Due to unforeseen circumstances, Wiisinin Diner is closed for today. Thank you for your patience and understanding and we look forward to seeing you later this week!

You’re invited to join our celebration of the Spring Equinox!

The celebration will begin with a Pipe Ceremony led by the Grandparents-in-Residence in the Indigenous Support Centre, followed by a Feast to celebrate the season. Open to staff, students, and faculty, this gathering is a chance to connect, learn, and reflect with community.

• Thursday, March 19, 2026 – Notre Dame Campus, F209, 10 AM
  • 10 AM: Pipe Ceremony
  • 12 PM: Feast

No registration required. Feel free to bring your feast bundle to help reduce waste.

For questions, contact Sara McIvor-Prouty, Events and Facilities Coordination, School of Indigenous Education, at smicvor@rrc.ca.

About the Spring Equinox

The Spring Equinox is the official start of spring, when the north and south poles of the Earth are at equal distances from the Sun, and day and night are equal in length. This year, the Spring Equinox falls on March 20.

Join us in the Indigenous Student Support Centre at Notre Dame Campus

on March 20 as we honour Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Celebration and Awareness Day!

Throughout the day, we’ll be screening a selection of Two-Spirit short films, offering opportunities to learn, reflect, and celebrate diverse identities and experiences. This drop-in event is open to all RRC Polytech students and staff. Come for a few minutes or stay for awhile, your presence and participation are warmly welcomed. It’s a great opportunity to come together and meet new people or learn something new!

• 9am – 4pm
• Friday, March 20
• F209 Indigenous Support Centre, Notre Dame Campus

Films:

• Two Spirited – The empowering story of Rodney “Geeyo” Poucette’s struggle against prejudice in the Indigenous community as a Two Spirited Jingle Dancer. (6 min showing)
• Deb-we-win Ge-ken-am-aan: Our Place in the Circle – Lorne Olson has a vision of Two Spirited people dancing, laughing, and smiling — spurring him to rediscover the strength of the past to better face today’s challenge. (22 min showing)
• Woman Dress – Pre-contact, a Two Spirit person travels the Plains, gathering and sharing stories. This film honours and respects Woman Dress, without imposing colonial binaries.  (6 min showing)
• Inkwo – In this animated adventure a future haunted by monstrous beings, Dove—a gender-shifting warrior—must harness ancestral medicine (Inkwo) to defend their community and restore balance to a fractured world. (18 min showing)

A community Sharing Circle will take place from 12pm – 1pm, creating space to gather, share, and connect over the lunch hour.

Culinary Skills (Indigenous) students launch annual pop-up diner

The Culinary Skills (Indigenous) students at RRC Polytech are bringing their talents to the table with the return of their much-anticipated pop-up diner! This hands-on learning experience allows students to showcase their newly acquired culinary skills while serving up delicious breakfast and lunch options for staff and students.

Located in the Prairie Lights Dining Room (Building C – Mall Level) at the Notre Dame Campus, the Wiisinin Diner will officially open its doors on Tuesday, March 10.

Hours of Operation

Tuesday – Friday, March 10 – April 24

• Breakfast: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
• Lunch: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Important Notes

• Single orders only – No modifications can be accommodated.
• Training environment – As students hone their skills, orders may take longer or have minor errors. Your patience and support are greatly appreciated!

To order, visit the Wiisinin Diner webpage. The menu will be available when the Wiisinin Diner is open!

RRC Polytech’s Interlake and Peguis – Fisher River Campus did not hold classes today at the Peguis or Fisher River sites to observe J.J. Harper Day, otherwise known as Indigenous Justice Day.

Indigenous Justice Day is to honour the lives lost to systemic racism and acknowledge the work still needed to achieve justice and accountability. The observance today was created in remembrance of J.J. Harper.

John Joseph (J.J.) Harper was a member of Wasagamack First Nation, respected leader, and advocate who was fatally shot by the Winnipeg Police Service in March 1988. He was unarmed and had committed no crime when he was murdered. His death became a powerful example of racial profiling and injustice faced by Indigenous Peoples, and his leadership and voice continue to be remembered as calls for change.

Indigenous people continue to be overrepresented in Canada’s criminal justice system as both victims and those accused of crime.

If you need a quiet space or community support, the Indigenous Support Centres are open at Notre Dame Campus (F209) and Exchange District Campus (P407) in Winnipeg.

If you need someone to talk to, connect with Student Counselling Services or Staff Forum resources.

Our Métis Kitchen Parties in Mitakuye Oyasin Okciyape at the Exchange District Campus (EDC) on Feb. 11 and at the Indigenous Support Centre at Notre Dame Campus (NDC) on Feb. 12 brought people together to celebrate Métis history, culture, and community in a really joyful way.

Louis Riel Day honours Louis Riel and the strength and resilience of the Métis Nation, and music and dancing felt like the perfect way to do that. With fiddling from Morgan Grace and energetic jigging by Peyton Habinski-Anderson and Savanna Anderson at NDC and with Jason Lepine and friends at EDC, both celebrations were full of appreciation for Métis culture!

If you have previously applied but did not include the one-page essay, please know that your application is not complete. However, the deadline has been extended to February 27, 2026.  Please send your essay submission, your full name and student number to financialaid@rrc.ca and they will add it to your earlier submission.

Mínwastánikéwin is a Cree word that means ‘to set it right.’

The Mínwastánikéwin Truth and Reconciliation Award was made possible through collaboration between Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement, College and Public Relations and the Campus Store. The award is funded by the generous support of RRC Polytech students, staff and faculty through campaigns at the RRC Polytech Campus Store that bring awareness to Truth and Reconciliation and Indigenous-led initiatives such as Orange Shirt Day and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People Honouring and Awareness Day.

This award is for Indigenous full-time students. Recipients will be selected based on an essay response on what Truth and Reconciliation means to them. To be eligible, applicants are required to submit a General RRC Polytech Application, proof of Indigenous heritage, and a one-page essay submission. Completed application forms should be submitted by email to financialaid@rrc.ca.

Extended Deadline: February 27, 2026

If you have any questions, please attend one of two information sessions being held at both the Notre Dame Campus and the Exchange District Campus:

• NDC Indigenous Support Centre (F209) – February 23, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
• EDC Indigenous Support Centre (P407) – February 24, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

January 4 is Ribbon Skirt Day, a day to honour the beauty, strength, and resilience of Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse people.

Ribbon skirts are more than clothing – they are Ceremonial and cultural garments that carry teachings, identity, and pride. For Indigenous Peoples, our Ceremonial clothing is our formal wear. It reflects who we are, where we come from, and the responsibilities we carry.

Ribbon Skirt Day was established after Isabella Kulak, a young girl from Cote First Nation, was shamed in 2022 for wearing her ribbon skirt to school in Saskatchewan. What had been a moment of harm became a powerful movement of love and solidarity, affirming that Indigenous Peoples have the right to wear their cultural regalia with pride and without discrimination.

Wearing ribbon skirts and other traditional regalia is an expression of culture, sovereignty, and belonging. These garments deserve to be respected in all spaces – schools, workplaces, and public life – just as any other form of formal attire is respected.

On Ribbon Skirt Day, we celebrate cultural pride and stand against discrimination, affirming that Indigenous identities and traditions are to be honoured every day.

RRC Polytech’s Emerging Media and Production team is collaborating with Ininew artist and Artist-in-Residence Heather Endall and the Truth and Reconciliation and Community Development department to create Reflections on Racism, an immersive 360º installation that blends Indigenous storytelling, traditional art, animation, and sound. Centered on Michael Hutchinson’s How the Dog Learned to Dance, the project invites viewers to reflect on racism, empathy, and allyship while embodying Universal Design for Learning through accessible in-person, VR, and online formats. Through Endall’s powerful artwork and lived experience, the installation becomes a space for community voices, introspection, and meaningful dialogue on anti-racism at RRC Polytech.

Read the full story to learn how this groundbreaking project is bringing art, technology, and Traditional Knowledge together to inspire change on the Diversity Blog.

Gwen Cook and Manitoba Moon Voices Inc.

The Gwen Cook Memorial Award was created to honour the memory of Gwen Cook (Bimosekwe) who was a founding Grandmother of the Manitoba Moon Voices Inc.’s (MMVI) Grandmother Advisory Circle.

The Gwen Cook Memorial Award will be presented to an Indigenous woman or gender diverse individual who is enrolled in post-secondary studies in Manitoba, is a member of MMVI, and exemplifies the qualities of the late Gwen Cook.

The $1,000 scholarship is intended for a person who is enrolled in post-secondary studies with a minimum 60% course load (9 credit hours per Fall and Winter term).

How to apply:

Eligible applicants must complete the application and submit it to MMVI

Applications must be received by 4:30pm Friday, January 2, 2026.

Completed applications must include:

• Filled out application
• Essay explaining what traditional leadership means to you and how you put these into practice (500 – 1000 words)
• A copy of most recent transcript
• Proof of Indigenous ancestry
• A letter of recommendation
• A resume

About Gwen Cook

Gwen was a proud Maskgeko Anishibaabe Ikwe who was born in The Pas, MB and grew up in Flin Flon and Cranberry Portage, MB. She was a loving mother, sister, grandmother and friend who had a strong and gentle spirit.

Gwen was a leader in the community who adhered to traditional practices, values and leadership. Education was important to Gwen. She attained her Bachelor and Master of Social Work and was pursuing a Doctoral degree before her passing.

Gwen worked in Winnipeg for forty years at various organizations where she loved working with people. She contributed to the community by volunteering on various boards like Ka Ni Kanichihk and the Grandmothers Working for Good Life Council. Gwen was also a committee member of the Master of Social Work Indigenous Knowledge Program (U of M). She provided expertise in social services and shared her traditional knowledge.

Gwen was an active member of the Three Fires Midewin Lodge for over twenty years and was a fourth degree Midewin woman.

Reclamation of the Anishinaabe traditional way of life was essential to Gwen and she encouraged others in their own healing.