Pathways forward: Kenjgewin Teg celebrates milestones, looks to future programs in language, treaty relations

By Laura E. Young

SUDBURY –Dawn Madahbee Leach laughs heartily at questions about whether her most recent appointment is postponing retirement for the long-time general manager of the Waubetek Business Development Corporation.

Kenjgewin Teg recently announced the appointment of Madahbee Leach as E’gaanjidaget (one who propels things forward) of the newly announced Waawaaskonenh Foundation, a charity supporting Kenjgewin Teg’s Anishinabek path in education.

Madahbee Leach is also chair of the National Indigenous Economic Board and has been the General Manager of Waubetek since 1988.

In November, Kenjgewin Teg hosted Mshkogaabiwin: Affirming Sovereignty in Education, to mark a host of milestones, including Madahbee Leach’s appointment and the launch of Kenjgewin Teg’s first accredited program from Indigenous Advanced Education & Skills Council (IAESC), the Indigenous Studies Program – Certificate II.

Madahbee Leach sees the Waawaaskonenh Foundation as part of a long-time vision for Indigenous education, which she shared with the late Lewis Debassige-baa. The late Lewis-baa, who passed in 2019 at age 72, was a university lecturer and respected Elder from M’Chigeeng First Nation. He was a co-author of a national counter paper calling for Indian control of Indian education in the 1970s.

“He was always the ideas person. I was the doer, which has been my role. He had a vision of having an education institute to support our people locally,” Madahbee Leach says. “We really wanted to have our people get their accreditation, their degrees, and he said, ‘But we need to manage this.’”

From there, they established the corporation that would become Kenjgewin Teg, working with education councillors under a different name then. Community leaders saw the need to develop a lot of programs not supported through regular government programs, Madahbee Leach adds.

“And now the organization is underway. I came full circle to help the organization again. I feel very honoured and privileged to do so,” she expresses.

A celebration was overdue, said Beverley Roy, Kenjgewin Teg president.

“I think, now, this is a good time for all of us to come together because we have this great new piece in terms of our organization,” stated Roy. “We can create our own certificates, diplomas, degrees, whatever it may look like. I think that’s the real power and beauty of what’s ahead for us.”

Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige was pleased to see the legacy of her late uncle Lewis Debassige-baa continue.

“I’m feeling very excited. I’m incredibly proud of Kenjgewin Teg and their continued advancements in education, not just within our communities but within this entire province and nationally as well,” she states.

The foundation will continue to support the vision for their nations to provide top-quality education to their learners, she says.

“Dawn Madahbee Leach has picked up the vision of our ancestors to carry that on forward.”

Kenjgewin Teg fosters an environment of culture and supports the rebuilding of their identities, says Grand Council Chief Debassige.

“They’ve created so many opportunities for our young people, adult learners as well. When our people become employable, they’re able to advance their careers in something they’ve only dreamed of. And Kenjgewin Teg has helped support them in their journeys.”

In the future, Grand Council Chief Debassige, who has an advanced engineering diploma, would like to see expansion in the trades, especially for young women.

“[Trades are] a huge need for many of our learners. I’d eventually like to see Kenjgewin Teg get into architectural technology, civil engineering technology, or help build some of those foundations. It’s nice to see our First Nations people in engineering. We need to take up more space there. Some day, I believe it will come.”

For Beverley Roy, there are still operational steps to take, now that they have a strategic plan and their corporate documents in place.

“Now it’s establishing the operation parts of it. Kenjgewin has a good handle on that. We’ll be hiring an executive director for the foundation.”

When they work with someone like Madahbee Leach, they see more opportunities to work with the private and public sectors, Roy says.

“It’s going to be fun. The fact that Mastercard is our first donor, that was a real boost. That really set us forward. It allows us to dream that it’s possible. They’ve given us confidence.”

In September, Kenjgewin Teg received a $10 million donation from Mastercard Foundation. The pace may seem quick, but things are moving quickly, “and it’s a good thing,” Roy added.

“When we start to take control of our programs, we really have to do the work now. I say that keeping in mind all our employees, too. It’s not rushing out and doing things haphazardly; it has to be thought through.”

Roy believes in creating hope, belonging, meaning, and purpose.

“We have to instill hope for our new generation. From a practical side, for Northern Ontario, we have to mobilize our workforce. We have to get our people ready for great jobs and enjoy prosperity, just like everyone else.”

She believes this is “our time” to move things forward. A year from now, she would like to be announcing new language programs and learning about treaty relations in a focused and good way.

“A lot of that good work is happening right now. I feel we can have conversations about that, and what it looks like in terms of employers, businesses. Reconciliation isn’t just for us, as Indigenous people, it’s actually for others [too]. If we can start having those conversations, in a good way, for greater understanding, that’s what I would hope for.”

Kenjgewin Teg is an Anishinabek “place of learning” rooted in Anishinabek heritage. Its main campus is in M’Chigeeng First Nation, on Manitoulin Island. The school has links with colleges and universities across Ontario, including Cambrian and Collège Boréal.