November is Indigenous Disabilities Awareness Month

Now is a time to raise awareness of the experiences, strengths, and contributions of Indigenous people living with disabilities. It is also an opportunity to reflect on accessibility, inclusion, and the many ways disability intersects with culture, community, identity, and wellbeing.

For many Indigenous Peoples, wellness is understood through a holistic lens that recognizes the connections between physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. These perspectives remind us that health is shaped not only by individual circumstances, but also by relationships, community, culture, language, land, and access to support systems.

Later this month, we’ll explore how Indigenous approaches to wellness can broaden our understanding of health and inform more inclusive ways of supporting one another. We’ll look at insights of members of our community and examine wellness through a relational and holistic perspective, offering an opportunity to learn from Indigenous knowledge and lived experience.

Join us throughout Indigenous Disabilities Awareness Month as we recognize the importance of creating environments where everyone can access the supports, resources, and sense of belonging they need to thrive.

Join us for the closing keynote of our Truth and Reconciliation programming with Ovide Mercredi, former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, lawyer, and respected Indigenous leader.

Drawing on decades of leadership and advocacy, Ovide will explore the role leaders play in removing colonial systemic barriers and advancing Indigenous student success in post-secondary education.

• Roundhouse Auditorium, Manitou a bi Bii daziigae
• 12:00 – 1:30 PM

The keynote will be livestreamed as well.

Take part in a week of learning, reflection, and connection through Indigenous teachings, storytelling, and experiences. This year’s events will include in-person sessions led by Knowledge Keepers, staff, and special guests, along with self-guided opportunities curated by departments across the Polytech.

Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement Week invites us all to deepen our understanding of Canada’s history and the ongoing impacts of colonization on Indigenous Peoples. It’s a time to listen, learn, and take meaningful steps together toward reconciliation, healing, and stronger relationships rooted in respect and truth.

Monday, Sept. 28

All day | Greenhouse, NDC | Buffalo Hide Tanning and Scraping
12 to 1:30 p.m. | Roundhouse Auditorium, EDC | Kevin Chief Author’s Talk and Book Launch
12 to 1:30 p.m. | F209, NDC | Red Dress Beading Workshop
10 to 11 a.m. | GM33 EMP, NDC | Anti-Racism Immersive Experience: How the Dog Learned to Dance

Tuesday, Sept. 29

11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. | E155, EDC | Red Dress Pin Beading Workshop
12 to 1:30 p.m. | Roundhouse Auditorium, EDC | The Tools and Knowledge Left for Us by Our Elders Video-Based Learning Modules Viewing
10 to 11 a.m. | GM33 EMP, NDC | Anti-Racism Immersive Experience: How the Dog Learned to Dance
12 to 1:30 p.m. | F209, NDC | Anishinaabemowin Workshop
12 p.m. to 1 p.m. | South Winnipeg Campus | Canadian Indigenous Historical Timeline

Wednesday, Sept. 30

All RRC Polytech campuses closed for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Thursday, Oct. 1

All day | Greenhouse, NDC | Buffalo Skull Cleaning
12 to 1:30 p.m. | Roundhouse Auditorium, EDC | Building Trust to Drive Growth: Strengthening Our Community Through Relational Leadership
12 to 1:30 p.m. | P107, EDC | Anishinaabemowin Workshop
12 to 1:30 p.m. | F209, NDC | Indigenous Veterans Presentation
12 to 1:30 p.m. | F311, NDC | Talking Circles for Instructors
12 to 1 p.m. | GM33 EMP, NDC | Anti-Racism Immersive Experience: How the Dog Learned to Dance
12 to 1:30 p.m. | South Winnipeg Campus | Land Acknowledgement Workshop

Friday, Oct. 2

12 to 1:30 p.m. | Roundhouse Auditorium, EDC | Closing Keynote with Ovide Mercredi
2 to 3 p.m. | GM33 EMP, NDC | Anti-Racism Immersive Experience: How the Dog Learned to Dance
1:30 to 3:30 p.m. | Brookside Cemetery | Indigenous Veterans Walking Tour

Read more on the Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement blog.

Students and staff are invited to meet Grandmother Janice Miller at a Meet and Greet on September 9, 2026, from 11 am to 6 pm in Room E155 in Manitou a bi Bii daziigae at the Exchange District Campus.

Grandmother Janice was born and raised in Winnipeg. She is of Inninew and Métis ancestry and brings more than 37 years of experience supporting Indigenous student success. As a former counsellor with the Winnipeg School Division, she has dedicated her career to helping create equitable learning environments for students while working closely with educators, administrators, and community partners.

Since joining the Indigenous Student Support team, Grandmother Janice has continued her commitment to supporting students and fostering meaningful connections through Indigenous ways of knowing, learning, and community.

For more information, contact EldersinResidence@rrc.ca.

Event Details

• Wednesday, September 9, 2026
• 11 am to 6 pm
• Room E155, Manitou a bi Bii daziigae

Join us as we gather to recognize the Fall Equinox on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at the Exchange District Campus. The Fall Equinox is one of four seasonal transition points throughout the year, alongside the Winter and Summer Solstices and the Spring Equinox. It marks the point when day and night are nearly equal in length and signals a shift toward the cooler months ahead and the end of summer. Traditionally, this time of year is associated with harvesting, giving thanks for what has been provided, and preparing for the changes that come with the next season.

To acknowledge the seasonal transition, the Indigenous Student Supports team invites students, staff and community members to come together for a morning of Ceremony, reflection and community. The event will begin with a Pipe Ceremony at 10 a.m. in the Roundhouse Auditorium at Manitou a bi Bii daziigae. The gathering will conclude with a Feast at 12 p.m. as we celebrate the changing of the season together.

The Roundhouse Auditorium is located on the second floor of Manitou a bi Bii daziigae at the Exchange District Campus. Everyone is welcome to attend! To help reduce waste, please bring your Feast Bundle if you have one.

Fall Equinox 2026
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
10 a.m. Pipe Ceremony
12 p.m. Feast

Location: Roundhouse Auditorium, Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, Exchange District Campus

We look forward to gathering with you to celebrate the season and the importance of community, reflection and gratitude.

Earn a $1000 bursary by June 2027 and build your connections on campus

The Indigenous Student Support & Partnerships department recruits students each year known amongst their peers as the R-Crew, or Resource Crew. The R-Crew positions provide a great opportunity for Indigenous students to get involved with Indigenous-focused activities and events, while learning valuable leadership skills, gaining work experience, and becoming a role model to other students. These students are an integral part of our team and help to build our community on campus. Every year, we welcome new R-Crew members to take on leadership roles in our community.                                        

Qualified applicants must have: 

• a willingness to learn;
• a strong sense of teamwork and dedication;
• time and flexibility to work outside of class time hours, and;
• the ability to serve as an integral part of RRCP’s Indigenous Student Support team.

Members who complete 100 hours of volunteer time between October 2026 and June 2027, will be awarded a $1,000 bursary.  If you have any questions, contact Sara McIvor-Prouty, Events and Facilities Coordinator, Indigenous Education, at smcivor@rrc.ca

 Apply by Friday, September 29, 2026.

The Community Development and Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship diplomas through the Social Innovation and Community Development program are now accredited by Cando (Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers). Graduates are eligible to earn the Technician Aboriginal Economic Developer (TAED) designation.

Students in the SICD programs spend their studies learning how to create meaningful change in communities. They build practical skills in community development, socio-economic development, environmental issues, and economic reconciliation, while gaining valuable work experience and learning through Indigenous perspectives. Cando-accredited programs provide students with the training, skills, and credentials needed to support sustainable economic success in Indigenous communities across Canada. Accreditation affirms that an institution or program adheres to high-quality standards, giving students confidence in their education while securing credit transfer options, meeting industry requirements, and improving employment prospects.

Once a student graduates, they will receive their TAED certification, which recognizes the knowledge and competencies they developed through their studies in Community Development or Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship. The designation demonstrates readiness to support Indigenous communities, organizations, governments, and social enterprises in advancing economic and community development initiatives.

Learn more about both streams in Social Innovation and Community Development on the Program Explorer.

Treaty One was signed at Lower Fort Garry in 1871. Representatives of Britain and the Chiefs of seven First Nations: Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Long Plain First Nation, Peguis First Nation, Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation, Sagkeeng First Nation, Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation, and Swan Lake First Nation signed an agreement that allowed settlers to live on this land and opened the way for the subsequent Numbered Treaties.

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the signing of Treaty 1. We acknowledge the historic relationship established through Treaty 1 and recognize the enduring rights, responsibilities, and commitments that continue today. We reflect on the importance of understanding our shared history and advancing reconciliation through meaningful action.

Learn more about the Treaties:

• 4 Seasons of Reconciliation Education (RRC Polytech Staff training)
• Learn more with The Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba
• Learn about the communities in Treaty 1

Jamie Wilson went on CJOB to talk about the release of Our Roadmap Forward Report as part of Overcoming Barriers for Indigenous Students Project along with alumni Joey Laquette, Plumbing, and Hevyn-Lee Martens, Social Innovation and Community Development. Joey and Hevyn-Lee shared their college experiences on-air and discussed the community they found at RRC Polytech.

Today’s Pipe Ceremony will be held at 10am in the Indigenous Student Support Centre F209.

Due to the rain in the forecast, we will not be having the Ceremony at the Medicine Wheel Garden.