Petition for Indigenous course content at U of T: Introduction to Our Journey

Welcome to the official blog for the Native Students' Association at the University of Toronto. 

This blog is intended to provide information and updates on our journey in getting Indigenous course content included in program course curriculum at the University of Toronto.

Throughout you will find updates and releases published by our Association's Clan Council members as well as links to articles and other media from local outlets. The Clan Council thanks you for your interest in our cause and our journey! 

Ontario Chief Isadore Day signing the petition March 2015

We started our petition over a year ago with the following mandate:

"The Native Students' Association has been diligently working towards implementing a mandatory Indigenous studies credit across all levels of education for the past two years. We are pleased to announce that we have met with the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Premier of Ontario’s Office to support this cause. We are now asking that Canada’s largest University also support this project. Please help us begin the process of reconciliation through education."

We are proud to say that our official petition reached over 1500 signatories by its closing. Support for the petition came from across campus programs and divisions as well as from the wider community, reaching communities from Napanee to Vancouver.

The Honourable Carolyn Bennett 
signed the petition 
on Jan. 25, 2016

A  link to the original petition can be found at the bottom of this post.

Since launching this petition, council members have met with leaders in the Indigenous community, the University community, and broader community who have lent their support to our cause, including Wab Kinew, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett (Federal Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs), Chief Dean Sayers of the Batchewana First Nation of Ojibways, and Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day. We also appreciate the solidarity of the University of Toronto Students' Union (UTSU) and the Arts and Science Students' Union (ASSU).

Our petition was successful in establishing a working group in partnership with the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University's St. George campus, under the name if the Working Group for Indigenous Teaching and Learning.  

NSA Council Member with 
Wab Kinew, Feb. 24, 2016

The Working Group was conducted over 12 weeks in the fall of 2016 and included NSA Clan Council members, University students, staff, and faculty members. The NSA was pleased that our Crane and governance leader Audrey Rochette was appointed as co-chair of the Working Group.

Chief Sayers signing 
Jan. 25, 2016

Our blog will feature upcoming posts on the proceedings and recommendations of the Working Group as well as media on the process of getting mandated Indigenous course content at the U of T.


Thank you for your interest in our cause and our journey. Stay tuned for new updates and media!




Chi-miigwetch,
Native Students' Association Clan Council 2016/17
Crane Clan, Loon Clan, Bear Clan, Hoof Clan, Fish Clan, Bird Clan, Marten Clan

Change.org petition page:
https://www.change.org/p/mandatory-indigenous-studies-course-at-the-university-of-toronto