Anishinaabekwe appointed as new Near North District School Board Chair
By Kelly Anne Smith
MOOSE DEER POINT FIRST NATION – The new Near North District School Board (NNDSB) Chair is Ashley St. Pierre of Moose Deer Point First Nation.
Previously an appointed Indigenous trustee, St. Pierre became the first Indigenous Chair of NNDSB at the May 14 meeting. She has already made her mark with facing issues such as the Chippewa Secondary School rebranding and the Canadian anthem.
The Gimaa Kwe of Moose Deer Point First Nation Rhonda Williams-Lovett has certainly taken notice of St. Pierre and was enthusiastic to offer her comment.
“It always brings me joy when I see an Anishinaabe person succeed. It brings me even greater joy when it is an Anishinaabekwe, who just happens to be an Anishinaabekwe from our community! Ashley’s genuine care and commitment to ensuring meaningful education for all students is a testament to how she will serve as Chair of the NNDSB, conscientiously and loyally to those she represents. G’chi-miigwech Ashley for all you do.”
In conversation, St. Pierre spoke about the start of the NNDSB journey by attending a Healing Circle at at the Gathering Centre in Wasauksing First Nation in 2022.
“I went as a representative from Moose Deer and I spoke there. Then in September when they found out they would be doing the elections for the Near North School Board, I had the language teacher Jonah Hutfield text me and said, ‘Hey Kwe, you should run for the Indigenous trustee because one of the Knowledge Keepers in Wasauksing told me to tell you that because you have a strong voice. He thinks you would be a good person to represent our voices.’ And I was taken aback by it. I talked a little bit about it with other people and they said, ‘You should do it.’ I did. I put my application in and then the Chiefs met in October of 2022 and then they appointed me as the Indigenous trustee in November of 2022,” she recalls. “I sat as the Indigenous trustee for a little bit. Every year, they vote in a new chair and vice chair. For 2023, in November, I had Bill Steer nominate me for vice chair. Then Howard Wesley was nominated as well but he decided to not let his nomination stand. So, I ended up being awarded vice chair position.”
When the debate about possibly renaming Chippewa Secondary School surfaced, St. Pierre says, “There was a lot of back and forth, like was there consultation with the First Nation?”
St. Pierre voiced her concerns, as did a trustee and the community.
“There wasn’t proper consultation done with the First Nation. The First Nations that funnel into that school, most importantly Nipissing – there wasn’t the proper consultation done with the Chief and Elders, people within that community and students about renaming,” she expresses. “The community was not in favour of renaming. There’s quite a few of us trustees who were against the renaming as well. We were opposed of renaming. Bill Steer ending up working with me on having the motion passed that we rescinded the original motion about renaming and stick with rebranding of the Chippewa mascot.”
Another significant topic for the NNDSB was the playing of O Canada.
“One of the first motions of my first meeting was one of the trustees wanted to have the national anthem played at our board meetings and committee meetings. And I was not for that whatsoever. I was against it. We’ve moved away from that…At schools, they don’t make students stand for it. That was one thing as an Indigenous trustee, I stood up and fought against. And the motion ended up being overturned.”
Ashley works as the Education Counsellor for Moose Deer Point First Nation.
“I am the department – I go from JK all the way up to adult learning.”
Asked what teenagers are currently interested in for a career, St. Pierre says many students want to pursue child and youth work.
“And some are interested in athletics. We have quite a few that are into athletics whether it’s hockey, basketball, cheer. You could definitely go into a sports career.”
As for travelling for NNDSB meetings, she enjoys the ride.
“It’s about two and a-bit hours south of North Bay. Once a month, I go up to North Bay for the board meeting. Committee meetings can be done virtually.”
As Indigenous Chair of the Near North District School Board, Ashley St. Pierre is leading with integrity.
“Mino Bimaadiziwin – living in a good way – that’s what I think about. Sitting as Chair, I want to lead in good way and work together in a good way.”