[ad_1]
The youth spent two days in Ottawa learning about the role of the Senate and meeting face-to-face with senators.
They also had the opportunity to meet with Governor General Mary Simon at Rideau Hall. She spoke to the youth about her work advocating for Indigenous education and described her upbringing in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, Quebec.
Participants told senators about the need for more culturally appropriate education, and better opportunities for Indigenous youth.
Audrey-Lise Rock-Hervieux, an Innu woman from Pessamit, Quebec, spoke about the need to incorporate Indigenous languages into school curricula.
Katherine Merrell-Anderson, a social worker and transition coach in Edmonton, Alberta, described how she ensures her students have a sense of belonging in the education system.
Dina Koonoo of Pond Inlet, Nunavut, said the high costs of living and lack of affordable child care in northern communities make it difficult for many Inuit youth to access education.
Helaina Moses came from Mayo, Yukon, and described the devastating impact that the opioid crisis has had on the education levels and well-being of her community of Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation.
Dylan Adam, a Métis from Princeton, British Columbia, told the committee that reconnecting with his Indigenous roots has done more to help him cope with the social anxiety that he’d struggled with in school than any solution offered by a traditional education system.
“We’re referred to as the voices of the future, but we’re doing the work right now,” said Chante Speidel, from Sapotaweyak Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. “And our voices will only get louder as we age.”
[ad_2]
Source link