On May 16, the Access Program honoured its latest group of graduates. These 19 students from various Indigenous communities and Winnipeg earned degrees in Arts, Education, Kinesiology, Science, Health Science, Environmental Studies, Respiratory Therapy, Social Work, and Medicine.

Ashley Monture – MD

Ashley Monture always wanted to be a doctor, just like both of her parents. As a young girl, she would go with her mom to the nursing station in the northern communities where she worked.

“I would always try to follow her and help with patients,” says the Mohawk and Cree Access program grad who is now joining her parents’ profession with her own MD.

Monture started her university studies at McMaster but returned to Winnipeg and UM with her mother’s encouragement. She also joined the Access Program.

“It was really helpful,” she says. “After my father passed away, I appreciated the personal counselling. The academic advisors helped me to pick courses, guiding me in my options.”

With the Northern Remote Family Residency, Monture will start her residency in July.

“It still feels very surreal. It is very special. It took a long time, but it will be really nice to give back to the community. I always enjoyed my time when I lived in the North. It’s so peaceful. I had to leave to go to high school, but it was always my goal to go back to a Northern community.”

Her mom attended the Graduation Pow Wow with her and will also attend her convocation with pride. While Monture missed her Access Graduation dinner, she fondly remembers the one she attended to celebrate her undergraduate degree. “It is a nice way to celebrate and see everyone who supported you along the way.”

University can be intimidating and overwhelming at first, but Access helps students to navigate and adjust, she says. “They offer really good support and a great sense of community.”

Harrison Mason plans to build energy efficient houses using local resources.

Harrison Mason- Bachelor of Environmental Studies

Harrison Mason will return to Winnipeg for June convocation, to celebrate earning his Bachelor of Environmental Studies with a focus on Sustainable Building. The 39-year-old married father of four didn’t attend the Access Program dinner because the cost of travel to and from St. Theresa Point is prohibitive. But, he says, “Graduating is awesome. With my background, I didn’t think I would make it. I had a lot of doubt. There was my age, and my family. I thought many times about quitting. But people supported me. It took a while, but I did it.”

Just a few years ago, Mason was just getting by working construction in Winnipeg when he realized he needed to do something to earn more for his family and to inspire his children. His sister encouraged the Anisininew from St. Theresa Point to follow her to UM.

“I learned so many things. It was scary. I didn’t think I was smart enough. I wondered what I had got myself into. I thought I knew math and writing essays, but it was hard,” he says.

Mason started in Engineering but transferred to the Access Program to find his way. “When I needed help, they were there. They are one of the big parts of why I graduated. When I started paying attention, talking to the right people, they helped, and I realized I could do it.”

He discovered Environmental Studies and Sustainable Building. “I’m a carpenter and I want to help the environment. This is what I want to do,” he says. “There is so much we can do. I want to adapt to the local environment, build a house where the house is healthy as well. I believe it will take time.”

With his degree behind him, Mason is learning how to build log houses with a Saskatchewan training program in July and then he plans to build his own home as a prototype. “It will be a log cabin. My house will be energy efficient and use local resources.”

His construction process will also focus on waste minimization. “Why waste when I can reuse materials in what I am doing? I am renovating my mom’s home right now, using everything again. It’s going well.”

The Access Program taught Mason it is okay to go through hardship. “Just don’t give up. Work hard. They will provide tutors. You will make it. Just don’t give up. Push through. It will come.”

Learn more about the Access Program

The Land Back movement has gained international attention, including support from the David Suzuki Foundation (DSF). In order to help provide context to the movement, the DSF released a series of three informative videos covering the past, present and future of Land Back that features many prominent Indigenous voices including land protectors, artists and academics. 

In response to the popularity of the movement and in conjunction with the release of the videos, the Centre for Human Rights Research (CHRR) is hosting a live viewing and panel discussion exploring the topic of Land Back on Earth Day, April 22 in partnership with DSF and Indigenous Engagement at UM. 

“Earth Day is a critical time for the CHRR to host a discussion on Land Back and what it means for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and communities on the territories we inhabit,” says CHRR’s director, Faculty of Arts professor and historian Dr. Adèle Perry. “[The event] will provide us with an opportunity to highlight the connections between environmental degradation and colonialism, as well as racism and dispossession, while addressing how Indigenous rights are connected to the restoration of Indigenous lands and waters.” 

CHRR’s event will screen the first video in the series, titled Land Governance – The Past, with a panel presentation from one of the series’ producers Aimée Craft, UM alumna Danielle Morrison [JD/19] and environmental studies student Taylor Galvin. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Perry. Participants are also encouraged to preview videos two and three in the series on the DFS website before the event.

All are welcome to register and attend the event on April 22 at 1 p.m. 

Surrounded by snow-capped Rockies and catching the occasional glimpse of bears (with frequent sightings of elk), Dupuis [BSc/02] makes this picturesque drive every day as Visitor Experience Manager for the Lake Louise, Yoho, Kootenay Field Unit.

It’s one of many roles he’s held over a 20-year career with Parks Canada, taking care (as he describes his responsibilities) of Canadian treasures.

In anticipation of Canada’s Parks Day on July 21, we’re featuring alumni like Dupuis who live and work in our nation’s parks, historical sites and special places; alumni who get to call these Canadian treasures their “office”.

UM Today spoke to Dupuis from his office overlooking the tallest mountain in Lake Louise: Mount Temple.

UM TODAY: WHAT DO YOU DO, AS A VISITOR EXPERIENCE MANAGER?

DUPUIS: Visitor experience in national parks is basically the public-facing staff who you see in uniform serving Canadians and visitors from abroad in all of our locations. That includes campgrounds, gates, visitor centres, call centres, and some of the shuttles we’ve been running here in Lake Louise.

It’s a big team. It kind of sounds like I’m out there greeting people but I’m not, I have a team of just over 200 people who work for the Visitor Experience team in Lake Louise, Yoho, and Kootenay. I do my job by making sure the teams have the tools and resources to serve visitors. I also work with my colleagues in other functions to make sure the front of house is in good shape and visitors respect the environment when they come to the parks

HOW DO YOU DEFINE A GOOD VISITOR EXPERIENCE?

It’s kind of difficult to define because every experience is unique. Everybody comes with their own values and perceptions of things. One of the things we learn at Parks Canada is to really understand visitors and the science behind their behaviours. Why they choose to come to parks and how we get them to care about these places so much that they want to protect them for future generations.

As staff in Parks Canada, we’re pretty much all passionate about the outdoors and comfortable outdoors but when you look at the general public as a whole – it is often not the case.

LOTS OF HIKING IN FLIP-FLOPS, THAT SORT OF THING?

We see that all the time here in the Lake Louise area. Flip-flops or regular street footwear are appropriate for a leisurely stroll along the Lake Louise lakeshore, but proper hiking footwear is advised for any hikes in the area.

The phenomenon of Instagram and sharing photos on social media is something that we’re definitely seeing increasing, too. People want to get to certain locations but they’re maybe not as prepared as they should be. The beauty is really attractive, “We gotta go there!” but they don’t know what tools they need to get there. Sometimes it’s not the right footwear or not enough water, or not knowing how far the actual hike is and being well prepared. That’s one of our main messages for people: plan ahead. Some of these places are beautiful, but be ready for it.

Dupuis skating on Two Jack Lake in Banff National Park, with Cascade Mountain in the background.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO BE OUTDOORS EXPLORING NATURE?

Yes, I love the outdoors and I get that from my father. I grew up in St. Pierre Jolys, just south of Winnipeg and almost every weekend in the spring and summer my dad would take us fishing to Nopiming and various places in the backcountry. That’s where I got my love for the outdoors.

SO IT WAS NATURAL TO GO INTO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, BUT WHY PARKS IN PARTICULAR?

The first course I took at the U of M was Environmental Science 101 with Gordon Goldsborough. Just seeing his passion for two things: the environment (taking care of it and being conscious of everything you do) and his passion for history. Parks Canada doesn’t just protect nature but also our cultural heritage and he really represented that. In my every day work I often think of how he approached things.

I’m lucky enough to take care of Canadian treasures for Canadians. That’s how I see my job. Canadians own these places, or have them in trust, and I’m entrusted to make sure they’ll be here forever.

ARE THERE CERTAIN THINGS YOU FOCUS ON?

Visiting and connecting to a place is very important to people. If you visit a place, you’re way more likely to want to protect that place. If I just say “do you want to protect such-and-such National Park?” you’re like “Well, I have no idea what that is, I have no connection to it.” But if you’ve been there, you understand this is worth protecting and you become an ambassador and an advocate for those special places.

The other thing I’m interested in is how we work with Indigenous peoples and present their stories in our various places. I’m a Métis from just south of Winnipeg; it’s something I’m very proud of. At Parks Canada, we are leaders in developing important relationships with our Indigenous partners to better protect and present our heritage places.

Elk in Canmore.

YOU MUST SEE A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL PLACES ON THE JOB – WHAT’S ONE OF THEM?

Last year we started our daily traffic program. There’s a lot of congestion in Lake Louise, so we have traffic flaggers plus a shuttle. The key thing that we didn’t have was a dedicated channel for them to communicate. I was fortunate enough to go on top of Mount Hector in a helicopter to help install the antennae for the new radio channel.

The helicopter dropped me and the radio tech off and then it went away so it was just us and the quiet … besides the cordless drill drilling the antennae into the side of the building. Mount Hector in Banff National Park overlooks the whole Lake Louise area and the Icefields Parkway and it’s just amazing. That was my job and I was like “really, I’m getting paid to do this?!”

HOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO VISIT THE PARKS, WHAT KINDS OF EXPERIENCES HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO GIVE THEM?

My favourite was when I worked as a Park Interpreter and I was guiding a group on the Boreal Trail in Riding Mountain National Park. The father was in a wheelchair – it was a wheelchair accessible hike but it had grown in and the grass was getting long so I helped push the gentleman so he could access the trail. We got to the far bridge and we saw a moose eating in the marsh not too far away from us. It was amazing to be able to have him out there on the trail, but seeing him and his family enjoy that moment will stay with me forever.

JULY 21^ST IS CANADA’S PARKS DAY. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO CANADIANS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO EXPLORE OUR PARKS?

Explore your backyard. As a Canadian, it’s everybody’s place to enjoy and get closer to their heritage. From history to nature, the more you know about it, the better position as a society we will be to protect these places for generations.

Growing up in rural Alberta, she’d much rather be lending a hand on the family ranch or playing three-on-two with her brothers on dad’s homemade rink. 

All five of the Fyten kids were raised on hockey. Thanks to Bison Sports donors and Women’s Hockey coach Jon Rempel [BA/95, BRS/00], Caitlin was able to follow her passion at the U of M.

It was back in Alberta, when Fyten was playing for her high school team, that Rempel scouted her out. After seeing her play, he asked if they could meet for coffee.

Fyten had no idea he was going to offer her a scholarship to play for the Bisons. Funded by donations from the U of M’s extensive Bison community, that scholarship has helped the environmental studies student reach her potential on the ice and in the classroom.

Caitlin Fyten and her family.

“Getting the scholarship was huge for me because my parents and I were not sure what we could afford for university,” says Fyten. “When Jon offered me what he did it ended up being a huge benefit in the long run because for a while I had virtually no income from my parents.”

In her rookie year, Fyten’s dad was diagnosed with cancer.

“Not only could he not work but my mom had to take a lot of time off to care for him,” explains Fyten. “As a student, you can only make so much in a summer to help you out, so the scholarship was huge. I honestly don’t know if we could have made it work if it wasn’t for that.”

In the two years before her dad died, Fyten’s Bison scholarship kept her focused and motivated.

Until then, she’d never considered what she could accomplish in school. But because she needed to maintain good grades she began to realize her potential as a student.

Caitlin Fyten as a child with her teammates.

Now in her fifth year of Environmental Studies, Fyten hopes to get into either oil and gas consulting or agrology when she graduates.

As for hockey, she started this season as captain of the Bison Women’s team. Both are successes she attributes to receiving her athletics scholarship all those years ago.

“I honestly never thought I’d be captain of the Bisons. The fact that that scholarship made it possible makes you realise there may be other girls out there with the skill and potential to be great hockey players but they don’t have the finances to make it happen. These scholarships can give girls a chance to have the same opportunities as I’ve had.”

Donations to Bison Sports help build leaders of tomorrow by rewarding outstanding performance and potential. To support women’s hockey or other Bison teams, visit give.umanitoba.ca/ag/bisons

Dr. Jonathan Beddoes, Interim Dean took attendees through the history of the Faculty with detailed attention to the evolution of the Environmental Studies / Environmental Design Program. Dr. Beddoes discussed how the Program was created out of the need to develop a curriculum and pedagogy that would address the increasingly complex issues faced by designers at that time. His presentation concluded with an overview of the work that the Faculty is undergoing in efforts to meet the evolving demands in the design professions, and to better serve current and future students.

Alumnus Diarmuid Nash (1974 B.E.S., 1979 M.Arch), Architect with Moriyama & Teshima, followed Dr. Beddoes with an inspiring presentation on his involvement in the design and build of the Aga Khan Museum located in Toronto.

The next 50^th Anniversary Celebration is planned for Tuesday, October 18, 2016, when 1982 Bachelor of Environmental Studies graduate Allan Bell will be speaking to students and alumni on how his education in Environmental Studies has helped shape his career and his current thinking in his role of Architect at John Pawson Ltd in London, UK.

For more details on upcoming events please visit us online