This year, people from all walks of life are invited to participate in the Moose Hide Campaign Day on May 16, in-person in Victoria, B.C. or virtually from anywhere. The Moose Hide Campaign has scheduled a sunrise ceremony livestream, a general plenary livestream, multiple live virtual workshops, a livestream of the Walk to End Violence Against Women and Children in Victoria, B.C., and a fast-breaking ceremony livestream. Participants can register here.

MediaEdge Publishing is hosting a walk to end gender-based violence as part of the Moose Hide Campaign today to join in solidarity with similar walks organized all over the country. The walk in Winnipeg will start at the Human Rights Museum at 12pm and end at Louis Riel’s gravesite in St. Boniface.

Staff and students can pick up moose hide pins from either Indigenous Support Centre (F209 at NDC and P407 at EDC) to wear to show support of the campaign and as symbol of their promise to not perpetuate violence against women and children.

The following message includes topics that may trigger strong emotions, especially for those with lived experiences. It is recommended that we all check in on ourselves and access the resources available to us to ensure we are taking good care of our mental health. For mental health and self-care resources, visit here.

The National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People, otherwise known as Red Dress Day, is observed on Sunday, May 5.

Red Dress Day began with Jaime Black’s REDress Project, initiated in 2010, in which she hung red dresses in public spaces to represent the missing and murdered women, girls and Two Spirit people to honour their lives and their families.

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People (MMIWG2S) released their Final Report in June 2019. The report detailed over 2,380 accounts from family members, survivors of violence, experts and Knowledge Keepers during two years of evidence gathering. Two volumes of the report conclude that persistent human and Indigenous rights violations are the root cause of Canada’s high rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit people.

Sections 11.1 – 11.2 call on educators across all levels to provide awareness to the public about missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two Spirit people and about the issues and causes of violence they experience. In this digital age, we have the ability to spread the truth, but we are also at odds with misinformation borne from ignorance and racism. It is our duty to their families and communities to advocate for the truth of Canada’s complacency in crimes against Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit people.

Many Indigenous organizations have additional programs that support the National Inquiry and education on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People like the Southern Chiefs’ Organization Inc. MMIWG2S and Violence Prevention.

This year, Giganawenimaanaanig, or the MMIWG2S+ Implementation Committee, will be speaking at Pow Wow on the impacts that loss has on Indigenous communities. Indigenous students and families who are the mourning the loss of loved ones will also be recognized for their perseverance and strength.

The flags at Notre Dame Campus and PGI will be lowered to half-mast on Friday and remain lowered through the weekend to pay respect to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People.

MediaEdge Publishing is hosting a walk to end gender-based violence as part of the Moose Hide Campaign on Thursday, May 16, 2024, to join in solidarity with similar walks organized all over the country.

The walk in Winnipeg will start at the Human Rights Museum at 12pm and end at Louis Riel’s gravesite in St. Boniface.

To register yourself or your company to join the Walk to End Violence, please send an email confirmation including name/company name and number of attendees to ashleyh@mediaedgepublishing.com before May 13.

Read more about the Moose Hide Campaign on their website.

Students and staff can pick up a moose hide pin in either of the Indigenous Support Centres at Notre Dame Campus (F209) and Exchange District Campus (P407) to demonstrate their commitment to ending gender-based violence.

Wednesday, May 15 – Powered by IG Wealth Management

High school students are invited to come to RRC Polytech and explore the world of Information Technology! You will have the opportunity to explore sessions that focus on our programs Application Development and Delivery, Information Security, IT Operations, Data Science and Machine Learning, and Game Development. The day will also include a tour of RRC Polytech and panels of representatives currently working in the field.

9:30 AM to 3:00 PM

RRC Polytech – Roblin Centre – 160 Princess Street

Agenda

• 9:30 AM – Welcome
• 10:10 AM – Session A: Game Development
• 11:20 AM – Session B: Pentesting
• 12:20 PM – Lunch 
• 1:30 PM – IT Panel
• 2:30 PM – Campus Tour

Register here! Admission is free for all Indigenous students.

Thanks to RBC’s generous support for student-focused events, this year’s third and final RBC Reaction by Collision event of the academic year was designed to meet the needs of Indigenous students at RRC Polytech.  Each year, RBC supports three Reaction by Collision events, with one specifically dedicated to Indigenous students. The Indigenous Career Fair took place on March 21 in the North Gym at Notre Dame Campus, which welcomed hundreds of students from across the College.

Over thirty employers were invited with specific job openings and opportunities for students to explore and consider for their future careers and to evaluate what the job market looks like in the current economic landscape. Students had access to the RBC Headshot Lounge, where they could take professional headshot portraits for their LinkedIn profiles and other professional bios.

Valeri Kelly, a Nursing student, says the Indigenous Career Fair was a great opportunity to network with employers and create connections for her future career, even though she’s a second-year student that wasn’t necessarily looking to be employed at the moment. She said she had plenty of opportunities to share her resume and LinkedIn with interested employers.

“One that really stood out to me was Naawi-Oodena; it wasn’t specifically for any healthcare-related jobs, but part of what they’re recruiting for is to fill the space at the new friendship centre. It was really cool, because there could be an opportunity to have a health clinic there, which I could be part of once I become a nurse practitioner,” said Kelly.

Having spaces that are culturally-inclusive to engage Indigenous employees is important for the success of Indigenous people not just professionally, but personally and spiritually.

Joey Laquette, a Plumbing student, is an R-Crew member that helps newer students navigate the College environment from a student-focused lens. He filtered in and out of the Indigenous Career Fair, bringing students down from the Indigenous Support Centre.

“It was good to see how well-organized it was, as that helped people navigate the booths easier. I noticed that quite a few students were a little shy to make that first connection. I encouraged students to put themselves out there, and started the conversation with some employers with them,” Laquette said.

Creating opportunities for Indigenous students is integral to enacting the College’s commitment to reconciliation. To walk the path of reconciliation is to walk alongside students and make sure they have access to the same opportunities as every other student in a way that not only accepts, but celebrates Indigenous values, cultures, and ways.

Matthew Paul, a College Transition student, says the employers he connected with made a strong effort to show him their resources and supports to engage Indigenous employees.

“A couple of them really stood out when they gave me their emails and said to contact them if I needed help – they actually went above and beyond, when they could’ve just given me a pamphlet. They even said that if I do decide to apply, to say in the application that I met them at the Career Fair so we could connect again,” said Paul.

At noon, the event kicked off with a panel discussing recruitment and retention for Indigenous employees, how each organization promotes employee engagement through cultural programming and support, and how Indigenous leadership at the executive level impacts the quality of experiences for Indigenous employees.

The panel featured Herb ZoBell, VP, Commercial Financial Services, Indigenous Markets of RBC, Clarke Garrioch, Senior Software Developer of IG Wealth Management, and Charity Lepage, Director, Technical Solutions of Canada Life.

“Whether they are new to the job market or are seasoned professionals, the success of Indigenous employees is influenced by a number of supports which leading employers should strive to provide,” said Herb ZoBell. “Access to education and training opportunities, rotational programs, a supportive cultural environment, mentorship and networking opportunities, peer supports, and awareness initiatives aimed at addressing cultural knowledge gaps and unconscious biases – these are just some of the ways RBC empowers and supports the careers of our Indigenous employees.”

The Indigenous Career Fair is an expression of the work RRC Polytech does to empower Indigenous students – and with RBC’s support, it’s an opportunity to use our platform as an educational institution to provide new, lasting, and impactful connections between Indigenous students and organizations that will benefit Indigenous students, their families and communities, and industry at large.

RBC is a proud supporter of Indigenous achievement in post-secondary education and the workforce. Every year, the RBC Reaction by Collision event series features at least one event created to offer enriched experiences for Indigenous students at RRC Polytech. In 2022, the RBC supported Indigenous Culture and Entrepreneurship and in 2023, they supported Food, Fashion and Music; both events demonstrated Indigenous talent and entrepreneurship.

RBC’s support extends beyond experiential events to actual programs offered through the School of Indigenous Education – in 2022, RBC gifted RRC Polytech with $450,000 to finance the Pathway to Information Technology Programs for the next three years, which gives students the opportunity to launch a foundational education in IT for a tuition of just $500. Pathway students have access to wraparound supports that provide mental, emotional, physical and spiritual wellness through the School of Indigenous Education. For many Indigenous students, these support systems are extremely beneficial to their academic success.

Giganawenimaanaanig – We take care of them all.

This message contains information that may be sensitive to some readers.

Giganawenimaanaanig, known as the MMIWG2S+ Implementation Committee, is inviting all graduating students who are family members to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People to receive honours and acknowledgements for their strength, resilience and dedication to furthering their educational pursuits despite the immense challenges they may have faced. Graduating students will also have the opportunity to acknowledge the loss of their loved one(s) when receiving recognition.

Giganawenimaanaanig is asking eligible graduating students to register online to receive recognition for the accomplishments they’ve demonstrated by completing their programs.

“We believe it is crucial to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of these individuals, as they not only exemplify personal courage but also contribute to the broader narrative of Indigenous resilience and perseverance. By extending our support and acknowledgment, we hope to foster a culture of inclusivity and empathy within our Province.”

Sandra Delaronde, Executive Director, Giganawenimaanaanig.

Please register with Giganawenimaanaanig before 11:59pm on April 25 to be honoured at RRC Polytech’s Pow Wow on Friday, May 3.

Graduating students can register here. More information is available on the registration page.

Students are invited to participate in a Sweat Lodge Ceremony hosted by Elder-in-Residence, Paul Guimond. Indigenous and non-Indigenous students will have the opportunity to connect spiritually through a Ceremonial Sweat Lodge, followed by a Feast on Friday April 26. Preparations will start at 10am and the Ceremony will take place at 1pm.

Please meet in F209 for 9:30am and to the Medicine Wheel Garden together to start preparing the site at 10am.

To register, please send an email to Holly Scherban at hscherban@rrc.ca with the following information: 

• Name 
• Student number 
• Any dietary restrictions for the Feast 

When: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 26, 2024 

Where: Medicine Wheel Garden and Sweat Lodge Facilities at the Notre Dame Campus 

Elder Paul joined RRC Polytech in 2018 as an Elder-in-Residence and has since hosted many traditional Ceremonies and Sweat Lodges across the College, in addition to offering the Indigenous Worldview through Indigenous Teachings and Sharing Circles. He’s a Sundance Bundle Carrier (Chief), Sweat Lodge Bundle Carrier (Water Drum) and Dark Room Bundle Carrier. He is an active Elder with Addictions Foundation of Manitoba and Sagkeeng Child & Family Services and offers healing, spiritual growth, and personal development through ceremony, programming, and establishing healthy relationships. To learn more about Elder Paul and connect, please see his profile on our website. 

Sweat Lodge Ceremonies are a way to heal oneself and connect with all four parts of the self: the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Register now! Limit of 20 participants per Lodge. 

Matthew Paul sewed his third ribbon shirt with his peers in the Indigenous Support Centre as part of the course curriculum in College Transition. Being able to immerse himself in his culture has been essential in his educational journey, and he says he’s looking forward to graduating from his first post-secondary program this spring.

A few years ago, Paul was encouraging his daughter Joanna to graduate from school after he noticed that she was struggling to find motivation to complete assignments and participate in class.

Joanna responded with: “Why? You didn’t graduate. So, why should I?”

Her question had a resounding impact on Paul, and he realized that he needed to set an example for his daughter if he truly wanted to encourage her to pursue education. He enrolled at Urban Circle to obtain his grade 12 credentials, and the emphasis on Indigenous wellness and ways helped him to engage with the coursework far better than he could when he was in public school.

After he graduated, he could finally answer her question:

“Look – if I can do it, you can do it, too.”

That same year, Paul intended to continue his education through post-secondary. However, he encountered issues with his funding which delayed his launch into college for a year, and again was delayed the following year when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

In fall 2024, Paul was finally able to enter College Transition to help him get accustomed to a post-secondary learning environment.

At first, he was scared. He was intimidated coming into a learning environment as a mature student when many of his peers were in their early twenties and are still learning how to navigate the world as adults.

Now, he’s in the Indigenous Support Centre at Notre Dame Campus almost every day, chatting with students and staff. He feels confident in cracking the first joke with somebody, breaking the ice with new people – Paul says a lot of younger people he meets in the centre are shy, and he feels responsible for helping them feel more comfortable and helping them learn that it’s okay to laugh, joke and talk.

Now that he’s a high school graduate and a current college student, Paul says he’s proud to see Joanna still working hard in her own high school. The encouragement he gives her now is the same encouragement he learned himself: for him, it’s not about getting the best grades.

“Sometimes, you only get 50 per cent but as long as you tried, that’s what matters. Sometimes something won’t click right then and there, but you learn to figure it out. If you try your hardest and you still fail, well – that’s just life. With failure comes greater achievements in life later,” said Paul.

Prior to his return to school, Paul was living on assistance to support himself as a single parent caring for his daughter. He says it was a hard cycle to get out of because of the caveats that come with using social assistance programs.

“If you’re in school or you make any income, you get cut off, even though you might need that little extra support,” said Paul.

Paul says that College Transition helped him find the confidence he has in himself now, and he can identify his strengths and celebrate his own accomplishments.

“Before I came here, it felt so weird being able to say something good about myself. I always got told, ‘you can do it,’ and ‘why are you stopping yourself?’. It was like there was another me stopping myself,” said Paul.

Paul says that after College Transition, he’s considering the Pathway to Business, Creative Communications and Digital Technology Programs to learn how to run a business.

For a long time, Paul wanted to help others through his work, but wasn’t sure what that might look like. He says that he can see himself pursuing solutions to food shortages and the costs of groceries in northern communities.

Now that Paul’s a student again, he is not only encouraging his daughter to pursue education, but others that might be considering returning to school as well.

“Just do it – I was so scared to come here at first, but there was no reason to be. I grew from that. No matter how old you are, you still have a lot to learn,” said Paul.

Language reclamation is foundational to reconciliation – for many Indigenous people, learning to speak in their languages is not only an educational endeavour on its own, but is part of a larger healing journey. Culture is integral to identity, and language is integral to culture.

Tabitha Harper, Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship student, says that that she knew minimal Anishinaabemowin prior to taking the course, but being able to practice and learn with other students helped her to feel more confident with incorporating the language in her life. In addition to her classmates, Harper says she speaks with her niece in the language and they learn from each other. While she’s proud to be able to freely engage with one of her cultures, she says that the colonization of Turtle Island needs to be acknowledged as a source of pain for many Indigenous people.

“For me, I recognize the implications of having to learn my language in a classroom, and it is a hard part of our history to confront. The language path is a healing path – it’s learning about yourself and your own path,” said Harper.

Instructor Corey Whitford says now that the second cohort is wrapping up, he has realized that the students that have come through his classroom have made profound impacts on the way he teaches Anishinaabemowin and Anishinaabe ways. He lets the students share what it is that’s most important to them when they are learning the language.

“I’m not an instructor or teacher per se — more to the point, I am a guide. If you show interest, I’ll show you how to walk through that interest. What we’re doing is identifying what students are interested in learning, what they want to know in the language. I might have developed the course, but the students are the ones who make it,” said Whitford.

Whitford says he teaches to meet the needs of students – whether they’re cultural, spiritual or social. He says that he recognizes that teaching and learning are reciprocal.

Alice McKay, who had taken the evening course, is an Ojibwe immersion teacher currently on maternity leave. She says that, as an early childhood teacher, it’s important to see Indigenous teachers teaching Indigenous students.

“Introducing ourselves in our language, one of the first questions you ask a fellow Indigenous person is: ‘who’s your mom?’ ‘Who’s your dad?’ This is how we relate to each other, how we build connections with each other – we know each other through our relationships. I believe wholeheartedly that Indigenous people should be teaching Indigenous children their languages,” said McKay.

McKay says that a lot of the young students she has taught experience systemic oppression, which often manifests through the child welfare system, and many students don’t necessarily know the familial and territorial connections to properly introduce themselves in their language.

“I would take that responsibility upon myself to help these kids find out who they are and where they come from, so they could introduce themselves – so they can have that family connection, that cultural connection,” said McKay.

Language is inherently cultural, and learning language through a cultural lens is integral to an enriched experience for students on their own journeys, especially journeys that involve a lot of healing and self-reflection.

Introduction to Anishinaabemowin, as a standalone course and as an elective in second-year Social Innovation and Community Development, has helped over 100 students strengthen their cultural understanding and their language skills.

Barrier-free access to language education is foundational to cultural reclamation and reconciliation. CWB Financial Group recognized the generational impact this course has and as they strive to create inclusive spaces for success and growth, they partnered with RRC Polytech to ensure students that take Introduction to Anishinaabemowin in Winter and Spring 2024 have free tuition. They prioritize community investments focused on removing barriers for those pursuing skill development and learning and mentorship opportunities.

For more information and to register for Introduction to Anishinaabemowin, generously supported by CWB Financial Group, visit the Program Explorer page.

RRC Polytech is proud to host its 24th annual Pow Wow to acknowledge the accomplishments of Indigenous graduates. The annual Pow Wow gives our community the opportunity to dance, drum, sing, eat, connect, and participate in Ceremony.

Please join us to celebrate Indigenous graduates as we send them off on their continued journeys to success.

All Indigenous students graduating in 2024 are encouraged to join us to celebrate! Full-time, part-time, students that attend regional campuses, and students graduating in Fall 2024 are welcome to register and participate in Pow Wow.

FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2023

NOTRE DAME CAMPUS, NORTH GYM

• 10:00am – Pipe Ceremony
• 12:00pm – Grand Entry
• 2:00pm – Honouring Indigenous Graduates
• 4:30pm – Feast

Graduating students can register for attendance here. Graduates don’t need to register for stoles ahead of time and can pick them up at the Registration Table at the event.

Dancers can register at the Registration Table on the morning of the event.

Attendees don’t need to register ahead of time.