14th Canada's History Forum Program

2:00pm — Opening Remarks and Welcome

Master of Ceremonies: Jennifer Moore Rattray is the chief operating officer at Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO), which recently made national and international news for its vision of reconciliation when the Hudson’s Bay Company gifted SCO with the iconic Hudson's Bay building in downtown Winnipeg. The multi-million dollar project will be one of the largest redevelopments of a heritage building in Canada. Jennifer served as executive director of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and was an award-winning television journalist. A proud member of Peepeekisis Cree Nation, she is one of the first Indigenous women to anchor the television news in Canada.

The Honourable Murray Sinclair is Anishinaabe and a member of the Peguis First Nation. He is a Fourth Degree Chief of the Midewiwin Society, a traditional healing and spiritual society of the Anishinaabe Nation responsible for protecting the teachings, ceremonies, laws, and history of the Anishinaabe. His Spirit Name is Mizhana Gheezhik (The One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky).

His Honour served as Chief Commissioner of Canada’s Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). As head of the TRC, he participated in hundreds of hearings across Canada, culminating in the TRC’s widely influential report in 2015. He also oversaw an active multi-million dollar fundraising program to support various TRC events and activities and to allow survivors to travel to attend TRC events.

He is currently the Chancellor of Queen’s University and maintains an active public speaking schedule. In 2021, he was named the recipient of the Governor General’s History Award for Popular Media: the Pierre Berton Award for his commitment to deepening our understanding of Canada’s shared and difficult history and for showing Canadians a path forward based on respect, reciprocity, and good relations.  

2:30pm — Learning Together

Connie Wyatt Anderson is a long-time educator from The Pas, Manitoba. She has been involved in the creation of student learning materials and curricula and has contributed to a number of textbooks, teacher support guides, and school publications. She was one of the instructional designers for the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba’s education initiative and remains part of their pedagogical and facilitation team. In 2017, Connie was recognized as the Manitoba Métis Federation’s Distinguished Leader in Education.

Janelle Delorme is a francophone Red River Métis activist, drum carrier and popular education specialist from St-Boniface / Treaty 1 territory. Janelle’s reconciliation journey began more than 10 years ago having participated in the ReconciliACTION program at Université de St-Boniface (2011-2013). She is a sought-out speaker and workshop facilitator on reconciliation and has facilitated hundreds of KAIROS Blanket Exercises. In June 2021, Janelle organised the placing of 215 ribbons on the walkway at the St. Boniface Cathedral after the first announcements of unmarked graves at a residential school site in Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc (Kamloops). Noticing a lack of French content on Indigenous perspectives, she created and hosts the French podcast “Chronique RéconciliACTION”. Janelle was recently honoured with a 2022 Champion of Indigenous Education Award by Full Circle for Indigenous Education. She was also honoured with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

Nathan Tidridge, in partnership with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, established the Souharissen Natural Area in Waterdown, Ontario. This 55-acre educational and cultural space continues to evolve as an outdoor classroom and inspiration for numerous curriculum-based projects. Nathan is currently leading a collaborative project to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and honour the Treaty relationship with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation by creating a Treaty forest and related programming.

3:30pm — Break

3:45pm — Reconciliation in our Classrooms and Communities

Pinnguaq Association was founded in Nunavut and now has offices in British Columbia and Ontario. Pinnguaq, which means “play” in Inuktitut, incorporates STEAM into unique learning applications that promote storytelling, health, wellness, and growth with rural and remote communities.

Emanuelle Dufour holds a master's degree in anthropology from the University of Montreal focusing on the history of First Nations education in Quebec and Indigenous cultural safety in post-secondary contexts. She also holds a doctorate in art education from Concordia University for which she received the Governor General's medal and the Distinction Award from the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling. She is the author of the comic strip « C’est le Québec qui est né dans mon pays » : Carnet de rencontres, d’Ani Kuni à Kiuna (2021).

Genevieve Soler and Kayla Weller worked with Stoney Nakoda Elders Virgle Stephens, Tracey Stevens, and Phillomene Stevens to help their grade 4 students explore and deepen their understanding of their culture, traditions, and personal histories. Through the documentation of family lineage, oral storytelling, and the creation of original artworks, Kayla and Genevieve’s students were involved in powerful reconciliation work that allowed them to reconnect and reclaim their cultural identities.

Maxine Hildebrandt is a member of Pelican Lake First Nation and a teacher at Mother Earth’s Children’s Charter School (MECCS), Canada’s only Indigenous charter school, in Warburg, Alberta. Maxine organized a cultural exchange with another rural school in Alberta to introduce students to each other’s history, culture, and perspectives. Maxine has led efforts to create an outdoor classroom at MECCS, where students can engage with land-based and experiential teachings.

4:30pm — Presentation by Jacqueline Cleave, Sawyer Hilland, and Taylor Williamson, École Laura Secord School

Elementary teacher Jacqueline Cleave led a project to make the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s ninety-four calls to action more accessible to younger learners. Working together over a two-year period, students in three classes explored the calls to action, researched the issues they address, and then rewrote them in child-friendly language.

4:45pm — Concluding Remarks