SENS and Mistawasis Discuss Initiatives to Strengthen Collaborations
On May 30, 2018, Chief Daryl Watson of Mistawasis Nêhiyawak and President Peter Stoicheff of the University of Saskatchewan met to discuss how to strengthen relationships between Mistawsis and the University.
Also attending were Councilor Steven Johnston, Mr. Anthony Johnston (Special Projects) and Mr. Robert Daniels (Misty Ventures) from Mistawasis and Jackie Ottmann (Vice-President, Indigenous Engagement) and Maureen Reed (School of Environment and Sustainability) from the University of Saskatchewan. They spoke of on-going, emerging, and potential projects and partners and the benefits both derived from working together.
Specifically, they discussed initiatives with students and faculty in the School of Environment and Sustainability and the History Collaboratorium. They also described how, by working with Mistawasis and its allies, the University might strengthen collaborations across different units at the University and different organizations in the community. They discussed strategies for the university to encourage youth at Mistawasis to find the university a welcome place for learning and securing the credentials for professional occupations that would support economic development and self-governance at Mistawasis. Mistawasis stated that it was eager to demonstrate to the campus community and to other Indigenous nations the benefits of working together. Each went away with ‘homework’ to do to help foster new initiatives and strengthen the capacity for sustainable, reciprocal, and respectful relationships and initiatives.