“Indigenous Veterans Day gives us the opportunity to honour the courage, sacrifice, and service of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis veterans who defended this country and contributed to peace around the world. By gathering, we ensure their legacies are remembered, their stories are shared, and our commitment to truth, respect, and Reconciliation continues to grow.” – Christina Courcelles, Engagement Lead, Indigenous Engagement and Communications.

This week, the UM community gathered to mark Indigenous Veterans Day, a significant date to honour the courage, sacrifice and lasting contributions of Indigenous Peoples in Canada’s history.

We’re honoured to welcome Indigenous Veteran William (Bill) Shead, a Cree member of Peguis First Nation and Indigenous Veteran. Bill served in the Royal Canadian Navy for 35 years, first in the Regular Force and later in the Reserve Force. Beyond his military service, he has held leadership roles as Mayor of Selkirk, Prairie Regional Director of Veterans Affairs Canada and CEO of the Neeginan Centre (formerly known as the Aboriginal Centre of Winnipeg).

Indigenous Veteran William (Bill) Shead at the Indigenous Veterans Day event 2025.

In his presentation, Bill reminded us of the profound contributions of Indigenous Veterans to Canada’s history, their influence on the Indigenous renaissance and ongoing Indigenization efforts. Drawing from his lived experience, he invited attendees to reflect on the resilience, leadership and legacy of Indigenous service members, past and present. “I would not have been as fortunate without a veteran”  Bill Shead.

Through gatherings like this, the UM community continues to honour the stories and sacrifices of Indigenous Veterans, ensuring their courage guide and inspire future generations.

Remembrance Day, November 11

There are many ways to make Remembrance Day meaningful. The Royal Canadian Legion invites Canadians to attend Remembrance Day Ceremonies across the country. Find your local Remembrance Day Ceremony on the Legion’s website. 

If you are not attending a ceremony, consider finding ways to remember on your own. Take two minutes of silence to pause and reflect on what this day means – to recognize the sacrifices of Canadian veterans, to honour the memory of those who have fallen, and to commemorate the courage of Canadians who are still serving.

Veteran Affairs Canada also suggests other ways to remember and show gratitude on Remembrance Day and beyond.

We honour and acknowledge those among the UM campus community who have and continue to serve. And if you are interested in learning more about the memorials on campus, you can read this story on our UM Today page Remembering the Forgotten written by Wayne Chan.

Reflecting on war and conflict can be difficult. If you are struggling during this time, reach out for help at the links below. The solemn nature of this day doesn’t mean that you can’t take care of yourself – it’s even more important to show yourself kindness and patience as you navigate a topic that may be difficult for you.

• Student Counselling Centre
• Spiritual Care

The University of Manitoba will be closed on Tuesday, November 11.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Department of Indigenous Studies – a milestone born from courage, resilience and vision.

“Today, we are not only celebrating,” said Department Head Lorena Fontaine at the recently held 50th anniversary celebration. “We are also remembering a history born out of pain. This department exists because students refused to be ignored.”

Lorena Fontaine, Head of the Department of Indigenous Studies

Her words carried the room back half a century – to the moment when a small group of Indigenous students decided that their languages, laws and histories deserved a place in the university.

Their voices would ultimately reshape the institution.

Pictured here are the founding members of the Indigenous Manitoba Engineering Student Association (IMESA). Front row, left to right: Reg Blackbird, Public Relations; Ovide Mercredi, President; Albert Stevens, Vice-President. Second row, left to right: Emile Garson, Committee Chairman; Yvonne Monkman, Secretary; John Allooloo, Member.

1970s–1980s — Carving space out of Silence

In 1970, the University of Manitoba – located on the original lands of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis – had more than 13,000 students, but fewer than 50 were Indigenous.

They learned about “exploration” and “civilization,” yet rarely did classroom lessons include Indigenous perspectives or experiences.

In 1971, a racist article published in The Cursor, the engineering student newspaper, became the catalyst. Eleven students from the Faculties of Arts and Education formed the Indian, Métis and Eskimo Student Association (IMESA), demanding accountability and change.

“We had no textbooks, no mentors, no role models,” remembered Ovide Mercredi , then IMESA president. “All we had was each other – and one belief: our voices belonged here.”

UM held its first campus pow wow in 1972. Since then, Indigenous graduates have had the opportunity each year to celebrate their academic achievements and excellence at the annual Grad Pow Wow.

In 1972, UM held its first campus pow wow. Three years later, the Department of Native Studies was formally established – the second of its kind in Canada. “That day, we were no longer guests,” said Mercredi. “We had truly come home.”

In 1982, the department faced closure due to budget cuts. It survived only because Professor Emma LaRocque, alongside students and community allies, organized petitions and public appeals.

“We had to prove, again and again, that our existence mattered. If we had stayed silent, this department would not exist today.” — Professor Emma LaRocque

Left: Professor Emma LaRocque

1990s–2020s — From the margins to the mainstream

By the 1990s, the department launched one of the first master’s programs of its kind in Canada, later expanding to the PhD level and becoming a national leader in Indigenous graduate research and studies.

In 2021, the Faculty of Arts introduced the Indigenous content degree requirement, calling for all Arts undergraduate students to complete at least three credit hours of Indigenous course content in their studies to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Members of the Indigenous Studies department have been instrumental in developing, evaluating and delivering the courses which cover a variety of areas of study such as history, political science, sociology and women’s and gender studies.

The requirement seeks to give every future graduate an understanding of the place of Indigenous people in Manitoba’s and Canada’s history, and how that is woven into contemporary society, especially our workplaces. Since it has been introduced, other Faculties at UM have also implemented the requirement.

At the 50th anniversary celebration, the Department of Indigenous Studies gathered in Marshall McLuhan Hall with alumni, friends and long-time supporters.

Today, more than 3,200 Indigenous students are studying at the University of Manitoba. Across the university, 127 students – both Indigenous and non-Indigenous – are pursuing majors or minors in Indigenous Studies, Indigenous Governance or Indigenous Language programs.

The Department of Indigenous Studies has continued to expand its academic offerings. In addition to degrees in Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Governance, the department delivers a range of language courses, including two new micro-diplomas in Anishinaabemowin and Cree that support language learning and revitalization.

Regular colloquia and international conferences also create spaces for scholars, students and community members from around the world to gather, exchange ideas and learn together.

Faculty members take pride in the diverse accomplishments of their graduates, who can be found in every field – from health care, education, business and the arts to public service, law and counselling.

Professor Niigaan Sinclair

“Without the Department of Indigenous Studies, none of what exists today would have been possible – not the Indigenous Student Centre, not the Vice-President (Indigenous), not the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation,” said Professor Niigaan Sinclair. “All Indigenous progress at UM has grown from here.”

He also spoke about the deeper purpose behind studying Indigenous Studies.

“Don’t let fear guide your life; let love guide it. Taking Indigenous Studies is an act of love – not just for Indigenous peoples, but for this country.”

Alumni, faculty and friends reunited to honour five decades of Indigenous scholarship—some embraced after years apart, while the new generation carried the spirit forward.

The future — The drum continues

Today, generations of Indigenous scholars are following the paths their mentors cleared – continuing to learn, research and create on their own land and in their own classrooms.

Sarah Hourie, Métis scholar, Assistant Professor in City Planning and PhD candidate in Indigenous Studies, said: “I was very excited to take my own language… through the Indigenous Studies department, through a lot of hard work through people who came before me.”

Adrienne Huard, Anishinaabe Two-Spirit curator, writer and Instructor in the department, also a panelist at the 50th anniversary celebration, added: “Our bodies and our art are archives. Every performance is telling the world – our very existence is knowledge.”

From left to right: Elder Carl Stone, Adrienne Huard, Rhianda Redhead and Sarah Hourie.

As the celebration drew to a close, Elder Carl Stone honoured Mercredi, Moses Okimaw, Edwin Jebb, LaRocque and Sinclair with a song.

“Everything that I know about me, and the love I have for myself, the knowledge I have about my people and the love that I have for my people, came from my own people,” he said, pausing as his eyes filled with tears.

Beyond the hall, the rhythm of the drum continued on a new platform.

First-year Indigenous Studies student Rhianda Redhead took over the UM Indigenous social-media account that day, writing in her closing post:

“It was an unforgettable afternoon – we’ve come so far from our ‘humble’ beginnings, and we’ll keep moving forward.”

In that moment, the drum and the words resonated together.

Fifty years of echoes became a new beginning. From resistance to resurgence, from the margins to the centre, the Department of Indigenous Studies continues to write its living story – a true House of Knowledge for all.

To listen to the interview please head to CBC News.

In May 2021, when the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation announced preliminary results of their search for unmarked burials of children at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School (IRS), Canada was forced to reckon with a truth that Survivors had always carried: children were taken, and many never came home.

This difficult truth was already established years earlier, in 2015, by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada’s final report, which confirmed more than 3,200 deaths of children as a result of the IRS system, including 51 at Kamloops.

The Kamloops announcement shook many Canadians and revealed that more children likely died at residential schools in Canada than the TRC reported. This was something the commission anticipated would happen with new research, and additional deaths have now been confirmed by First Nations and police as they have undertaken their own subsequent investigations.

Read the full story at The Conversation Canada

He considers it progress that nearly every hand goes up these days. 

“I’m seeing more conversations, more curriculums, and probably most important of all, the change in school culture,” said the author and Indigenous studies professor at the University of Manitoba.

To read the entire article, please follow the link to CBC News.

Niigaan Sinclair, professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba, said the new cabinet is promising and represents a shift away from the Trudeau government.

To read the entire article, please follow the link to National Observer.

The reactions come after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said this week that she would put the issue to a referendum if enough residents sign a petition in support, even if she doesn’t want Alberta to leave Canada.

Professor of Indigenous Studies, Niigaan Sinclair explains the challenges a referendum will likely raise in regards to treaty rights.

To listen to the entire conversation, please follow the link to CTV News. 

Sean Carleton, a professor of history and Indigenous studies at the University of Manitoba, say those living in northern and remote communities face a lot of barriers when it comes to voting.

“There is a long history of Inuit people having uneven access to being able to cast their ballot. Extra steps are needed to ensure that everyone that wants to cast their ballot, has the ability to do so,” he says. “We need to learn from these issues.”

To read the entire story, please follow the link to CTV Winnipeg. 

While not a Christian, he was saddened by the Pope’s death Monday, saying when it comes to leaders of the Catholic church, Pope Francis’ legacy will be remembered as one that pushed the church forward. 

“I think very highly of the pope,” he said, calling Francis the most progressive Pope in history. 

To read the entire story, please follow the link to CityNews Winnipeg.

Manitoba is home to several Indigenous languages, including Cree, Dakota, Ojibwe, Oji-Cree, Dene, and Michif.

According to Lorena Sekwan Fontaine, head of the U of M’s Indigenous Studies Department, all these languages have a relationship to the land.

“There are a lot of different worldviews and knowledge contained in these six different languages that are integral to Manitoba,” she said in an interview with CTV Morning Live on Monday.

To watch and listen to the full interview, please follow the link to CTV Winnipeg.