On Wednesday, more than a dozen Aboriginal chiefs from across Atlantic Canada spent their morning discussing education at Dalhousie鈥檚 University Hall.
The roundtable was organized by the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Canada鈥檚 Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs. The discussion was focused on strategies for building a stronger education system for First Nations, as well as the importance of indigenous languages and cultures.
Following the roundtable was an announcement event from the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs, sharing results of a new study on First Nation economic contributions to Atlantic Canada. The report, titled [PDF], offers evidence of the significant impact of the region鈥檚 Indigenous people鈥檚 on the economy 鈥斅爁rom Indigenous businesses through to direct spending.
Minister Bennett, in her introductory remarks to the roundtable, discussed the importance of challenging and deconstructing stereotypes about Canada鈥檚 Indigenous peoples.
鈥淭he exciting job we have together, now, of moving First Nations, Inuit Metis from being perceived as part of the 鈥榩roblem鈥� column into the 鈥榮olutions for Canada鈥� problem 鈥斅爐hat is what we get to do together,鈥� she said, introducing the discussion. 鈥淩obust Indigenous communities [are] going to be the engine that drives Canada forward.鈥�
Dal President Richard Florizone was invited to attend the roundtable, and was eager to listen and learn from the conversation. He briefly noted from Canada鈥檚 Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
鈥淎t Dalhousie, we welcome the guidance and the recommendations of the TRC鈥檚 calls to action, and we take our response very seriously,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 have all the answers yet, in terms of curriculum changes or supports that need to be in place for our Indigenous students, but we鈥檙e committed on that path of working with our colleagues and our Aboriginal Advisory Council, as well as all of you, to advance that.鈥�
in January. The university also launched its new this past fall, as well as its new program.
Wednesday鈥檚 roundtable discussion was co-chaired by Chief Morley Googoo, Assembly of First Nations regional chief for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and Dal faculty member Patti Doyle-Bedwell. Prof. Bedwell, who was the first Mi鈥檏maq woman to earn tenure at Dalhousie, has served as chair of the Council on Mi鈥檏maq Education, as well as chair of the Nova Scotia Council on the Status of Women, and currently teaches in International Development Studies about indigenous peoples and international human rights. She was also director of Dal鈥檚 Transition Year Program for 18 years.