Colton Gadoury grew up immersed in the Internet.

Today, his favourite hobby is settling in and logging onto Red Dead Redemption, or connecting with friends over the occasional virtual sports game.

At 24-years-old, with post-secondary certification in Electrical Applications and after a lot of consideration, Gadoury enrolled in the first Pathway to IT cohort in January 2023. 

He says the program was a logical fit for his circumstances: with a tuition of just $500 thanks to RBC Future Launch, the program didn’t strain his budget as much as launching directly into a diploma or bachelor program might have, and was the best way to change his job title from electrician to software developer.

“The Pathway program gave me the confidence to make the jump between industries. I wasn’t sure where I would fit in the information technology industry because it’s so huge, but the Pathway helped me explore options and figure out where I wanted to go… It helped introduce me to a lot of opportunities in tech for a Métis person such as myself,” said Gadoury.

Despite his affinity for technology, Gadoury initially hadn’t considered a career in IT before attending RRC Polytech. From a young age, he thought he would be a tradesperson and pursued that path.

“Since I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, and there was some expectation to attend post-secondary, I rushed into a trade I thought I might like,” Gadoury said.

After experiencing that frustration as an electrician, Gadoury reflected on what it was that did make him happy. As an avid gamer that grew up with the evolution of the internet, he’d acquired technical skills from his hobbies that he hadn’t realized he could transfer to a career. He used that foundational knowledge of computer systems and coding that he’d gleaned over the years as inspiration for a new career trajectory: information technology. It’s a constantly-growing, goliath industry with plenty of opportunity to carve a new path. He just needed to know where and how he could gain the skills to take the plunge.

The biggest challenge for Gadoury’s career change was the uncertainty. Making the choice to pursue a different profession meant that his established and steady income would become temporarily unstable, and he wouldn’t know for how long. The Pathway program eased his hesitation and he says he’s glad he went for it.

Gadoury recalls his favourite experience being the Sprint to Innovate course. He and his classmates broke up into groups to generate concepts for improving the user experience, or UX, on RRC Polytech’s internal staff HUB site in three areas: filling out expense reports, obtaining keycard access, and booking rooms. The first group designed a wizard to calculate and populate spaces based on information users provided; the second group proposed a virtual assistant chat box to provide users with advice and direction; and Gadoury’s group constructed an interactive booking map to engage users.

At the beginning of the term, Gadoury says he was nervous at the prospect of their project. It felt like a lot of work loomed over them, especially during the planning stages to determine the best path forward. Each group figured out how to work with the existing site structure to integrate their solutions and by the end of the term, they presented prototypes to mock clients. Gadoury says the collaboration transformed his reservations into confidence, and he was proud to apply the skills and knowledge he had acquired through the program.

The experience with Sprint to Innovate and the support he received in the Pathway to IT program confirmed for him that taking a leap to the new career – one he finds rewarding with endless opportunity – was the right decision. Through the Pathway program, he’d made connections with other Indigenous IT professionals making technological progress for a variety of Indigenous organizations.

Gadoury is looking forward to focusing his portfolio in RRC Polytech’s Business Information Technology (BIT) program in Fall 2023. He says he can see himself applying his skills to front-end development to innovate user experience by streamlining digital interfaces, or contributing to the programmatic structural integrity of software through back-end development—both areas have wide applications out of which Gadoury says he could carve a rewarding career.

Pathways at RRC Polytech

Pathway to Information Technology Programs prepares Indigenous students to take the lead in technology and helps to jumpstart an education in technology. Pathways are exploratory and preparatory, ensuring that Indigenous students have the foundation to start strong in their post-secondary journeys. Pathways are for Indigenous students that haven’t experienced post-secondary education yet or want to build a starting point for an education in a particular industry—which includes career-changers like Gadoury.

The Pathway to Information Technology is generously supported by RBC Future Launch, which has reduced the program’s tuition to $500 for each intake until 2024. For more information about the Pathway to IT Programs and to get your application started for Fall 2023, check out the Program Explorer.

As a tattoo and multimedia artist, Shayre Curé’s art is often specially curated for the people that commission her — regardless of the medium.

Her art is typically for the enjoyment of private buyers, in their houses or on their skin.

This year, Curé partnered with RRC Polytech to create an original Red Shirt design to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People (MMIWG2S) and to support the Mínwastánikéwin Truth and Reconciliation Award for Indigenous students.

“As a Métis artist, my goal is to create art that brings awareness to this important issue. I want my art to not only reflect cultural heritage, but to inspire future generations to continue the fight for justice, equality, and empowerment,” said Curé.

The Red Shirt design portrays a woman with the emblematic handprint over her mouth that represents the “No More Stolen Sisters” movement, a phrase coined to express the outrage and grief over the loss of so many women, girls and Two Spirit people that, in many cases, could have been prevented. Curé worked in collaboration with a committee of Indigenous staff to come up with the concept.

No More Stolen Sisters. It’s a sentiment close to Curé’s heart, and the hearts of many Indigenous people.

RRC Polytech’s relationship with Curé first began earlier this year, when the Indigenous Student Support Centre purchased a piece from her entitled “The Silent Genocide on Turtle Island”—a piece that has taken her years to complete.

In 2018, she’d hand-drawn the concept for this piece shortly after her best friend Kayla was killed in a hit-and-run. The death of her best friend was devastating, though grief was not unfamiliar to Curé—she says that Kayla’s brother had also been murdered eight years prior in 2010. She’s known many people whose friends and family have gone missing or were killed over the years, and she says being able to honour them through her art and bring light to their stories is humbling.

Curé had returned to the concept last year in October 2022, when previously undisclosed details of Kayla’s case were revealed. To deal with the emotion that bubbled to the surface, the pain of injustice, and the reminder of loss, Curé transformed the original hand-drawn concept into a multimedia painting using acrylic paint and beads.

From a young age, Curé expressed herself through art—art and the process of creation was an anchor for her while growing up. As a child, Curé recalled seeing tattooed folks on TV but never on the people she knew or had seen in her area. Identifying that market planted the seeds that would later bloom into a strong and active career.

In high school, Curé says she fell in step with a bad crowd and diverged from her artistic inclinations for a few years. The summer before she started university classes for psychiatric nursing, Curé met a tattoo artist and her path circled back to her love of art, and she decided to pursue tattooing. She’s been tattooing at Tattoos by Rodriguez for the past five years and regularly creates art on skin and canvas alike.

Curé’s emotional and powerful expression of grief and hope through her painting that now lives in the Indigenous Support Centre moved RRC Polytech to approach Curé with another opportunity to collaborate on the Red Shirt design to bring more awareness to MMIWG2S, and to support Indigenous students through the proceeds from the sales.

“Through the design of this shirt, along with the acrylic painting I created for the Indigenous Student Support Centre, I pay tribute to my best friend Kayla Arkinson — her life was tragically taken on June 23rd, 2018, in Sagkeeng First Nation,” Curé said.

The Red Shirt can be purchased at the Campus Store and all proceeds go to the Mínwastánikéwin Truth and Reconciliation Award. Every Red Shirt is produced and supplied by Red Rebel Armour, owned and operated by Indigenous alumnus Sean Rayland-Boubar.

“Working with Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs to represent Indigenous ideas and movements is integral to the societal change we aim for,” said Carla Kematch, Director, Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement. “Initiatives like the Orange and Red Shirts are not only a strong way to raise awareness of truth and Indigenous history, but it’s also an opportunity for Indigenous people to participate in their own stories. Curé’s story is unique but many people know it well from their own experience, which makes it all the more powerful.”

The College community is invited to wear red on October 4 to show support for the families of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two Spirit people.

Artist’s Statement

Since settlers set foot on Turtle Island, a silent genocide has been perpetuated against Indigenous women. The United Nations recognized this and called on Canada to implement the MMIWG2S National Inquiry’s 231 Calls for Justice. Indigenous women are twelve times more likely to be murdered or to go missing than non-Indigenous women in Canada.

Through the design of this shirt, along with the acrylic painting I created for the Indigenous Student Support Centre, I pay tribute to my best friend Kayla Arkinson — her life was tragically taken on June 23rd, 2018 in Sagkeeng First Nation.

As a Métis artist, my goal is to create art that brings awareness to this important issue. I want my art to not only reflect cultural heritage, but to inspire future generations to continue the fight for justice, equality, and empowerment.

Shayre Curé

Usually, students look forward to a break in the summer between classes.

They look forward to time relaxing and decompressing, forgetting the pressure of deadlines and obligations, maybe stretching out on the sand at the beach or trudging mountain trails.

Tessa Cochrane’s respite from class lasted barely a week. She finished the 10-month College Transition program and intended to apply for Introduction to Trades to eventually secure her spot in the Welding program but when Women of Steel™ presented a tuition-free, fast-tracking option starting in May, she jumped at the opportunity – sacrificing some summer fun to effectively cut down her time in post-secondary by a whole year.

Cochrane graduated high school in 2018 and bounced around various fields from retail, to construction, to peacekeeping. At first, she didn’t see the importance of post-secondary education, but after experiencing employment competition in multiple industries, she decided upgrading would be beneficial.

After high school, she describes her academic level as fairly moderate, but College Transition helped boost her faith in her abilities and her straight ‘A’ grades in the first term reflected her drive and potential. By adding experience to her earnestness, Cochrane was confident she’d find employment but still wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to do – for her, the best approach was taking it one day at a time to find her passion.

Growing up, Cochrane recalls, she set her sights on becoming a doctor, a veterinarian, a natural resource officer, a firefighter – and countless other things that a kid’s attention might latch onto. She came from a line of firefighters and grew up on a farm, so handiness was inherent in her family. She’d seen her father and grandfather welding on the farm but said she hadn’t considered the trades until she met some influential tradeswomen at the College and was inspired by their success.

“I’ve picked and settled on so many things over the years, my parents ask, ‘Is she going to stick with welding?” Tessa said with a laugh. “Yeah, I think I’ll stick with welding.”

In the College Transition program, one of Cochrane’s assignments was to conduct a career exploration in preparation for the January 2023 Indigenous Career Fair. While researching fields and careers that interested her, Cochrane realized that most of her previous pursuits were influenced by the things she thought people needed her to be – to fill a role that needed filling.

College Transition allowed her to really tap into her potential and discover things that would not only challenge her and put her skills to use, but that she could love doing and be good at. At the Indigenous Career Fair, Cochrane had the chance to explore different opportunities around the province and connected with several employers. She was eventually offered a job placement with an organization closer to home in the Interlake Region.

Cochrane intended to take the summer position at that point but when RRC Polytech posted the Women of Steel™: Forging Forward Program in January, she was among the first in line to apply – taking advantage of the immediate opportunity served up on a ‘stainless steel’ platter by the CWB Welding Foundation, using Federal funding to attract more women to the trades.

When she completes the intensive 15-week program and two-week job placement Cochrane is hoping to have earned four Canadian Welding Bureau qualification tickets making her readily employable for basic manufacturing and prepared for additional post-secondary training or apprenticeship.

Cochrane credits identifying her passion and establishing her career path to the growth she experienced while in College Transition. Although she grew up in a Christian family, the program provided a safe space for her to learn more about her ancestors’ traditional ways and gave her perspective on cultures and the many similarities between Indigenous people all around the world.

Her favourite part, she says, was the fact that support was everywhere for everything. As an aspiring welder she appreciates the bonds that she’s created with classmates and instructors at RRC Polytech and hopes she inspires others to invest in themselves and pursue education.  

“There’s no judgment, there’s a strong purpose here that students find, and that foundation really helps you find what it is you want to do,” said Cochrane.

The Mínwastánikéwin Award, named for the Cree word that means ‘to set it right’, was created in 2019 in partnership with RRC Polytech’s Campus Store during the first Truth and Reconciliation Week. Applicants were asked to write a one-page essay on what Truth and Reconciliation means to them as residential and day school survivors and children of survivors.

When we talk about Truth and Reconciliation, we mean that we want to set it right.

To set right the damage that Indigenous Peoples have endured over the last few centuries.

To set right the broken bones, so they might heal properly, to heal stronger.

To set right the history and perception of Indigenous Peoples, so the world might know the truth, to come together stronger.

This year, two recipients earned the Mínwastánikéwin Award: Rebecca Choken and Wendy Monias.

Rebecca Choken came to RRC Polytech unexpectedly. She’d been considering the future with her three-year-old daughter, who has Autism. Rebecca knew that she didn’t want to continue living off Employment and Income Assistance—she wanted to give her daughter stability. Her love and dedication for her daughter motivated Rebecca to seek new avenues to improve herself.

Rebecca applied for Business Administration and the College notified her of an opening at the Exchange District Campus for January 2023, which she readily took. Rebecca was in a whirlwind within the first few weeks of accepting the offer—she scrambled to find a daycare that could provide specialized care for her daughter, secured funding from her band, and gathered the necessary supplies to succeed in the program. The last time she’d been in school, it was pencils and paper. Everything happened so quickly, but she was ready for that first week of classes in January.

“I never thought I would get this award, at first. Sharing my story and my past trauma—it made me stronger as a person. The healing, just to be here… I sometimes think of my brother, and those that have passed on; they’d want the best for me,” said Rebecca.

The feeling of being undeserving, of being unworthy, of not having it as hard as others, is one of many symptoms of the intergenerational effects the residential school and day school legacy has had on survivors and children of survivors.

To heal, and to recognize when you need help healing, is a lot of lonely work. When much of your life has been painted with strokes of trauma and blots from loss, seeing an end to the cycle can be difficult. The work trauma creates doesn’t end with the trauma itself; the responsibility to heal is also thrust upon you. The mess trauma made in your home is one you task yourself with cleaning up.

Two years ago, on her 36^th birthday, Wendy Monias joined the Red Road—a way of life dedicated to spiritual growth. She woke up that morning and decided that enough was enough and she was going to start a new chapter of her life. Wendy, who’d attended Indian day school, had moved to Winnipeg from Garden Hill First Nation in northern Manitoba when she was 12. The distance the move created was not only physical, but cultural and spiritual. Now, she’s actively reclaiming her culture and working towards her diploma in Business Administration. Last fall, Wendy went on her first hunting trip, caught her first moose, and attended her first medicine walk.

“It’s backwards. Elders are saying goodbye to so many young people, when it should be the young people sending off our Elders,” said Wendy. “I want to be a good example to my kids; to show them you can be strong at home, you can be graceful with yourself. I am accountable to my own healing.”

Wendy’s late kookum, Kelly McKay, was a residential school survivor and graduate of the same Business Administration program at RRC Polytech many years ago. Wendy credits her inspiration to her kookum, whom she recounted as kind, funny, and hard-working: everything Wendy wants to be for her kids and the people she’ll help in the future.

“Her attention to detail, organizational skills and drives inspires me every day. She knew how to keep her home tidy, study regularly and always had time for me. In times where I think I can’t balance everything, I think of her,” Wendy recalled.

The risk of applying for a bursary is not only, “What if I don’t get it?”, it is also, “What if I am taking it from someone who needs it more?” These doubts are echoed all throughout the submissions this year. Despite this, over 25 Indigenous students still applied – more than any other year. Over 25 Indigenous students still bore their teeth and their hearts, and told their stories.

Rebecca says the award was well-timed for her. She’d started her program just days after the new year and with a deadline of January 31, she was able to submit her application just under the wire. The award, she says, will ease the financial strain that’s come with the rapid-fire changes in her life, and help her spend more time with her daughter.

When she’s finished with her diploma, Rebecca says she wants to start her own business. She has friends in the Indigenous hip hop scene with whom she could potentially partner with in business. In the future, she wants to build a fashion apparel brand where she can integrate her beliefs, culture, work systems, and ancestors into the brand. She used to do beadwork as a hobby and has ideas to work accessories into the brand.

“Receiving this award means a lot to me, I’m very honoured,” said Rebecca. “It represents a lot of resilience in Indigenous People, it’s not only just me—there’s a lot of people that have been through similar things. You can overcome that. You can still pursue your dreams as long as you put your mind to it.”

For Wendy, the award helped her to make more time to spend with her kids. Between the time it takes to get to and from school, pick everyone up and head home, cooking meals and prepping for the next day, precious little time was often left in the days for Wendy to spend with her five kids. With the bursary, it freed up cumulative time that allowed her and her kids to sit down to full dinners and connect with each other after their long days.

“We’re really tight, me and my kids. The award’s helped me to catch up on things that needed catching up, and a huge weight has been lifted. I want my kids to have all the opportunities they can; you know, bible camps, winter retreats, school trips. My eldest, he’s 18; we’re fundraising for his band trip to Edmonton,” said Wendy.

Wendy hopes to have an office job when she’s finished with her diploma. She’s majoring in Marketing but might switch to Human Resources. She wants to open more doors and help other Indigenous women see where they can go.

For survivors and children of survivors, confronting your past is like screaming out into the sky, alone: baring your teeth and your heart and telling your story, tearing through your raw emotions and the weight of the things past. And it is, without fail, surprising to hear the sky speak back.

RRC Polytech recognizes the role it has as an educational institution in Truth and Reconciliation, in making it right. When Indigenous learners choose to become students at RRC Polytech, the College seeks to ease the burdens that resonate intergenerationally within survivors and the children of survivors of residential and day schools, while showing the rest of the community why this work is important through the stories of the Indigenous People this work affects.

To learn more about the Mínwastánikéwin Award, see the Awards, Bursaries and Scholarships catalogue.

The program is focused on increasing female representation in science fields and integrating Indigenous knowledge.

Three students from RRC Polytech’s Social Innovation and Community Development program have been accepted into Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)’s Sistering Indigenous and Western Science Program (SINEWS), one of eight national teams accepted for 2023.

SINEWS provides mentorship and supports to pairs of students or recent graduates to increase engagement with Indigenous and non-Indigenous women in scientific disciplines, and one team member must be Indigenous.

The program made an exception for the RRC Polytech team of three: Sharon-Rose Bear, a Cree woman from Muskoday First Nation in Saskatoon, Brooke Hardling-Boboski from Winnipeg, and Tayla Fernandes Agostinho, an international student from Brazil.

“It’s a major step up to be working with government scientists on a real community research project,” said Bear. “The three of us know our different passions, strengths, and weakness and we are much more confident to take this on as a full team.”

Supporting Indigenous communities

The team is responsible for proposing, developing, implementing, and reporting on research projects over four to eight months and integrating traditional Indigenous knowledge and research practices into western science for a more holistic approach to their research. The RRC Polytech team will focus their project on researching solid waste management practices.

“I’m really keen to work with Elders to learn how solid waste is affecting their community, and how their waste management practices have changed over time,” said Bear. “We also want to discover the impact that these practices are having on the environment.”

The students receive hands-on support and guidance from the SINEWS secretariat, Elder-in-Residence, NRCan scientists, and community Knowledge Keepers. SINEWS provides each student group with a $10,000 budget for research expenses and a $4,000 training allowance. All resulting research will be owned and used by the Indigenous community partner.

Jamie Wolfe, SINEWS Program Manager, noted the “reverse mentorship” that the students provide to existing employees and mentors.

“They often bring fresh perspectives on how to approach the research in culturally appropriate ways, as well as establishing respectful relationship-building practices and ethics protocols while engaging with communities,” said Wolfe.

Indigenous education and mentorship at RRC Polytech

Bear – a single mom of two – just finished her second year of Social Innovation and Community Development and plans to enter the Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship program next year.

On top of her academic studies, Bear volunteered with RRC Polytech’s Indigenous Student Support & Community Relations R-Crew over the past year, where she supported and encouraged other Indigenous students while assisting with various duties.

“With R-Crew, I’ve been able to interact with Elders and advisors on a regular basis who, along with several influential instructors, have been mentors or role models for me,” said Bear. “They’ve given me the support to be a successful student and the confidence to take on an opportunity like SINEWS and be excited for my career.”

One of those role models has been Indigenous Education instructor and official SINEWS mentor Ginger Arnold, who identified the opportunity and supported the students in applying for the program.

“This is such an exciting opportunity for students to elevate their skills and experience while getting their foot in the door with the federal government and making a real impact on an Indigenous community,” said Arnold.

Practicing Truth and Reconciliation

Bear acknowledged that it is not uncommon for non-Indigenous students to have negative pre-conceptions about Indigenous people, “but usually once they learn the historical Indigenous context, such as what is taught at RRC Polytech, it opens their eyes.”

Bear believes reconciliation is a two-way street.

“Personally, working with people who come from different cultures with different worldviews has really benefited me – it helps me open my mind to see from other perspectives, and see the bigger picture.”

RRC Polytech’s Strategic Plan 2022-2026 prioritizes Indigenous achievement with its second strategic commitment: Embedding Truth and Reconciliation and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in everything the College does.

“Indigenous knowledge is integral to approaching research holistically and ethically, especially when it affects Indigenous communities; Indigenous RRC Polytech students are actively changing the way we do things and think about things, and it’s amazing to see that extend to industry and community,” said Jamie Wilson, VP, Indigenous Strategy, Research, and Business Development at RRC Polytech.

Identifying these opportunities and encouraging students to pursue them are just one facet of supporting Indigenous achievement. As a polytechnic, RRC Polytech provides students with the training and experiential learning opportunities they need to start making an imminent difference before they even graduate and make the impact they want to see in the world.

This week, hundreds of staff, students, industry partners and community members came together.

Everyone celebrated Indigenous Food, Fashion, and Music at the third annual RBC Reaction by Collision Community Event. Hosted at RRC Polytech’s Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, the event showcased Indigenous culture and arts in Manitoba and highlighted the importance of creating space for Indigenous entrepreneurship.

“The longstanding friendship between RBC and RRC Polytech and the spirit of community and collaboration connects us back to our strategic commitment of reconciliation, our shared journey, where Indigenous leadership and guidance take the lead and work with us to guide us on the best way forward, together,” said Fred Meier, President and CEO of RRC Polytech, during his speech to start the event.

The event treated guests to delectable cuisines from local chefs, a haute couture fashion show featuring student models, a crafters’ market with local artisans and businesses, a panel discussion, and a drumming performance from student-led Indigenous culture group OGICHIDAA. Juno-award nominated Indian City capped off the spectacular event as the grand finale.

“What each of our partnering initiatives and programs have in common is that they drive human connection,” Herb ZoBell, Vice President, Commercial Financial Services, Indigenous Markets at RBC, said. “They provide unique channels for people to connect with their ideas, and most importantly, with one another.”

RBC Reaction by Collision is designed to converge industry, academia, and students to grow networks, seek advice, and launch careers. RBC Future Launch found that 85 per cent of all jobs are found through the strength of a network and not through the resume.

RRC Polytech students volunteered to model some of the pieces featured during the event. Kylla Harper, from the Pathway to Health Programs, was one of the students who modelled Gayle Gruben’s Inuit designs.

“It was very nerve-racking waiting backstage for my turn, but as I walked on the catwalk, my confidence grew,” Kylla said. “I loved seeing different Indigenous cultures represented. It goes to show that we have so much to explore still within our own communities.”

Since the event, Kylla has received an outpouring of support from her circle, which she said has made her “smile with pride.”

Miranda Harper, an RRC Polytech alumni and drummer in the local rock band Venus Man Trap, took part in the event’s panel discussion and shared her experience as an Indigenous musician with students and community members.

“For me, I make music to feed my soul. I never look at the fame and fortune of it because I feel like it can take something away from what you do,” Miranda said. She reminisced during the panel about one of the best gigs she’s ever done:  National Aboriginal Day in the early 2000s at The Forks, where she played to just five people.

The event was held at Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, a building named by Elders-in-Residence and translates to, “Where Creator Sits – Brings Light.” The building was designed with the intent to bring together the community, to build connections and create bridges. The College commissioned Indigenous artists Jackie Traverse, who attended the event, and KC Adams for artwork on the fourth-floor ceiling and the Roundhouse Auditorium, respectively.

With RBC’s support of RRC Polytech’s In Front of What’s Ahead comprehensive Campaign, the College has been able to provide students with the Indigenous Pathway to Information Technology Program, access to Ten Thousand Coffees Mentorship program, and projects like the Reaction by Collision events series. Collaborative events with RBC like Reaction by Collision have helped more than 5,000 students network with industry professionals and community leaders in Manitoba.

Indigenous Culinary Class were invited to assist chefs at the International Indigenous Tourism Conference.

A world-class event, a thousand hungry attendees, and seven eager first year Indigenous Culinary Skills students from RRC Polytech were among the ingredients in a recipe for success, served up in downtown Winnipeg last week.       

Opportunity knocked when organizers of last week’s International Indigenous Tourism Conference (IITC) reached out to the College looking for help to feed visitors to the RBC Convention Centre attending the largest Indigenous tourism event in the world.    

Indigenous Culinary Skills instructor, Chef Patrick Anderson didn’t have to convince his current class to step up and show off their skills because all seven first year students immediately volunteered and even organized their own carpool to ensure they didn’t miss the chance of a lifetime – to get into the kitchen at a massive international event to prepare upscale traditional dishes and learn from world-renowned top chefs.

“Our students got to work shoulder-to-shoulder with 11 of the most accomplished Indigenous chefs from all over North America, helping them make 650 portions of some of the most well thought out and delicious Indigenous dishes,” said Chef Patrick. “Even I was blown away by all the amazing flavors they developed and served. This menu was proof that Indigenous cuisine is so much more than Bannock, berries and smoked meat.” 

Although cooking for a convention was a first-time experience for most of the students, they leaned on their training, their mentors, and each other to embrace the moment and perform to rave reviews. Their confidence was off the charts by the end of the night as they enjoyed samples of their work and even danced a few friendly jigs with event coordinators and guest chefs in celebration.   

“It was a really useful experience – I’d been to conferences before when I worked in healthcare, but being able to help prep and plate next to these chefs was so exciting,” said student, Belinda Johnson.

The professional chefs could not stop raving to instructors about how diligent and skilled the students were, and even offered jobs to a couple of them.

“Our team did not look like first year culinary students at this event – they acted like graduates. They worked like experienced cooks that have an incredibly bright future ahead of them. One of the coordinators came up to me and told me she believes the future of Indigenous culinary industry is very bright knowing there are programs like ours.”

Chef Patrick Anderson

On the heels of the students’ success at IITC, the Wiisinin Diner is now operating Tuesday to Friday at  RRC Polytech’s Notre Dame Campus. From March 14 to April 21, the Culinary Skills students will get hands-on experience by serving short-order meals to the College community.

The Wiisinin Diner menu will be posted daily online. Staff and students must purchase vouchers at the Campus Bookstore, place their orders for breakfast or lunch online, then take their vouchers over to Prairie Lights Dining Room to pick up their meal. Please note the Campus Bookstore will be closed March 29, 30, 31 so you are encouraged to purchase vouchers in advance for these dates.

On Dec. 5, College Transition students received beads and a bracelet to recognize the sacred Cree Teachings they attained during the first four months of the eight-month program.

The teachings represented by the beads are based on the sacred Cree Teachings of self-determination, culture, and interconnectedness, which are also reflected in seven of RRC Polytech’s ten commitments outlined in the 2015 Manitoba Collaborative Indigenous Education Blueprint for Universities, College and Public School Boards.

Students learned how to incorporate the teachings and live a healthy life based in their strength and ability to live and work with a double worldview approach. Each student chose their beads for further connection to the teachings, which were adapted to apply to each students’ own nation.

Instructor and Knowledge Keeper, Marilyn Dykstra, opened the ceremony with a welcome and a brief explanation of College Transition: the program is designed to help learners prepare for post-secondary education with classes in communication, math and science, career and professional development, and Indigenous cultures and practices. The program also has a dedicated practice in reconciliation.  

Following Marilyn’s welcome, students from Treaty 1 Territory, Treaty 5 Territory, and Nunavut took turns presenting their names and home communities in land acknowledgements they developed together in relation to each of their nations.

Every student was presented their beads from staff that supported their journeys, including Jamie Wilson, VP of Indigenous Strategy, Research, and Business Development; Fred Meier, President and CEO of RRC Polytech; and the Deans of the School of Indigenous Education and the School of Skilled Trades and Technology.

“Education is about walking with learners while they grow all parts of themselves. The students’ statement that they made at the end of their land acknowledgements stand—’We are the connected spirits of our land.’ It’s our responsibility to support that connection because education is not just about reading books.  It’s how we are all interconnected in spirit and in reconciliation.  When students grow, so do our kinships, communities, nations, environment, and ancestors,” said Marilyn.

This was the first Bead Ceremony held for College Transition and the students are looking forward to their next set of traditional teachings in term two, which starts January 2023!

To learn more about College Transition, visit the Program Explorer page.

Sistering Indigenous and Western Science (SINEWS) is a paid mentorship program for female-identifying students.

SINEWS supports pairs of students in the development and implementation of projects that address the needs of Indigenous communities. Selected projects will focus on braiding traditional Indigenous knowledge with western scientific methods under the guidance of experienced research scientists, Elders, and community knowledge keepers. At least one member of each pair needs to be Indigenous to qualify for this program.

• Monday, Dec.12 • 1:30pm
• Virtual Teams Meeting – register at the link below

This information session will cover the fundamental aspects of the SINEWS program and the application details. The presentation and slideshow will be about 30 minutes and time will be allotted at the end for a Q&A.

For more information and to apply to SINEWS, visit the Government of Canada website Sistering Indigenous and Western Science program (nrcan.gc.ca).

For Indigenous students at RRC Polytech living with disabilities, the observance of Indigenous Disability Awareness Month has potential to be a turning point.

Officially adopted in Manitoba in 2021, this year is the first time the College marked the observance.

Teddy Lands (they/them, she/her), a Creative Communications student living with visible and invisible disabilities, says recognizing the intersection between Indigeneity and disability is important to address the unique issues and layered experiences that many Indigenous people living with disabilities face in everyday life.

“If I’m having a hard day and people see me staggering a little bit while walking, or my eyes start wandering, they make assumptions about me because I’m Indigenous. It doesn’t occur to them first that I might have a disability,” says Lands.

According to the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability, Indigenous people were more likely to have one or more disabilities than non-Indigenous people. Disabilities across the board ranged from pain-related conditions and mobility problems to mental health and cognition issues.

Compassion is a huge outcome of raising awareness on disability, especially during Indigenous Disability Awareness Month. Offering help to someone that appears to be having difficulty managing on their own can directly challenge the stereotypes and assumptions people living with disabilities might face.

Lands used Accessibility Services when they entered Creative Communications last year and has since had a range of options to help them be successful—from switching to the part time stream of the program, to regular check-ins with a counsellor, the program coordinator and instructors.

“The network I built at the College is as important as the support network I have at home,” says Lands.

Instructors are provided with information and resources on how to best accommodate student needs, like implementing the use of assistive technology, having accessibility staff to take notes for students, or allowing extensions for assignments and tests, among the many other options. Having that two-way communication helps Lands stay in class.

Lands says observances like Indigenous Disability Awareness Month can help catalyze systemic change as people learn more about how having disabilities and being Indigenous can impact a person’s life. Ensuring people can get access to the resources they need, even if that means going into a deficit, means that decision makers will see the need for these services and act on it.

“Support services should do away with standardized tests,” says Lands, noting standardized evaluations, like IQ tests, don’t necessarily reflect the intelligence of people who don’t fit those standards, whether it’s cultural- or ability-based differences.

“I’ve met people with two-digit IQs who are the most brilliant people I’ve ever met. Just because they’re not textbook smart, doesn’t mean they’re not intelligent. I have cognitive issues that affect my ability to perform academically—doesn’t mean that what I have to contribute isn’t valuable,” says Lands.

Lands, who has dyslexia and other cognitive impairments, says that developing relationships and communicating regularly with instructors, staff, and peers really helps to alleviate the pressure they’re under to perform at the same capacity as those who don’t use accommodations. A program like Creative Communications can be especially challenging for people with cognitive disabilities.

Kelly Stifora, Program Coordinator for Creative Communications, says support is very individualized and that instructors and students both rely on counsellors to coordinate solutions for meeting student needs.

“Students need a lot of resilience to be successful, even without the need for accommodations. It’s a matter of leveling the playing field for those students that need those accommodations,” says Stifora. “Academically speaking, students who have accommodations for their needs are just as successful as students who don’t use accommodations,” says Stifora.

Additionally, 4 Seasons of Reconciliation training is mandatory for all RRC Polytech staff and faculty to acquire a baseline knowledge of the initiatives in Truth and Reconciliation at the College and how these initiatives contribute to the healing of Indigenous peoples in our community. This training is supplemented by voluntary professional development opportunities, like the blanket exercise.

As for Lands, they say the current approach is a good start and has been working for them so far.

“After CreComm, I want to use my diploma and my experience in social work to influence change in education policies to be more forgiving for people with disabilities and cultural differences. It’s not just for me, but for my daughter and others living with disabilities, Indigenous or not,” says Lands.

For now, raising awareness during Indigenous Disability Awareness month is the first step in making sure students know that supports are available for them.

Students, staff and faculty can visit Accessibility Services at the College’s Winnipeg campuses in person Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm in room D102 at the Notre Dame Campus and in room P210 at the Roblin Centre. Accessibility Services has a page on RRC Polytech’s website to find more information on their services or to book appointments virtually. Staff members who need accommodations to work can contact their immediate supervisors or the Supportive Employment Program.

If you’d like to contribute to future professional development opportunities, the Diversity Self-Identification Survey helps the College to get a better picture of where we can provide more supports and better inform EDI initiatives.