• David Fortin, Métis, Associate Professor & Director at McEwen School of Architecture, Laurentian University
• Ryan Gorrie, Anishinaabe, Senior Associate & Architect at Brook McIlroy
• Roxanne Greene, Anishinaabe, Councillor of Shoal Lake 40
• Brett Huson, Gitxsan Nation, Artist/Author & Technician at the Prairie Climate Centre
• Amina Lalor, Métis, M.Arch Student & Co-Founder of Treaty Lands Global Stories, University of Waterloo
• Nicole Luke, Inuk, M.Arch Student, University of Manitoba
• Cheyenne Thomas, Anishinaabe, Peguis First Nation, architectural designer, member of RAIC Indigenous Taskforce and The Forks North Portage Partnership Board

Building Reciprocal Relationships
The event began with an opening song and smudge by the Kind Hart Women Singers, which was the first time that hand-drum songs and a smudge were able to fill Center Space in the John A. Russell Building. Following the ceremony, each presenter provided their own unique vision and approach to Indigenous design. David Fortin presented on Indigenous content implemented into the McEwen School of Architecture at Laurentian University, through dialogue with Indigenous communities, in-house Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Carriers, and hands-on building courses of Indigenous structures. Brett Huson, a member of the Gitxsan Nation, spoke on that to acknowledge the land, you must understand it and what is born from it, including languages, art, culture, and unique peoples. Nicole Luke spoke on bringing forth a movement on environmental and architectural aspects to Arctic infrastructure and providing culturally appropriate processes for Inuit and Northern communities

Honouring the Land
An ongoing theme throughout all the presentations was the principle of protecting and honouring the land within design and architecture. The land is a living being and has a spirit. Nature shapes us and influences the way we create art, homes, and tools. In turn, we need to protect it for future generations.

Indigenous Student Initiatives
Co-founder and current Chair of IDPSA, Reanna Merasty (Cree, Master of Architecture Student), and IDPSA member, Danielle Desjarlais (Cree, Environmental Design/Pre-Master of Architecture Student), organized the Nation-to-Nation event. IDPSA was formed to further implement Indigenous initiatives into the Faculty of Architecture and is the first Indigenous student-led organization within the Faculty. The goals of IDPSA are to provide sufficient Indigenous representation within the Faculty, to seek partnerships with Indigenous communities across Manitoba, and to incorporate Indigenous values within the architectural community through advocating for culturally-formed Indigenous initiatives, programs, and curriculum. Looking into future generations, IDPSA aims to expose the fields of Design and Planning to youth in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities.

Nation-to-Nation builds on the success of the Designing Pathways event on January 17, 2020 and is one of many Indigenous initiatives to come to the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Manitoba and the broader design community.

Written by: Danielle Desjarlais & Reanna Merasty 
Image credits: Dylan Hewlett

Please note that all photographs featured in this story were taken prior to the issuing of social distancing protocols.

CAFÉ Ontario, hosted by Ryerson University on February 6th, was the third of five forums, following CAFÉ Québec (Université de Montréal in November) and CAFÉ Atlantic (Dalhousie University in October). Master of Architecture students Jessica Piper and Tia Watson were invited delegates representing the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Manitoba.  This event afforded the unique opportunity to develop an understanding of design culture and issues across Canada; to engage directly with students and educators from other major Canadian universities; and to share experiences from a local Manitoba perspective. CAFÉ Ontario allowed students to share their current achievements and future aspirations, and facilitated the sharing of ideas and initiatives between schools across Canada through short presentations and a subsequent guided discussion session.

Delegates from schools across Canada attended the event, many of whom presented exciting student-led programs underway at their respective institutions. Student organizations across the country are focused on a diverse range of important initiatives in architectural education. Highlights included Waterloo’s student-led program to introduce functional changes towards operational sustainability in response to the growing climate crisis, and Dalhousie students’ focus on understanding and fostering equality in the realms of both architectural education and practice. For both UofM delegates, learning about these important student-led initiatives underway at schools across the country highlighted the potential to communicate and collaborate between institutions to foster change within our respective faculties.

Although Canada is an indisputably large and diverse country through climate, geography, culture and politics, attending CAFÉ Ontario it was clear that students and educators across the country share many of the same concerns and dreams for the future of architecture in Canada. The development of a nationwide policy document will give voice to the upcoming generation of architects and city-builders, and help us to collectively build and grow an equitable, sustainable, Canadian future. 

The conversation about the future of architecture in Canada continues with CAFÉ Prairie, here at the University of Manitoba on Friday, February 28th. More information can be found on the CAFÉ website, https://architecturecanada.ca/schedule/, or instagram, @archcanadacafe.