Back row (l-r): Gilles Allard, RDC Board of Governors; Dr. Claudine Louis, President, Maskwacis Cultural College; Charlene Burns, RDC Board of Governors; Elder Melvin Potts; and Brian Lizotte, President, Metis Nation of Alberta Region 3 Local 492. Front row: Joel Ward, RDC President & CEO.

By Sheldon Spackman

First Nations Focus

RDC signs Indigenous Education Protocol

Apr 18, 2019 | 4:25 PM

Red Deer College officially recognized its responsibility to Indigenous education on Thursday with the signing of the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Indigenous Education Protocol.

RDC President and CEO Joel Ward says the signing makes a very public statement in support of Truth and Reconciliation.

“In particular, this institution’s commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all Indigenous learners,” says Ward. “Not only in terms of the safety and the environment of the College but also what does curriculum look like to ensure that we respect Indigenous tradition, what does delivery of our curriculum look like to support student learning in Indigenous communities.”

Ward describes the signing of the CICan Indigenous Education Protocol as a milestone for the College and the RDC Board being critical to its success.

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“It commits this institution to living up to seven key principles,” explains Ward. “It says this institution is Indigenous-friendly, Indigenous-welcoming and that we will demonstrate and learn from each other. What’s really important is that we provide an Indigenous perspective in all our programming, not just specialized programming in Indigenous education.”

“We are very much a European-based curriculum,” continues Ward. “I think with an infusion of Indigenous perspective, I think it makes learning better for all of our students, Indigenous and non-Indigenous. I think it sends a very strong message to our seven First Nations and Metis communities that we want to work together to provide educational opportunities for people from your communities.”

Ward says one of their first steps is to fully understand what the needs of Indigenous students are and then provide those opportunities at RDC.

“We did work with Montana First Nation and Ermineskin where we had a Virtual Welding program,” exclaims Ward. “We’re doing a licensed practical nurse and a health care aid program in those communities, so we’re also demonstrating that we can take our programs to those communities as well.”

Gilles Allard, a member of RDC’s Board of Governors and Red Deer and Area Metis Cultural Society, says the signing is ‘history in the making’.

“It’s a long-time coming certainly,” says Allard. “But I’ve come to realize way back in the days when we were lobbying governments and such and certain institutions such as this, to get on-board with the history and the Indigenous uniqueness, diversity and those concepts. Red Deer College as well as the other institutions have answered the call.”

Allard says he’s excited to see a change like this happen during his lifetime.

“History has seldom made its way to the school systems and colleges and universities to a degree where we were absent in most parts,” he laments. “Now we’re finding presence and we’re rewriting and updating history for what it truly was and our perspectives as well. Rest-assured, this was a generation that we were supposed to amalgamate in moving forward and this is a trail that we have broken and so to me, I’m excited.”

College officials say RDC’s recent collaborations and partnerships have led to a number of initiatives that support Indigenous education.

In 2018, “Building Bridges: An Indigenous Strategic Plan for Red Deer College” was released. Made possible through broad consultation with Indigenous communities and Elders, as well as faculty, staff and Indigenous students at RDC, the plan is said to provides guiding principles for future work.

“Red Deer College has been a great member of this community and this is another example of being a great community member,” adds Brian Lizotte, President of the Metis Nation of Alberta Region 3 Local 492, in a press release. “It is also very important in the development of our indigenous youth to feel appreciated and welcomed in a place of higher learning. Speaking on behalf of myself, my family and the Metis community I would like to express my gratitude to the President and the Board of Red Deer College; also, to congratulate them on their growth; both in becoming a University and their continued leadership in community and relationship building.”

After the signing of the Protocol, Red Deer College, Indigenous partners and guests celebrated with a Tea Dance at the RDC Arts Centre.

The ceremonial event, which was led by Elders, honoured the achievements of Indigenous students and graduates.

Additional information on the CICan Indigenous Education Protocol is available online.

Red Deer College’s Indigenous Education Strategic Plan can be found on RDC’s website.

(With files from Red Deer College)