Calgary News Briefs - November 2013

Robert Hayes, Senior Vice President, Alberta Division, BMO Bank of Montreal (left) presents a cheque to Mount Royal University President David Docherty to support Aboriginal students throughout their time at Mount Royal. (Photo: provided)

Aboriginal students ensured success with ongoing support

On Oct. 22 Mount Royal University announced a $1.25 million donation from BMO Financial Group for scholarships, bursaries and a peer mentorship program.  The unique gift is intended to provide continuous financial and cultural support to Aboriginal students from the beginning to the end of their educational experience at Mount Royal. “This is a landmark gift in support of Aboriginal education at Mount Royal,” said university president David Docherty, PhD. “It will help reduce some of the financial and societal barriers many of our Aboriginal students face, and it will show them that the community is invested in their success.” Through the BMO Financial Group Aboriginal Student Fund, 20 new scholarships and bursaries will be established. The gift includes a peer mentorship program in conjunction with Iniskim Centre, the Aboriginal students support centre at Mount Royal. Students will qualify for bursaries prior to entering a degree program to enable them to upgrade their skills in preparation for university classes. The scholarships and bursaries will be available to the students throughout their studies. The peer mentorship program will begin in 2014, with third and fourth year Aboriginal students serving as guides and mentors to younger students helping them to navigate through the educational system, with emphasis on cultural and spiritual support. “This generous donation will further the hard work already being done by Iniskim Centre by providing more opportunities for Aboriginal students to express their identity, gain confidence and knowledge, engage in the community, and ultimately discover their own personal potential,” said Docherty.

New report on Aboriginal-business connections

The Calgary Chamber released a follow-up report to the Aboriginal-Business Connection Series 2 workshops. Titled Building and Sustaining Successful Partnerships, the report highlights five key learning areas: First Nation consultation, capacity building and economic development, structuring partnerships, industry collaborations, and hiring and working with the urban Aboriginal population. “This report is the result of a strong working relationship between the Calgary Chamber, Aboriginal groups, and our members and partners in the community,” said chamber president and CEO Adam Legge. “These findings are a blueprint of critical recommendations for how business and Aboriginal communities can work together and develop mutually beneficial relationships.” Key findings are that small to medium-sized organizations have the strongest potential to expand operations and increase business and employment opportunities on and off reserves. Raising awareness of the issues, sharing best practices and providing business with tools to partner successful with Aboriginal communities are critical.

Home furnishings donations helps Siksika, Morley First Nations

Save the Children has donated its portion of $130,000 in donations in furniture and home furnishings from IKEA Canada to the Siksika and Morley First Nations to help with flood recovery. IKEA Canada made the donation in home furnishings to Save the Children Canada and the Salvation Army for flood recovery. The Salvation Army is donating its products to the High River community.  Through these organizations, the donations will reach the communities in greatest need. “IKEA is committed to having a positive impact in and around the communities that we are a part of,” said Kerri Molinaro, President, IKEA Canada. “Our hearts go out to all who have been affected by this past summer’s flooding. We understand that home is the most important place in the world, and we are hoping our donation will help families in Alberta rebuild their homes as the recovery efforts continue.” IKEA and Save the Children will deliver 100 mattresses, bed frames and sheet sets to Siksika and Morley. Included are products from IKEA’s children’s range for child-friendly spaces. “I am truly humbled by the kind donation of IKEA today and the contributions of so many in our time of need,” said Siksika Nation Chief Fred Rabbit Carrier.

Calliou Training offers training in Aboriginal and Treaty rights

In response to a gap in knowledge of employees working with Aboriginal people, Calliou Training has developed a new e-learning start-up. Founder Tracy Campbell said the idea emerged when she realized that children in schools were not receiving accurate information about Aboriginal history. She put together a top-notch technical and creative team that is ready to market the e-learning tool which had a soft launch in late summer. The product covers 300 years of history in 90 minutes in an accessible manner. So far, the start-up has received great response from companies in the oil and gas sector, government and the financial sector.