On June 5, 2019, the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced the Government of Canada is supporting the development of a common law certificate in French at the University of Manitoba. The Department of Justice Canada is providing $768,372 in funding over four years (2018/19 to 2021/22) through its Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund. With this funding, the University of Manitoba will also conduct activities related to the assessment and certification of the language proficiency of students, and undertake activities to improve the capacity of justice stakeholders in Manitoba to offer services in both official languages.

“Our Government is actively working to improve access to justice in both official languages across the country,” says Lametti. “By increasing the capacity of institutions like Robson Hall to offer legal training in French, it ensures that more graduates in Manitoba will be able to provide legal services in their clients’ official language of choice. I am proud to support this initiative, which helps support the vitality of the Franco-Manitoban community and the development of our legal professionals.”

Up until now, the Faculty of Law could only offer one or two courses in French per year. With this funding, Robson Hall can expand its French-language offering and launch a full certificate program to its students.

“I am very excited that Justice Canada has agreed to fund our program,” says Jonathan Black-Branch, Dean of the Faculty of Law. “Being able to offer French-language legal education is a great development for us to train our students to practice law in both official languages. This is critical to improving access to justice for Manitobans.”

Joint program co-directors, Professors Lorna Turnbull and Gerald Heckman, will assist to develop a certificate program to allow law students to develop their legal skills and knowledge in French, allowing them to become better able to assist French speaking clients by representing them in French before courts and tribunals, and by drafting wills and other legal documents in French.

“I am heartened with the dedication of Dr. Turnbull and Dr. Heckman to this important project,” says Black-Branch. “We have worked very hard to make it happen and are most appreciative that Justice Canada has made French language legal education, as a means of improving access to justice, a priority.”

Equality in courts and classrooms

The Honourable Richard Chartier, Chief Justice of Manitoba, said, “In Manitoba, unlike the other western provinces, there are constitutional provisions mandating the equal status of English and French in the laws and in the courts of the province.  As a result, the English and French versions of all statutes have equal authority.”

“When judges consider statutory interpretation issues, they will often look at both the English and French versions before making their final determination on the question.  Offering French language legal education in our province not only enhances the law students’ ability to represent clients in the French language, it also provides them with an additional tool in their toolbox when making arguments relating to the statutory interpretation of laws.”

Specifically, he explained, “When judges consider statutory interpretation issues, they will often look at both the English and French versions before making their final determination on the question.  Offering French language legal education in our province not only enhances the law students’ ability to represent clients in the French language, it also provides them with an additional tool in their toolbox when making arguments relating to the statutory interpretation of laws.”

Expressing commitment to access to justice in all its forms, Black-Branch added, “Canada is a bilingual country celebrating both French and English as official languages whereby neither is to be given preference of priority. It is vital that a province like Manitoba offer French language training to our students to prepare them for legal practice to all Manitobans, including Franco-Manitobans.”

The program’s objective is to enable bilingual students and those with advanced French to enhance their written and oral French language proficiency and their knowledge of French common law legal terminology as well as to acquire skills in advocacy and negotiation. Students will also be exposed to substantive areas of law for which there is an acute need for French-language services, including criminal law and family law.

Heckman, an associate professor and program co-director explained that “several reasons have driven our efforts over the past decade to enable our students to experience part of their legal education in French. Manitoba is one of the few Canadian provinces where legislative and judicial bilingualism is constitutionally guaranteed. Our bilingual and francophone students have asked for the opportunity to be trained in French Language common law.”

He added, “Most importantly, there is an acute need for lawyers who can represent their clients in the French language. We are pleased and thankful that Justice Canada recognizes the role of bilingual legal education in addressing these access-to-justice needs.”

Tailor-made learning

A key component of the certificate program will be to offer bilingual students entering the program a tailor-made learning plan that allows them to become more proficient in French, and tools to assess their proficiency upon graduation. Especially important is that the program will encourage participating students to develop their identity as members of a community of bilingual law students and future practitioners who, together, can respond to the access to justice needs of francophone communities in Manitoba and other Canadian provinces outside of Québec.

Turnbull, professor and program co-director, spoke on the issue of ethic and access to justice, saying, “All lawyers, whether bilingual or not, have an ethical obligation to ensure that every client is aware of and able to access their right to be represented in the language of their choice. With the influx of families immigrating from French-speaking countries, there is a growing need for French language legal representation, especially in key areas affecting their rights such as family, immigration, and criminal law.”

The facts regarding this growing need are clear: According to the 2016 Census, 46,055 (3.7%) Manitobans identified French as their Mother tongue. The same report shows an increase in bilingualism in people whose mother tongue is English of almost 25% (nationally). The 2016 Census also states that 108,455 Manitobans (8/6%) were bilingual and that over 24,000 Manitoba students were enrolled in French immersion programs.

“It’s our responsibility as Manitoba’s law school to provide both the ethical foundation for all our graduates to ensure that clients are able to access their language rights,” says Turnbull, “and the practical linguistic foundation for our bilingual graduates to offer services to meet the growing needs of our French speaking communities.”

photo credit: Jesse Procyshyn

Winnipeg artist, Sara Clark, hosted a two-day workshop on knotting techniques and on how to knot. Armed with this new knowledge, the students crafted their installation on the grounds of SNAC. The hideout explores traditional knotting and weaving techniques as a structural foundation. Without resorting to any rigid, metal joinery systems, such as nails and screws, Murmurate instead employed knotting and traditional textile techniques to explore and develop a system of connections and soft architectonics.

“The site within the forest surrounding St. Norbert Arts Centre was chosen for its unique conglomeration of leaning and straight trees, alluding to sweeping figures and offering opportunities for encasing and elevating. Knotted both on and off site, Murmurate implements anchor hitches, good luck knots, donut knots, square knots, and common whipping.” 

In a manner similar to the murmurating birds, the Installation murmurates as one with nature for an indeterminate period of time as the natural aging process and Nature itself reclaims it. In the meantime, it remains a manifestation of the joy of making and crafting and of the student experience at the University of Manitoba. 

The installation is open to the public.  SNAC is located at 100 rue des Ruines du Monastère, Winnipeg, Manitoba

View CBC Winnipeg coverage of the installation online (Murmurate feature starts at 32min into the programming)

Murmurate Group. (2019). Battuvshin, Nemuulen, Binnun, Oren C., Dyson, Maria J. (Team Leader), Padilla, Charles D., Procyshyn, Jessie, Vinsky, Ashley A., Ashley Peebles, Hyeonji (Angie) Kwon, Lauren Wiebe, Katryna Lipinsky

Mark Torchia

Dr. Mark Torchia, a creative problem-solver and collaborator, has been named the University of Manitoba’s first Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning).

Concurrently, Dr. Torchia will continue to serve as Executive Director of The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning at the U of M. In these roles, he will provide leadership and expertise to fulfill the University’s teaching and learning mission, develop initiatives that support and recognize high quality teaching, and advance the practice of teaching and scholarship of teaching in higher education.

An alumnus of the U of M, Dr. Torchia became a faculty member in 1999. With a strong reputation for innovation and finding bold solutions to complex problems, he received the Manning Principal Award in 2015 and in 2016, the inaugural Governor General’s Innovation Award for NeuroBlate®, an alternative for inoperable brain tumours.

The University of Manitoba is pleased to have such a visionary leader assume this important strategic role.

The support and guidance continue beyond the first six weeks of classes with the Next 6 Weeks Program. The Next 6 Weeks is delivered weekly to each first year student’s myumanitoba inbox, beginning on October 29 for Fall Term. Students can also access the Next 6 Weeks Program anytime by visiting umanitoba.ca/u1/next-six-weeks.

The Next 6 Weeks picks up where the First 6 Weeks left off by addressing student concerns such as:

• Connecting with academic supports to prepare for final exams;
• Making decisions about the upcoming term; and
• Exploring different degree and career options.

“There are so many amazing, helpful people on campus that I wish I’d known about in my first year,” said Gretchen Derige Cortens, academic advisor in the First Year Centre. “Looking back on it, I wish I’d known that I could go to an advisor, meet with a tutor, and talk to a career counsellor. There were so many things I had questions about, or that I just sort of muddled through, because I didn’t realize there were all these supports built into the university.”

She continues, “That’s really one of the goals of both the First Six Weeks and Next Six Weeks Program – to get this information into the hands of first year students as soon as possible, when it can be the most help.”

All first year students are encouraged to explore the resources introduced in the Next Six Weeks Program, and to meet with an academic advisor in their home faculty or in the First Year Centre.

Taking on the English and Northern Irelands teams in some friendly matches brings many benefits, including team building, expansion of world-views, and providing leadership opportunities for students who will act as ambassadors for our school, province, and national sport.

“We’re a young team this year after a lot of our guys graduated last season,” says veteran team captain Brett Stovin. “This trip will be an important block in our foundation as we get ready for the season ahead.”

With a 17-14 record last season, the Bisons had a good campaign, battling their way to the Canada West quarterfinals only to be eliminated by the Mount Royal Cougars. The young Bisons hope to make a deeper push into the playoffs this season, and this trip serves as a launching pad.

To offset costs, Stovin and his teammates began fundraising efforts this past June when they organized and hosted the “Bison Hockey Alumni Golf Tournament” and now with only a few weeks before their departure they hope to build on that support even more to reach their fundraising goal through a unique online opportunity for supporters to give.

“On behalf of the Bisons, I’d like to thank everyone for their support. We’re looking forward to the season ahead and hope to see as many people as possible coming out to cheer on all Bison teams, all season,” Stovin says. “We’re proud to be Bisons and to represent the University of Manitoba, you can say we bleed brown and gold.”

The Bison men’s hockey team will open their 2018-19 regular season on the road against the Calgary Dinos on October 5 then will be back at the Wayne Fleming Arena for their Home Opener on October 12 against the Albert Golden Bears. Visit gobisons.ca for full schedule details.

To support the Bison men’s hockey pre-season trip, visit give.umanitoba.ca/ag/bisonhockey18.

Such is the norm during the summer months in Rankin Inlet, where Brown [BA/10, MNRM/16] works for the Government of Nunavut as Acting Director of Nunavut Parks and Special Places.

After falling in love with Inuit culture and the lifestyle of Northern Canada during her undergrad, Brown moved to Nunavut once her masters was complete.

In anticipation of Canada’s Parks Day on July 21, we’re featuring alumni like Brown 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 Brown about the challenges and the beauty of living in Canada’s North from her office facing the northern edge of Hudson Bay.

UM TODAY: WHEN WE FIRST CONTACTED YOU IN MAY IT WAS -1 AND SNOWING IN RANKIN INLET. NOW, IT’S 17 DEGREES. THAT SEEMS PRETTY WARM FOR THE NORTH!

Yes, people think that it’s always a vast frozen wasteland up here. Things thaw! And the landscape here is so diverse. At certain times of the year you can be walking along and see flowers of all colours: hot pink, bright yellow, crisp white, and then a little bit further along everything is covered in berries and you can just eat blueberries to your heart’s content. The landscape changes so quickly; you just round the next hill and you’re in a completely different kind of space.

There are no trees here except one area in Katannilik Territorial Park, which is near Iqaluit. There’s this little microclimate where they have willows growing and they’re about seven or eight feet tall. You’re like “what, why is this here?!” But that’s the Soper Valley – it’s beautiful!

DO YOU GET TO EXPLORE A LOT OF NUNAVUT, AS PART OF YOUR JOB?

Everything in Nunavut is dictated by the season and the weather. The winter is planning season so I’m in the office, but summer is completely different. Last year, for example, I had the opportunity to visit Qaummaarviit Territorial Park.  In order to get there we had to take a boat across Frobisher Bay and when you’re out there you might see pods of narwhals and belugas go by and all the shorebirds are flying overhead. It’s so beautiful, everything is rock and beautiful water and this big beautiful blue sky.  Qaummaarviit is an island so when you eventually make it out you’re stranded for a time when the tide goes out so you get to explore. My friends tease me and say my job is just picnics and boat rides!

SO WHAT EXACTLY DOES YOUR JOB INVOLVE, OTHER THAN ISLAND HOPPING?

In Qaummaarviit, we were there to do a cultural landscape resource inventory. We were looking at what the cultural resources are: archeological sites, wildlife areas, or harvesting areas where Inuit or people living in Nunavut might go and fish or hunt. We map what the resources are and that helps us define our master plans. What the boundaries of the park should be or the zoning. 

Exploring Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park. // Image from AMY BROWN @rock.water.sky (Instagram)

DO YOU DO THIS FOR ALL THE PARKS IN NUNAVUT?

There are 22 communities in Nunavut and our long-term goal is to have one park adjacent to each community across the entire territory. We work very closely with the Regional Inuit Organizations, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the park advisory committees, and the public to develop parks in a way that makes sense to the communities that we serve.  Sometimes there’s a strong preference for a wilderness park with very few amenities. Or maybe they want a park more closely associated with the community where there’s a day-use area or a lake to go swimming in. Another option is a historical park which would showcase some of the archaeological or historical features associated with the different regions.

For example, Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park was established to showcase the connection between Inuit and migrating caribou herds. Last year, during our Parks Day event, a passing caribou herd (roughly 100,000 animals), changed course and passed directly through the park.  Community members were concerned that vehicle traffic and public activities in the park would startle and potentially harm the animals. So the road leading into and out of the park was closed to allow the herd to pass by safely. In some cases this stranded park visitors in the park for several hours, but it was generally accepted that this was the best course of action to safeguard the herd, which is a food source for so many families that practice traditional subsistence hunting.  We now have plans in place to shift the Parks Day event to either before or after the herd migrate close to the park, to ensure the herd’s safety.

WHEN YOU WERE A U OF M STUDENT, DID YOU EVER IMAGINE YOU’D BE NAVIGATING CARIBOU HERDS IN YOUR CAREER? HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO MOVE UP NORTH?

Not really! When I did my undergrad, there was a travel study course offered by the Department of Native Studies and the Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources. They took a group of students to Pangnirtung, on Baffin Island, and we spent six weeks immersed in an Inuit community. We camped behind the town; met with elders almost daily for language classes; they took us hunting; we learned how to sew seal skin.

It completely opened my eyes to a Canadian experience that I knew nothing about. It resonated with how I wanted to live my life, so after I graduated and saw there wasn’t much resource development happening in southern Canada, I looked north. There was a position available so I said to my husband, “What do you think? Are you up for an adventure?” And he said yes. We moved up here in October 2016. 

LET’S TALK ABOUT LIFE UP NORTH. IT MUST BE VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE’RE ACCUSTOMED TO DOWN SOUTH.

Every community is a fly-in community. The Government of Nunavut provides staff housing for most positions so I live in a row house that’s connected to five other units that have teachers and nurses and other government workers living there. Our house is about six feet off the ground with fencing around the bottom to keep polar bears out. I’ve actually never seen a polar bear in town but I know they’re around so it’s just a precaution so you don’t step off the front step and feel an arm reach out and grab you.

In the winter time my husband and I walk wherever we go but there are roads here, lots of trucks. Rather than using a vehicle in the summer, we bought a quad because it’s much more versatile. The landscape in Rankin is very flat so we can drive on the roads in our quad but also go inland to see the caribou migrate, or go fishing, or out to people’s cabins.

There’s a lot of subsistence hunting here so when you walk through town it’s not uncommon to see caribou or even polar bear hides being stretched out on wood frames outside of people’s homes. Or caribou antlers left out for the dogs. Something I find quite interesting is to be walking along and seeing an entire muskox head with the horns and everything just waiting to be cleaned!

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FOOD?

Amy with Arrow the husky pulling home a sled full of food mail. // Image from AMY BROWN @rock.water.sky (Instagram)

We have three grocery stores up here but typically me and my husband order online from certain companies in the south, and they ship it up to us. There’s a separate section at the airport here where food mail comes in. We load up our sled, and we’ve taught our husky to pull it home on his harness. Food mail is more for fresh produce. For dried goods, we organize a sea lift. It’s like doing a big Costco run – you buy for the year – and certain companies will put it in a crate and make arrangements to go by train to Montreal, then by ship up to us. As long as you have some forethought you can get almost anything up here.

A lot of people pursue subsistence hunting. My husband and I don’t have the skills but we have been very blessed to receive traditional foods from our friends, neighbours and colleagues: muskox roast, ground caribou meat, or freshly caught geese.  We have learned to fish, and have been rewarded with some very tasty lake trout and arctic char.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE NEW FOOD THAT YOU’VE DISCOVERED?

The catch of the day after mussel picking. // Image from AMY BROWN @rock.water.sky (Instagram)

One of the most rewarding experiences of my life was learning when, where, and how to mussel pick with some of my Inuit coworkers. The Government of Nunavut encourages offices to have a cultural day on the land. The idea is to promote Inuit culture and traditions and share those with people who aren’t necessarily from here.  

We travelled to the coast and spent the day plucking mussels off rocks hidden underneath kelp, racing the tide to select the largest ones only exposed at the lowest of tides. I felt so proud of myself for collecting all these mussels, learning how to spill the sand out and clean them. Taking them home and making a beautiful meal out of something I harvested myself was a really rewarding experience.

DO YOU FEEL ISOLATED?

Life in Nunavut is different that it is in southern Canada. There aren’t the same amenities as those I used to take for granted.  We only have a handful of restaurants in town. Do I miss being able to sit in a café and chat with my friends? Of course. But living in the north makes you resilient. You adapt to thrive. There’s no sense dwelling on things that are out of reach. Instead, you need to make your own opportunities. What me and a group of friends do is have a themed dinner party once a month. If one of us says, “oh I really wish we could go for a falafel tonight” we might do a falafel-themed dinner, or Chinese, or Thai.

Some women I know missed their regular yoga practice. So they rented the school gym three nights a week and started their own ‘yoga studio’. The isolation provides opportunities to be more creative.

JULY 21^ST IS CANADA’S PARKS DAY. WHAT DO YOU WISH CANADIANS KNEW ABOUT OUR NORTHERN PARKS?

How accessible Nunavut’s Territorial Parks are!  Many of our parks are located within proximity to one of Nunavut’s communities.  In some cases, visitors can rent a truck or ATV and travel by road or maintained trail to the parks, where they will find amenities such as emergency shelters, tent platforms, outhouses, fire pits, and picnic tables.  Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park, located on the outskirts of Rankin Inlet, can be accessed by road between May and October. Visitors are often surprised to find a sandy swimming lake filled with children, interpretive walking trails, and a pavilion equipped with a wood stove and BBQ.

To see more photos about work and life in Nunavut, check out @umanitoba on Instagram on Friday, July 20. Amy will be taking over the U of M’s account for the day to celebrate Canada’s Parks Day.

Recognizing the need for support and guidance beyond the first six weeks of classes, the Next 6 Weeks program was launched in the fall of 2017. Delivered online, this program provides easy access to the information and resources students need to continue the development of good study habits and planning skills. The Next 6 Weeks is delivered weekly to each first year student’s myumanitoba inbox, beginning on February 26 for Winter Term.

The Next 6 Weeks picks up where the First 6 Weeks leaves off by addressing many new questions students have, including how to prepare for exams, how to make decisions about next term and how to continue to get involved on campus.

Students can access the Next 6 Weeks program anytime by visiting umanitoba.ca/u1/next-six-weeks. All first year students are encouraged to check out the resources available as part of this program and to meet with an academic advisor.

Contact the First Year Centre for more information or to find out how to speak with an academic advisor.

Recognizing the need for support and guidance beyond the first six weeks of classes, the First Year Centre has developed the Next 6 Weeks program. This program will be delivered online and provides easy access to the information and resources students need to continue developing good study habits and planning skills.

Riley Dodds is in her second year at the U of M. After starting in University 1, she transitioned to the general science program in the Faculty of Science. She says the First 6 Weeks program was extremely beneficial.

“Study skills tips are introduced early in the program, which let me start the semester strong before midterms hit,” says Dodds. “My study skills did improve. Adjusting to university courses from high school was a huge jump and when I was taking a self-guided course with online lectures and a textbook, I had no idea where to start. Trying to figure out what was important and using my study time effectively was a huge take-away from the First Six Weeks program.”

The Next 6 Weeks picks up where First 6 Weeks leaves off and addresses many new questions students have, including how to prepare for exams, how to make decisions about next term and how to continue to get involved on campus.

“Students who follow the First 6 Weeks program are directed to key resources we know are important in the development of the skills and abilities required to excel in an academic environment,” says Liz Edmonds, an academic advisor with the First Year Centre. “The Next 6 Weeks guides students further with specific resources aimed at the transition through and out of year one.”

During the Next 6 Weeks program students will receive weekly emails with information designed to help them make their time at university balanced and successful.

Dodds was inspired by what she learned during the First 6 Weeks program and now volunteers with the New Student Peer Mentorship program.

“As a second-year student, I feel as though I can be an effective mentor since I was able to learn about all of the on-campus resources that are available to students. Even if I have yet to utilize them myself, I know what’s available and what they do. I would recommend following these programs to any first-year student. Getting acquainted with your campus and the resources available is a wonderful step towards success during your time at university.”

Students can access the Next 6 Weeks program anytime at umanitoba.ca/u1/next-six-weeks.

Many UofM students want to study abroad but fear a burdensome price tag and confusing paperwork. Yet, as Moore discovered, the programs offered by UM Global are designed to address these issues: students pay UofM tuition while on exchange, and the International Centre helped to facilitate credit transfer.

“They were so helpful. They offered an incredible amount of guidance and encouraged me to apply for scholarships that covered so many of my costs,” Moore says. “And it was really easy to have my credits transfer back to the U of M. I picked the courses myself ahead of time and they looked at the list and told me in advance what would transfer, so I could tailor it that way.”

Her adventure began on a whim. Moore wanted to do something different so she applied to the International Student Exchange Program. She was accepted and in 2012 went to Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, for a six-month exchange.

“It was getting towards the end of my program and knew I was getting interested in hydrology but courses weren’t really being offered [at the U of M] when I needed to take them. So by doing the exchange I was able to actually go there and study in a few hydrology courses. And because the time difference is 18 hours, I didn’t have all the little distractions you get when you’re at home – just all those little things that come up day to day. So I could really immerse myself in the topic and I had never studied any groundwater before I went to Flinders, and after I finished, I decided I wanted to do a graduate program in groundwater.”

Moore is now a PhD student in civil engineering at the U of M and she was able to apply a few of her courses from Flinders towards her PhD requirements.

“Any student thinking of doing an exchange should. It’s a really great experience to meet new people and see new things,” she says. “If I could offer any advice it would be to take a course that is local to the area you’re going. I took a coastal studies course, and being from a small farming town,”—Oak Lake, Man.—“I knew nothing about this and had never been exposed to it. It was hard, but really cool.”

UM Global offers a variety of international education programs, including exchanges to partner universities throughout the world (for credit) and the Students without Borders internship program. 

They are this year’s recipients of the Nahlah Ayed prize.

“I started to cry when I heard I won,” Al-Azazi says. “It’s just like when you do a lot of things because you are passionate about them but then you get this pat on the back, this feeling of being acknowledged.”

Okoi, known as “Sam” to his friends, echoed these sentiments: “I was very excited because it is an acknowledgement of the little things I have done. You know, sometimes you don’t know the impact of what you’re doing. But if people who are watching you can attest to your effort to make a little difference in the lives of others, it feels really good. So when I received the email I said, ‘wait a minute, what’s going on!’ I had to read it again. I’m grateful. I’m really grateful.”

Each year, two students who demonstrate exceptional commitment and leadership skills, and whose actions are helping to bridge the local and the global, are awarded the Nahlah Ayed Prize for Student Leadership & Global Citizenship.

Nahlah Ayed, a CBC foreign correspondent, alumna and honorary degree recipient, supports this annual prize. It encourages students to participate in horizon-expanding activities that celebrate diversity, curiosity, respect and mutual understanding.

Maryam Al-Azazi is from Yemen and Ethiopia and is in her final year of Respiratory Therapy. She arrived in Canada by herself when she was 18 to pursue post-secondary education, and quickly she got involved in the community. She has worked or volunteers with a variety of NGOs in Winnipeg, helping Syrian refugees and advocating for marginalized groups.

Obasesam Okoi, a PhD candidate in Peace and Conflict Studies, is originally from Nigeria and he describes himself as a “disruptive thinker.” He is the author of the inspirational book The Spirit of Change, and convenes innovative youth programs where he trains young people to become leaders.

In their own words

UM Today: Why do you do what you do? What drives you?

Obasesam Okoi

Obasesam Okoi (OO): What drives me is the realization that my life, as a human being, is not about myself. It’s about what I make happen for others. So the essence of living is not to just live, but to live for others. I grew up with this consciousness and everything I do I try to ask myself, ‘How can I make life better for other people? What can I do to put a smile on somebody’s face?’

So I am driven by the realization that my life is a gift to humanity and I must constantly give whatever it takes me to give. I have to do it to make life better for other people. To inspire somebody to take action that inspires positive changes in society, that gives hope to other people. That is my inspiration.

Maryam Al-Azazi (MA): I came from a culture that is very patriarchal and very, how can I say this? It’s just a place where I never had a voice. You’re celebrated if you’re quiet. So every day since I landed in this country I am grateful for where I am so I always want to take every opportunity to give back and give a purpose for my existence.

 And I have that firsthand experience of facing those challenges that come with being a newcomer in a new place. So, you know when you face something and you don’t want anyone to face it again? That’s how I feel. So if I can help any person, even in small ways, if it’s a situation or by sharing information, it makes me feel that gratitude that I helped someone in any situation they are in.

 … I want to be a role model for all the newcomers, giving them hope. I’m a newcomer Canadian who believes that you can be whoever you want to be, it’s just going to take some hard work.

 UM Today: Senator Murray Sinclair asked Canadians to reflect on four questions. One of them is “Where are you going?” How would you respond?

Maryam Al-Azazi

MA: In a couple of months I will graduate as a respiratory therapist so I will be a health care professional making a difference in my clients’ life, and I also want to continue my community work because I do love that. It’s not volunteer, it’s more of a hobby. I want to continue to find a middle ground for both and continue to provide culturally competent care to anyone. I just want to work hard to be an agent of change. That is my goal.

OO: My purpose on Earth, as I have discovered, is to help people discover why they are born. It’s to raise leaders and transform them into champions of change. Helping people discover their gifts, talents and abilities – to discover why God has sent them to this Earth and what they are born with. How can they better deploy their potential to be a blessing to others?…

In terms of where I’m going, I believe that since I discovered why I am born it is easier for me to know where I’m going. I know exactly where I am going. I want to create programs and platforms where people can discover and spread their gifts. I want to create platforms where people can raise questions on their role in society, on their role in the destiny of their nation, their role in the destiny of their community….

I try to challenge people to see a vision of themselves. So they see that they are not a victim, but that they can lead. That is where I am going.

The nomination deadline for the 2018 edition of the Nahlah Ayed Prize for Student Leadership and Global Citizenship is Dec. 15, 2017. Read more here.