TRC Consultation’s Framework and Methodology

In this section, we detail the major themes that were identified in the TRC Community Consultation along with barriers, concerns, suggestions and opportunities that were brought forward.

Elder Joanne Dallaire led and facilitated each of the Talking Circles with Denise O’Neil Green, Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion. Representatives from TMU Aboriginal Student Services attended each session and were available as a resource to the participants. Talking Circles are a foundational approach to First Nations pedagogy-in-action since they provide a model for an educational activity that encourages dialogue, respect, the co-creation of learning content and social discourse. “When everyone has their turn to speak, when all voices are heard in a respectful and attentive way, the learning atmosphere becomes a rich source of information, identity and interaction. (external link) ”

Each of the Talking Circles was facilitated in a similar fashion. Elder Joanne Dallaire opened each circle with a smudge ceremony, an important aspect of establishing a positive space for dialogue. In addition to addressing the TRC Calls to Action specific to post-secondary education, other relevant Calls to Action that speak more generally to education and to the programs offered at TMU were selected. 

Major Themes - Barriers, Concerns, Solutions and Opportunities 

Numerous suggestions and recommendations were offered to improve education programs and services for Indigenous learners to support and make them feel more welcome and at home at TMU. Talking Circle participants also brought to light challenges and barriers, along with solutions and opportunities presented under the six themes detailed in this section. 

Develop and Implement a Strategic Vision to Indigenize TMU.

In the consultations, it was often noted that it is important for TMU to establish a strategic vision for reconciliation and for Indigenizing the university. This includes putting a significant focus on the needs of Indigenous students, faculty, administrators and staff when undertaking strategic planning activities in academic areas, operations, recruitment and campus planning. 

Barriers and Concerns Expressed

There is a need to increase the Indigenous presence within the administrative structure and faculty complement throughout the university. Currently, only seven out of fifty three departments have Indigenous faculty. There is a need for increased cultural awareness and information sharing between units and departments, but “mandatory” training is not practiced at TMU. There needs to be something more systemic that is driven from the top. Targets are lacking for faculty and staff hires as well as for student enrolment and retention. In instances such as the TRC Call to Action to Repeal Section 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada, the TMU leadership should publicly demonstrate leadership, advocate, show commitment and take a higher profile role to provide awareness and education.

Solutions and Opportunities Presented

Suggestions included the establishment of a Centre for Indigenous Studies at TMU, to champion curriculum reform focused on introducing Indigenous ways of knowing and learning at TMU; support existing and new academic programs with an Indigenous focus, which will serve to attract Indigenous faculty and students to TMU. Create a senior level position or Chair of Reconciliation to increase the Indigenous presence within the university-wide administrative and/or research structure; build cultural awareness and information sharing between the units and departments; and champion the development of the work that has already been done.

In many of the consultations, the need was expressed for TMU to develop collaborations and partnerships with others to develop and Indigenize courses and programs. It was further noted that this needs to be championed and supported by the university leadership, which should commit financial resources to be able to continue the work that needs to be done at TMU to Indigenize the campus.

More governing bodies and more faculty need to voice that this is the direction we want to go in and commit to including Indigenous knowledges and content as part of a required curriculum and training for all students, faculty, administrators and staff. Establish a specific TRC website that provides information and resources for and between departments and students, to administration and outwards into the broader community. Create an implementation working group, which reports to the president, with representation from a cross section of the university’s faculties, setting targets for faculty and staff hires, along with recruitment and retention targets for students.

Improve and Expand Support for Indigenous Learners.

Participants discussed the need to expand support for Indigenous learners which encompassed the following broad spectrum of issues:

Barriers and Concerns Expressed

Perspectives and understanding of Indigenous students’ lives is limited and needs to be expanded. For instance, many Indigenous learners are mature and have families to care for. Because some of the core courses offered in the Aboriginal Knowledges and Experiences Certificate program are offered only in the evenings, this makes the program inaccessible to learners who have children, given the limited access to childcare in the evenings. In addition, OSAP is geared more to the younger single student and does not adequately address the needs of mature learners with families. 

Many Indigenous students in Toronto are being streamed into applied studies programs as early as grade eight. There needs to be more provincial funding for teaching and federal funding for Indigenous communities to attract teachers and improve education outcomes for students. Some Indigenous students have limited access to band funding while others have no access due to loss of Aboriginal status according to the Federal Indian Act. Many urban-based Indigenous students find it difficult to access band funding when they are displaced from their communities and competing for limited funding. Increase the Indigenous visibility at TMU and honour the Indigenous history and cultures through symbolic gestures such as offering a formal statement of apology and expressions of reconciliation.

TMU Aboriginal Student Services (RASS) is inaccessible, difficult to find and needs more space, and there need to be more resources for students requiring additional supports, such as those who are deaf or hard of hearing. RASS’s website is not inviting and does not give a clear picture of the breadth and scope of the support and services offered to Indigenous learners. This is especially important as prospective Indigenous learners go to the TMU website to research and make a decision whether they wish to attend TMU or not. The organization and hosting of large events is often required of RASS. Resources have not been dedicated from other areas and, as such, RASS resources are quickly expended. Learners are often not aware of the services that RASS provides. 

Solutions and Opportunities Presented

Suggestions included the establishment of cultural competence amongst academic counsellors and recruitment staff and to provide support services to Indigenous students to bridge the gap from public high schools and reserve high schools to post-secondary institutions. Different types of funding are also needed to enable Indigenous students to come to TMU. These can take the form of scholarships, work-study student positions, more funding for transitional services and student support services such as funding support to live in residence and scholarships for part-time students. Mobilizing existing partnerships, TMU needs to invest in access programs and build on the access programs that currently exist here for Indigenous students. 

The university should set targets for undergraduates and graduates and set pathways that have strong support for students. There are strong models that TMU can borrow from. Focusing on the Aboriginal Education Council’s Community Development Fund, academic programs can be informed and supported by hiring an Aboriginal curriculum consultant. Establish culturally appropriate, relevant and meaningful student resources and programs, such as Spanning the Gaps specifically for Indigenous learners, peer mentorship, tutoring and daycare services. Make employers more accountable to hire Indigenous students for student placements, internships and employment opportunities after graduation, ensuring that cultural safety is put in place before the student arrives at their placement. Build community events such as monthly Knowledge Symposiums and Gatherings to support a more culturally inclusive environment. 

Relocate RASS to the TMU Student Learning Centre to make it easier to extend its space as well as the number of staff. For example, an Indigenous event planner could be hired to organize large events, so as not to strain RASS resources. It was also suggested that an alliance could be built between the Tri-Mentoring Program (TMP) and RASS to establish an Indigenous-specific group at TMP and that more could be done to create a strong outreach for Foundation Course programs.

Indigenize Teaching and Learning Practices.

Indigenizing teaching and learning practices speaks to the need to develop and promote culturally responsible and respectful curriculum that integrates Indigenous pedagogies and ways of knowing. The main areas of discussion included the commitment to include Indigenous knowledges and content as part of a required curriculum for all TMU learners; the need to provide training and support to faculty on how to bring Indigenous knowledges into the classroom and curriculum; the benefits that could come from developing new Indigenous programs; and the need for Indigenous language revitalization.

Barriers and Concerns

Expressed Many courses still perpetuate long-standing myths about Indigenous Peoples and knowledges, which some professors do not refute. Faculty need to understand and accept Indigenous ways of writing, references to Aboriginal knowledges within their assignments, and Indigenous research approaches and methodologies.

Solutions and Opportunities Presented

Develop a multi-pronged professional development strategy so faculty are informed about Indigenous knowledges, writing and communication and research methodologies; including establishing a university-wide process to include traditional knowledge and how to reference it within a paper. Extend the Library’s Indigenous Research Portal to cover journalism and address issues requiring education on the history of Aboriginal Peoples along with dedicating a section of the Library Indigenous Research Portal to the topic of Truth and Reconciliation. Commit to include Indigenous knowledges and content as part of a required curriculum for all TMU students. Increase the integration of Indigenous content, resources and pedagogies in curricula across TMU including field experiences, service learning, practicums and work experiences. Establish mandatory Indigenous courses across all TMU programs. The requirement for a mandatory course or courses creates other opportunities such as increased recruitment of Indigenous faculty and future students. For instance, both Lakehead University and the University of Winnipeg made taking an Indigenous course a mandatory requirement, both offering the students a range of courses to choose from. Establish a university-wide committee to vet current and future courses for designation as including Indigenous content. Provide training courses for instructors on how to utilize Indigenous resources in their program, with a focus on journalism instructors and an emphasis on positive Indigenous stories.

Increase Indigenous Staff and Faculty and Recognize Other Ways of Knowing.

Main areas of discussion included the need to increase the number of Indigenous faculty, staff and Traditional Knowledge Keepers. Participants observed that TMU is not doing a good enough job of recruiting, hiring and retaining Indigenous faculty, instructors or visiting scholars. 

Barriers and Concerns Expressed

There is a need to address instances where non-Indigenous instructors are insensitive to Indigenous issues. Some instructors do not accept Indigenous ways of writing; for instance referencing Indigenous knowledges, research practices and methodologies. 

Solutions and Opportunities Presented

Suggestions included developing a process to recruit, retain and promote Indigenous employees with specific annual targets to increase the numbers to a level that is representative of the provincial population. The university could also glean best practices from other institutions that recognize faculty accreditation for Traditional Knowledge Keepers. Finally, there could be more cultural awareness and sensitivity initiatives such as a handbook, workshops and retreats for non-Indigenous faculty and staff.

Deepen engagement and establish partnerships with the local community, Indigenous communities and other post-secondary institutions.

The discussions focused on the importance of TMU increasing its engagement and partnerships with Indigenous communities and other post-secondary institutions as a way to expand Indigenous awareness and cross-cultural experiences, Indigenizing curriculum and creating degrees and certificates in Indigenous languages.

 Barriers and Concerns Expressed

We need to have societal change and look at education differently. We have to be able to create relationships and partnerships and provide education in the communities.

Solutions and Opportunities Presented

TMU should partner with Indigenous communities to bring Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers to TMU as well as to develop distance education courses that would allow students to study in their own community. The university could also support faculty to become change agents in their respective areas of expertise by encouraging the offering of this expertise in the community and in the broader university network. This could include a greater role in the GTA by partnering with local Aboriginal institutions to expand access programs such as Bridges to TMU, RUN and Road to TMU.

Increase the Indigenous visibility at TMU and honour the Indigenous history and cultures through symbolic gestures such as offering a formal statement of apology and expressions of reconciliation.

The range of recommendations for this theme included having a campus-wide event to recognize National Aboriginal Day. However, the most significant recommendation dealt with the need to more publicly acknowledge the impact that Egerton Ryerson had on the residential school system.

Barriers and Concerns Expressed

In many of the Talking Circles and panel events, participants noted that, because of Egerton Ryerson’s role in establishing the residential school system, the name of the university is a significant barrier that must be acknowledged and addressed in a more fulsome manner. There can be no tokenism when acknowledging Indigenous Peoples on campus. There is not enough recognition of policies that allow time off for Indigenous religious and ceremonial holidays and observances.

Solutions and Opportunities Presented

It is important for TMU to continue to enhance Indigenous visibility on campus, by adding visual representations of the Canadian Indigenous community, such as Indigenous art, posters and messaging, that conveys a welcoming, inclusive, knowledgeable environment for all students. A means of increasing visibility is to create campus-wide Indigenous events such as conferences, ceremonies and feasts to increase visibility, generate publicity and celebrate Indigenous culture. For example, the university could commit to annual campus-wide events that celebrate Indigenous Peoples, such as National Aboriginal Day and Indigenous History Week. The University of Manitoba gathers and permanently records traditional teachings. TMU could do the same.

TMU Education Programs

Below are highlights from TMU-based programs that are specifically mentioned in the TRC Calls to Action. Several of the TRC Calls to Action are directly addressed to postsecondary institutions with calls to develop mandatory courses such as child-welfare, education, journalism, health care, language revitalization and law, with the goal to increase opportunities for intercultural competency training. Others stress the need to include awareness of Indigenous rights, histories and perspectives and to learn the true history of Canada, such as the legacy and impact of the residential school system and the need to develop and promote culturally responsible and respectful curricula that integrate Indigenous ways of knowing.