Press Release
Monday, June 29, 2020
Declaration of Commitment Signed by the Université de Moncton and the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation
Here are the signatories to the Declaration of Commitment on Monday, June 29. Front row, from left to right, Jacques Paul Couturier, interim President and Vice-Chancellor of the Université de Moncton, and Patricia Bernard, Chief of the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation. Back row, Lynne Castonguay, Secretary General of the Université de Moncton, and Madeleine Dubé, Vice-President of the Université de Moncton, campus d’Edmundston.
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The Université de Moncton and the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation (MMFN) representing the Wolastoqiyik Nation have signed at the Edmundston Campus a Declaration of Commitment showing recognition that could lead to reconciliation.
“This Declaration of Commitment is to some extent a concrete action in support of the calls for action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. We also intend to establish new relationships with Indigenous Peoples, in particular the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik, that are based on mutual recognition and respect,” declared the interim President and Vice-Chancellor of the Université de Moncton, Jacques Paul Couturier.
“We are delighted to associate ourselves with this Declaration,” said Madawaska Maliseet First Nation Chief Patricia Bernard. “It provides orientations that will promote recognition of and respect for our values and traditions and will facilitate the transition for Indigenous students to studies at the Université de Moncton.”
The signatories to the Declaration of Commitment formally declared their commitment to preparing and implementing a five-year action plan (2020-2025) based on these five major orientations:
- Increase our Indigenous presence (student population, teaching and non-teaching staff) and ensure that there is a framework for participation by Indigenous persons from New Brunswick in the governance of the Université de Moncton.
- Provide a study and living environment that fosters the development of Indigenous students and supports their success.
- Strengthen relationships between the three campuses of the Université de Moncton and Indigenous persons, notably the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik, and find ways to meet the needs that they identify with respect to instruction, research, development, creation and community engagement.
- Integrate Indigenous knowledge and cultures into programs of studies at the Université de Moncton and encourage intercultural engagement between Indigenous and non-Indigenous members of the university community.
- Increase the visibility of research, development and creation activities carried out by or with Indigenous persons in all disciplines, especially in the three priority areas of development (Acadian and minority studies, health and environment).
“This commitment strengthens the efforts already made on our campus in recent years to promote the culture of Indigenous peoples, especially the contribution of the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation with whom we share this fine territory,” comment the Vice-President of the Université de Moncton, Edmundston campus (UMEC), Madeleine Dubé. “I want to congratulate the members of the campus staff and the MMFN who joined forces. In this Declaration we are saying loudly and proudly that we are going to be working together even more closely for our shared well-being.”
Very recently, National Indigenous Peoples Day was celebrated at the UMEC thanks to the efforts of the Indigenous Centre and the MMFN, which set up an interpretative site at the campus look-out.
The same Declaration of Commitment will be signed soon with representatives of the Mi’kmaq.
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