first nations university signs 'unique' agreement with city of regina in the spirit of reconciliation
"i wouldn't be surprised if it's the first of its kind," said fnuniv president jacqueline ottmann.
sep 10 2024
3 minute read
first nations university of canada president dr. jacqueline ottmann speaks at the regina campus on june 20, 2023.
kayle neis
/
regina leader-post
the city of regina and first nations university of canada have signed a memorandum of understanding (mou) that formalizes their commitment to work together on furthering indigenous opportunities in the city.
fnuniv president jacqueline ottmann and mayor sandra masters signed the agreement on monday, one week prior to the 150th anniversary of the original signing of treaty 4 on sept. 15, 1874.
the mou represents a public declaration of a relationship between the city and university that ottmann agreed “has been forged over time” in the name of reconciliation.
both said the timing was a coincidence, as the mou has been in development for the better part of two years, but it’s still very significant due to the relevance of treaty 4 in southern saskatchewan.
“in particular, treaty 4 is very, very important to indigenous peoples, and this is something that we are emphasizing to all within the province and within canada,” said ottmann. “for us, it’s covenantal . there’s a weight to that document, as there is weight to this mou.
“for the city of regina to meet us at the table and sign this particular agreement, that announces to the world that we value this partnership, we value this relationship, and we’re going to work alongside each other.”
advertisement
advertisement
the mou is a commitment to maintaining good relations in order to continue enhancing the community and open up more opportunities for educational, cultural and economic growth in regina.
mayor sandra masters (left) gives the annual state of the city address to a crowd inside the delta hotel on march 7, 2024 in regina.
kayle neis
/
regina leader-post
further to that objective, ottmann described the formal document as an affirmation the two entities are “exploring synergies” that could lead to collaborations in areas like employment or research.
such an agreement aligns with the national truth and reconciliation commission’s call to action #92, which emphasizes the need for business-related reconciliation. the mou also applies to the city of regina’s stated priority to advance truth and reconciliation.
“there aren’t very many indigenous higher-education institutions across the country and so i would recognize this particular mou as definitely unique,” said ottmann. “i wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the first of its kind.”
masters added that the connection will aid with cultural competency training for city employees, which is a pillar of the indigenous framework currently being developed to guide municipal operations and policy.
“from the city of regina’s perspective, this is a real actionable item to me,” masters said. “i think we can be a significant benefactor, when it comes to — from a learning perspective, an advocacy and celebration perspective — being able to uplift and access expertise. that is a really important thing when you are looking for the truth and to continuously learn and build a relationship.”
advertisement
advertisement
ottmann said the city and fnuniv are already collaborating in that manner and intend to continue doing so.
earlier this spring, the city of regina entered into a partnership with mitacs pathways to offer an indigenous student internship program with fnuniv and the university of regina. several indigenous students have since been placed in various departments at city hall, including indigenous relations.
regina also adopted an indigenous procurement policy at the start of 2023, which aims for 20 per cent of all city contracts to be awarded to indigenous-owned businesses in saskatchewan.
“whenever you declare a statement like that and set the bar high, others take notice,” said ottmann.
any specific actions or projects that may arise from this agreement are yet to be determined, according to the city’s news release announcing the agreement.
ottmann hopes the formal signing delivers a message to other jurisdictions in canada, that partnerships can and should be championed in service of future generations.
“agreements like this should be done in very mindful and thoughtful ways, and they should be done sincerely and not just checking a box,” she advised.
added masters: “we are stronger with each other. in the future, we will be stronger when our understanding is deepened.”
advertisement
advertisement
the regina leader-post has created an afternoon headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. click here to subscribe.
with some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark leaderpost.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. click here to subscribe.
share story
