Red Deer Polytechnic raises Indigenous Flags

At a memorable ceremony, Red Deer Polytechnic raised Treaty 6, 7, and Métis flags on its main campus, signaling the Polytechnic’s commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Actions during Truth and Reconciliation Week. 

Truth and Reconciliation Week, which occurs from September 26-30, 2022, is an initiative held by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to share knowledge, to memorialize children lost to residential schools and to honour survivors and their families.

“Throughout Truth and Reconciliation Week, Red Deer Polytechnic has offered a variety of learning, reflective and engagement opportunities for students, employees and community members about Truth and Reconciliation,” says Lloyd Desjarlais, Director, Indigenous Initiatives. “The Indigenous Flag Raising Ceremony was an opportunity for the community to gather together as we collectively acknowledge Truth and Reconciliation and continue to progress to a place of respect and understanding.”

During the week, learners, employees and community members had the opportunity to design a feather that helped to create a Feather and Residential School Timeline Display with the intention of continuing to foster meaningful relationships with Indigenous Peoples.

The vast array of initiatives throughout the week offered participants the opportunity to learn and to reflect on what reconciliation means to them through conversation and resource displays. Along with the Feather and Residential School Timeline Display, other initiatives included the streaming of CBC’s Kuper Island podcast about the experiences of four Residential School students, and a screening of First Contact, a reality show about six Canadians exploring Indigenous Canada. 

In addition to resource and course offerings, Red Deer Polytechnic’s faculty and staff had the opportunity to collaborate with an Indigenous Learning Designer in the Centre for Teaching and Learning during a tea and conversation session. 

“Red Deer Polytechnic is committed to Indigenous education and acknowledges the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action,” says Stuart Cullum, President of Red Deer Polytechnic. “We value our collaborations with Indigenous communities and look forward to continuing to grow those connections, along with the continuing development of Indigenous initiatives at Red Deer Polytechnic.”

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) honours First Nations, Inuit, Métis survivors, their families and communities, commemorating the painful history of residential schools as an integral component of the reconciliation process. Red Deer Polytechnic will be closed on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, encouraging individuals to reflect on the past, the role they play in contributing to an inclusive and culturally diverse campus and community, and how they can foster reconciliation in the future.