Kwe, Tansi, Ullukkut, Hawa’a, Hello, Bonjour!
In Canada, June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day. It is with great enthusiasm that on this day, National Indigenous Peoples Day, the School of Continuing Studies introduces its 2020-2025 Indigenous Relations Initiative (IRI) Strategic Plan.
The School is at a critical and reflective point in its work with Indigenous learners and communities, and the time is right for a focused strategic vision and plan. For more than a decade, we have been working on building capacity in Indigenous communities, building strong partnerships, and forging relationships with Indigenous alumni, colleagues, and friends. We are now ready to consolidate and substantially grow our efforts. With your help and active participation, the School will work toward integrating the knowledges and experiences of our Indigenous learners, partners, and friends into our teaching, training, community engagement, and applied research, as well as building additional connections with Indigenous communities in Canada and beyond. The Plan reinforces and extends the School’s longstanding commitment to working closely with the First Nations, Inuit and Métis, of Canada, including Indigenous governments and organizations, to increase access to education and Indigenous learners’ success.
We thank our partners, learners, staff, and faculty for assisting us in the development of this document. We now invite all of you to connect with our IRI team and provide input on how we can continue to work together to implement this Plan.
You can reach us at indigenousrelations.scs [at] mcgill.ca or visit us at mcgill.ca/continuingstudies/areas-study/indigenous-relations-initiative.
Nia:wen, Meegwetch, Nakurmik, Hawa’a, Thank you, Merci,
Carola Weil, PhD,
Dean of Continuing Studies
Carmen Sicilia, PhD,
Associate Professor & Director, Indigenous Relations Initiative