Corey Whitford, Anishinaabemowin instructor at RRC Polytech, is featured in Photographic Memories: Student Life at Assiniboia Residential School, a four-part documentary series available on Bell Fibe TV1.

The series explores a rare collection of photographs taken by students at Assiniboia Residential School and the stories they continue to tell. Through the perspectives of former students, family members and intergenerational Survivors, the documentary reflects on the lasting impacts of the Residential School System while highlighting resilience, strength and the importance of Indigenous teachings and culture.

In Episode 3, Searching for My Auntie, Whitford shares photographs from his Auntie Jeannette Houle’s youth to better understand her life and the experiences that shaped her. Whitford credits her with inspiring his love of language, conversation and storytelling, values that continue to influence his work as an educator today.

As a member of Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation, Whitford has taught Anishinaabemowin at RRC Polytech for the past eight years and at the University of Winnipeg for the past two years. Beyond the classroom, he leads immersive language camps, works as a translator and interpreter, and recently launched Aanikoochige Language Education Inc. to support the growth of Anishinaabemowin speakers in First Nations communities.

Photographic Memories: Student Life at Assiniboia Residential School was produced by the Assiniboia Residential School Legacy Group and Electric Monk Media. Public screenings are planned, and the series will also be released on the Assiniboia Residential School Legacy Group YouTube channel later in December.

Watch the trailer here.

Show your support for Truth and Reconciliation by wearing an Orange Shirt on Tuesday, September 29 on campus

Phyllis Webstad, whose orange shirt was taken away when she attended Residential School in the 1970s, started the Orange Shirt movement by sharing her story. Since 2013, the Orange Shirt Society has raised awareness of the impacts of Residential Schools and the work Survivors and their families do to heal Indigenous communities. In 2021, September 30 had been declared the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and recognized as Orange Shirt Day to honour Residential School and Day School Survivors, their families and communities, and the children who never came home.

Read about the different RRC Polytech Orange Shirt Designs from past years:

2022, Peatr Thomas: RRC Polytech launches new Orange Shirt Day design by local artist Peatr Thomas

2023, Leticia Spence: Grad unveils new Orange Shirt Day design to inspire hope and strength

2024, Erin Ringland: Family and nature strong influences for Digital Media Design grad

2025, Dasia Chatkana: Walking Towards Truth – student creates annual Orange Shirt Design to honour Residential School Survivors

Visit the Campus Store at Notre Dame or the Exchange District Campuses to purchase your shirt, or order online at the Campus Store’s website. Every Orange Shirt purchase at RRC Polytech goes towards the Mínwastánikéwin Award, a $1000 bursary awarded a full-time Indigenous student each year.

Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement Week returns to RRC Polytech this September, creating opportunities for learning, reflection, and meaningful engagement around Indigenous histories, perspectives, and reconciliation. As part of the week-long professional development series, community leader, educator, and former Manitoba MLA Kevin Chief will visit RRC Polytech to discuss his new memoir, With a Name Like Chief: Reflections on Recovery and Identity Through the Seven Sacred Teachings.

The memoir traces Chief’s journey from a childhood in Winnipeg’s North End to leadership roles in public service and community advocacy. Throughout the book, themes of identity, resilience, recovery, and belonging are explored through the lens of the Seven Sacred Teachings of the Anishinaabe.

Personal stories shared during the discussion will offer insight into the impact of culture, community, and self-discovery on Chief’s path to healing and leadership. Attendees can expect a thoughtful conversation that aligns with the goals of Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement Week by encouraging learning, dialogue, and reflection.

• Event Details
  Monday, September 28 – 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  Roundhouse Auditorium (Manitou a bi Bii daziigae) 319 Elgin Avenue

A copy of With a Name Like Chief will be provided to the first 200 attendees.

Students, employees, and members of the broader Winnipeg community are all welcome. An opportunity to hear directly from one of Manitoba’s most respected Indigenous leaders makes this a meaningful addition to the week’s programming and an invitation to continue the work of truth, reconciliation, and community engagement together.

If you have any questions, please contact Carla Kematch, Director, Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement at cakematch@rrc.ca. 

Giigido Mikinaak and Ever Sacred Enterprises qualify for the semi-finals at Pow Wow Pitch

We’re excited to celebrate two entrepreneurs from the Mittohnee Pogo’ohtah community who have been selected as Pow Wow Pitch semi-finalists! They’re earned recognition for businesses that create opportunities for cultural connection, language revitalization, and community impact.

Giigido Mikinaak, founded by Mittohnee Pogo’ohtah entrepreneur Shyla Niemi, is creating innovative Indigenous language-learning tools designed to make language revitalization more accessible and engaging. The business was inspired by Niemi’s own experience navigating language loss and cultural reconnection as a second-generation cut-off First Nations woman.

“I had a lot of doubts about my identity growing up without my culture, and I’ve found I’m not alone. If you’re cut off from your culture, it can really impact your mental health – but studies show that people reconnecting with their language really improves their confidence and happiness. I wanted to contribute in that way,” said Niemi.

Its first product is a card game that teaches numbers and common phrases in Anishinaabemowin, with a unique feature that sets it apart from traditional learning resources: QR codes embedded in the instruction booklet link directly to audio recordings from fluent speakers, allowing players to hear proper pronunciation while they play.

Niemi hopes to expand the game into Ininimowin and other Indigenous languages, develop additional learning tools such as workshops and digital resources, and get the game into schools and classrooms where young people can learn language through play.

Chantel Henderson, who is joining the next Mittohnee Pogo’ohtah cohort this fall, has also been selected as a Pow Wow Pitch semi-finalist for her business, Ever Sacred Enterprises.

The idea grew from an earlier concept called The Ceremony Bus, which aimed to help urban Indigenous people access ceremonies and cultural gatherings outside the city by organizing rides from Winnipeg to various locales around the province. She refined the concept through entrepreneurship training and business development programs she attended over the past year into a guided cultural tourism business focused on helping people experience Pow Wows in a respectful, meaningful, and accessible way.

Ever Sacred Enterprises is designed to serve both Indigenous people seeking to reconnect with culture through ceremony and non-Indigenous visitors who want to attend Pow Wows while honouring traditions with understanding and respect. The business plans to offer day-trip experiences to Pow Wows and other ceremonies outside Winnipeg, provide cultural guidance and orientation, and develop partnerships with First Nations communities and tourism operators across Manitoba.

At the heart of the business is the goal of addressing the cultural disconnection many Indigenous people experience because of distance, lack of transportation, or the impacts of colonial history.

“This is in honour of my parents who were Day School Survivors [in Fairford and Fort Alexander]. I grew up in the city disconnected from culture, language, and ceremony. Now, I want to bring it full circle by helping others reconnect like me,” said Henderson.

Henderson hopes to create opportunities for Indigenous peoples to return to ceremonies, reconnect with their communities, and strengthen those cultural ties. Looking ahead, her vision includes securing a passenger van, creating employment opportunities for Indigenous drivers and tour guides, and developing sponsorship programs that help community members attend Pow Wows who otherwise may not be able to afford the trip through partnerships with First Nations communities, businesses, and organizations across Manitoba.

These entrepreneurs are using business as a tool for greater impact, from helping people learn Indigenous languages to creating pathways for cultural reconnection through ceremonial access across Manitoba.

Congratulations to both entrepreneurs on this exciting achievement. The entire RRC Polytech community is cheering you on as you continue your Pow Wow Pitch journey!

To cast your vote for either business in the Peoples’ Choice Award, visit the Pow Wow Pitch website. Voting closes September 10, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, or at 10:59pm in Winnipeg (Central Time). 

Jamie Wilson, VP, Indigenous Strategy, Research and Business Development, 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.

Our Roadmap Forward – Ensuring the Success of Indigenous Students focuses on addressing systemic barriers and improving outcomes for Indigenous learners at RRC Polytech. The report builds on the Overcoming Barriers for Indigenous Students project, launched in 2022, and reflects extensive community-guided research, conversations, and data analysis. This work identified 73 root factors influencing the success of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students, highlighting the need for coordinated, system-wide change.

The report is organized around five priority areas – essential life needs, funding and enrolment, academic readiness, student experience, and institutional culture – and outlines both current and future actions.

Thomasena Downes-Mitchell, Manager, Indigenous Student Recruitment, shares her experience at Harvard University.

I had the honour to attend Harvard University from May 4th, 2026, to May 8th, 2026, to attend their Executive Education program called “Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities.” Harvard University has a partnership with AFOA which allows Indigenous people from around the world to attend Harvard’s campus to learn from one of the best universities on Turtle Island.  

It was a transformative experience where I was able to collaborate and connect with 88 Indigenous thought leaders from Canada, the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand. Classrooms can be equalizers, what I mean by that is that it didn’t matter what job titles we had, whether we worked in recruitment or if we were running our Nations at home or abroad, everyone was humble, kind, engaged, and ready to learn.  

What kinds of things did you learn that surprised you? 

How down to earth everyone was including Harvard professors and personnel. The professors had a fantastic sense of humor, and one of them was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and grew up in Fort Richmond. I asked him how he ended up going from Winnipeg to Harvard, I asked him if he took a wrong turn, and we had a good chuckle.  

There could have been egos the size of Mount Everest, but it was the complete opposite. I can honestly say that it felt more like a warm embrace. In a time when lateral violence and intergenerational trauma dominate the news, politics and sometimes our workspaces, attending Harvard University was the antithesis of that; it was intergenerational excellence. An Indigenous gentleman wore a shirt that said, “I am my Ancestors wildest dream” and I second that, as we all are – regardless of color.  

I learned that it costs 6 billion dollars to run Harvard University each year. 2.5 billion comes from their endowment, which is a little bit less than what tuition contributes. I learned that the person who manages Harvard’s endowment earns 10x’s more than Harvard’s President on a bad day. Staggering amounts of money. Also, graduating with a university degree from Harvard increases your chances by 50% to be hired by the top 1% employers in the USA.  

I witnessed Maori people greeting our Professor David Ager by pressing their noses and foreheads together. It’s called the hongi. It symbolizes the sharing of the ha (breath of life) and unity between two people, effectively connecting the manuhiri (visitor) with the tangata whenua (people of the land). 

What is your key takeaway? 

Believe in yourself. Despite any self-doubt, or nay-sayers, or even sometimes when life gets us down. Even with that in front of us, we need to progress and move forward. Be the champion of your own success. We only get one chance in life, so it’s important to make the best of it. Never in a million years did I think I would attend Harvard University but through the work of our Indigenous relatives, these opportunities are available to us. Seize the opportunity and walk with your head high even in prestigious Ivy League rooms as we all have a voice and something to share.  

Anything. Is. Possible.  

Our. Voices. Matter.  

You. Matter.

RRC Polytech is hiring a Program Manager, Indigenous Strategic Research and Community Partnerships, a full-time, permanent leadership role for Indigenous professionals who want to advance community-led research and innovation.

This position offers a competitive salary and the opportunity to lead Indigenous research strategy across the College with a base at the Notre Dame Campus. The role focuses on building ethical, trust-based partnerships with Indigenous communities and supporting Indigenous-led and co-led applied research guided by OCAP® principles, UNDRIP, and Indigenous data sovereignty.

The Program Manager leads the development of research projects and funding proposals in areas such as food innovation and sovereignty, energy and cleantech, housing and infrastructure, digital inclusion, education, manufacturing, and Indigenous entrepreneurship and economic development. The role also connects communities to institutional resources, supports decolonizing research practices, and helps ensure research delivers meaningful educational and economic benefits to communities.

This opportunity is open to Indigenous applicants (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) through a designated hiring practice. A graduate degree is not required; lived experience, strong community relationships, and experience building research partnerships are highly valued. Career support is available for Indigenous applicants throughout the hiring process.

Application deadline: January 29, 2026
Requisition number: 00654

Internal applicants can visit the HRIS portal to apply. External applicants can visit our Recruitment Site for more information.

RRC Polytech is hiring an Instructor, A Context for Practice with Indigenous Peoples, a part-time, term teaching opportunity for Indigenous professionals passionate about education, community knowledge, and student learning.

This role is based at the Portage la Prairie Campus, approximately 90 km from Winnipeg, and runs from January 26 to April 24, 2026. The position offers a salary pro-rated to hours worked, with an additional educational supplement available for candidates with a Master’s or PhD.

The successful candidate will deliver classroom instruction, support and evaluate students, and contribute to program activities such as student orientation, graduation, and committee work. Teaching may take place both on campus and remotely, and the role plays an important part in creating a respectful, inclusive learning environment grounded in Indigenous perspectives and lived experience.

This opportunity is open to Indigenous applicants (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) through a designated hiring practice. A degree in Indigenous Studies is preferred, though a combination of education and relevant lived experience will be considered. Ideal candidates bring experience working with Indigenous communities, strong communication and presentation skills, and the ability to engage learners in both in-person and online settings. Experience in post-secondary instruction, curriculum development, or online learning is considered an asset.

Application deadline: January 16, 2026
Requisition number: 00656

Career support is available for Indigenous applicants throughout the hiring process.

Internal applicants can visit the HRIS portal to apply. External applicants can visit our Recruitment Site for more information.

The seventh annual Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement Week featured daily opportunities to learn and engage in Truth and Reconciliation education and over 200 members of the RRC Polytech community participated across all campuses. 

We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Phyllis Webstad for sharing her story as part of our keynote to launch Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement Week. Her personal story became the foundation to Orange Shirt Day (now the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation). She also founded the Orange Shirt Society, which since 2013 has brought national awareness to the lasting impacts of Residential Schools and the ongoing healing work of Survivors and their families. 

Special thanks to our presenters Allen Sutherland, Heather Endall, Zeann Manernaluk, Joanna White, Ray Coco Stevenson, Ivana Yellowback, and the Knowledge Keepers Council for offering various sessions that helped create deeper connections and understanding for the Polytech as a community. 

A huge thank you to all the members of the RRC Polytech community that organized and carried out sessions – together, we continue to walk the path of Truth and Reconciliation. 

And of course, thank you to all who volunteered and participated – your continued support in Truth and Reconciliation is an incredible reflection of our institutional values and an important reminder that we are all on this journey together. 

Students at Portage Campus participated in a session featuring Annie Beach, where together they beaded, painted Portage Rocks, and created a mural focused on active transportation that incorporated Indigenous themes. Portage Community Revitalization Corporation mascot Ajidimoo Aki – Dakota for ground squirrel – also joined in the activity. 

On Sept. 29, Culinary Skills (Indigenous) students joined N’Dinawemak and made bison stew and bannock for 450 community members as part of the Buffalo Ceremony, which honoured Residential School Survivors and their families. 

While the intent of the sessions and workshops is to provide learning opportunities and chances to engage with different perspectives, we understand that people have different responses to and interpretations of the content. Some sessions may have elicited strong emotions and we encourage everyone to continue to take good care of yourselves, check in with each other, and reach out for support if needed. 

Resources are always available, and we encourage accessing them whenever the need may arise. Students may access Counselling Services through the online intake, and employees may access Homewood Health counselling as part of the employee benefit package and free of charge. 

As we know, Truth and Reconciliation is a year-round commitment, so we invite members of the RRC Polytech community to keep an eye on Staff News for upcoming opportunities and Student News for workshop sessions to bring into the classroom.