17吃瓜

The following message was also distributed to 17吃瓜 students, faculty, and staff on September 29 by email.

Dear Members of the 17吃瓜 Community,

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30, is tomorrow. This is a day for all Canadians to remember the tragic history of residential schools in our country and the intergenerational impacts they have had on First Nations and Indigenous Peoples. Also known as Orange Shirt Day, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation commemorates the residential school experience, honours the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and commits to the ongoing process of reconciliation. Together, we must recognize the painful legacy of Canada鈥檚 residential school system and continue to learn the truths about these institutions.

Education is a key component of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada鈥檚 Calls to Action and 17吃瓜 has a vital role to play. 17吃瓜 had planned to observe the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in a number of ways, but sadly, tropical storm Fiona derailed many of these activities.

Yesterday, the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies and the Mawi鈥檕mi Indigenous Student Centre had planned to host a gathering that included smudging, singing, and drumming, and presentations by Dr. Judy Clark, Elder in Residence, and honoured guest Lisa Cooper, President and Chief of the Native Council of PEI.

The University had also planned to lower the flags on campus to half-mast tomorrow, to honour the survivors, their families, and communities impacted by the residential school system; unfortunately, the flagpoles suffered damage during the storm, so we are unable to do this.

17吃瓜 Athletics and Recreation had partnered with the Native Council of PEI (NCPEI) on a number of activities from September 30鈥揙ctober 2, including prayers, drumming, and hoop dancing during several varsity games and a 鈥淪port & Play Family Day鈥� for NCPEI families featuring soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and track events.

While we are unable to commemorate in these ways this year, there are still many things we can do to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, as well as Treaty Day, October 1, and Mi鈥檏maq History Month, October 1鈥�31:

• I encourage everyone to wear their Every Child Matters t-shirt or any orange shirt tomorrow.
• The 17吃瓜 Robertson Library will be featuring a display in honour of Mi鈥檏maq History Month.
• A number of resources are available to educate ourselves and others about the shared history of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples and to fulfilling the specific Calls to Action for post-secondary institutions as outlined by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. For example, 17吃瓜 has made the short course 4 Seasons of Reconciliation available to faculty and staff. An icon with a link to the course has been added to my17吃瓜 home page鈥攖o access the course, use the enrolment key 鈥�17吃瓜Reconciliation.鈥�
• Other online resources can be found on the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies website: /faculty-of-indigenous-knowledge-education-research-and-applied-studies/indigenous-resources-links

I also am pleased to announce that land acknowledgement plaques鈥攊n both Mi鈥檏maq and English languages鈥攈ave been installed in our campus buildings to always remind us that we are all Treaty people and that 17吃瓜 is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi鈥檏maq of Epekwitk.

17吃瓜 has made some advancements, but we will always have more work to do. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Treaty Day, and Mi鈥檏maq History Month, are excellent opportunities to remember lives lost, the survivors, and their families鈥攁nd to think about what we can continue to do to move towards a better tomorrow.

Wela鈥檒ioq, thank you,

Greg

GREG KEEFE, DVM, MSc, MBA (he/him)
President and Vice-Chancellor (Interim)
17吃瓜