Bay Cree with Rosary Spence, who will teach the class in English and James Bay Cree, teaching basic Cree words related to beading; and Regalia Applique for Beginners with Rhonda Doxtator.

Indigenous Fashion Arts sustains Indigenous practices in fashion, craft and textiles through designer-focused initiatives, public engagement and sector innovation. Their primary activity is the biennial Indigenous Fashion Arts Festival. IFA’s programming and initiatives illuminate and celebrate Indigenous people and cultures. With a commitment to Indigenous woman-identifying people in leadership, IFA strives to nurture the deep connections between mainstream fashion, Indigenous art and traditional practice with amplified visibility.

Métis Nation–Saskatchewan (MN–S) is holding its Spring 2022 Métis Nation Legislative Assembly (MNLA) this weekend in Saskatoon.

As the governing body for the Métis Nation government in Saskatchewan, delegates to the MNLA will engage in two-days of discussion and debate government business and policies as they pertain to all Métis citizens in the province.

Delegates to the MNLA will gather at Prairieland Park June 4 and 5, 2022. The proceedings will be live streamed on the MN–S website here.

MN–S President Glen McCallum will deliver the State of the Nation address after the Grand Entry and Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Vice Chief Aly Bear will bring greetings to the delegates. Métis National Council (MNC)

President Cassidy Caron and Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark will be in attendance later in the day.

Members of your media organization are invited to attend the official opening of the Spring 2022 MNLA.

WHAT: Spring MNLA opening
WHEN: Saturday, June 4, 2022 – 9:00 am
WHERE: Prairieland Park – Hall C 503 Ruth Street West Saskatoon, SK

A short break will follow the official opening and MN–S President Glen McCallum will be available for interviews.