A new beginning for Indigenous community at the University of Toronto

January 23, 2017

Meric Gertler, President of the University of Toronto and Elder Andrew Wesley of First Nations House at the Entrustment Ceremony at the University of Toronto for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Steering Committee Final Report on Friday, January 13, 2017.

By Christine Smith-McFarlane

TORONTO—An Entrustment Ceremony was held at the University of Toronto for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Steering Committee Final Report on Friday, January 13, 2017.

This significant ceremony marked a new beginning for the Indigenous community at the University of Toronto.

“Today we are here to celebrate the accomplishments of many people and recognize the work of many people before this report also,” stated Jonathan Hamilton Diabo, director of Aboriginal student services at First Nations House and coordinator of U of T’s Council of Aboriginal Initiatives. “We felt it was important to celebrate this time and to not just to hand it off or to just give it over to an office…it’s a public demonstration of the commitment and the work that went into this report. We are handing things over but not handing things over in a way that it’s up to you, but this is an entrustment because there is also responsibility to move forward on this.”

The title of the report, Wecheehetowin, is a Cree word that means working together. The Report reflects two important elements of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report: The Calls to Actions and the necessity to build a new relationship with Indigenous communities.

Prompted by the federal Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)’s challenge to Canadians to participate in an ongoing process of reconciliation, the University of Toronto President, Meric Gertler and Vice-President and Provost, Cheryl Regehr responded by launching a university-wide steering committee in 2016.

The committee is co-chaired by Jonathan Hamilton-Diabo, and Stephen Toope, Munk School of Global Affairs Director. The committee’s mandate is to review the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action and implement those that are applicable to the university.

Elders Lee Maracle and Andrew Wesley were engaged to offer their insight, knowledge, and guidance to the committee.

“Hopefully this report will become a teaching tool for each person to move forward and be able to create a good relationship that we can work together and go forward and be ready to talk about it again when we celebrate 150 years and start a new journey,” stated Wesley.

The University of Toronto’s President Meric Gertler and Vice President and Provost Cheryl Regehr were the recipients of the Report on behalf of the University of Toronto.