May 02, 2003

THE PAS, Man.--Advanced Education and Training Minister Diane McGifford today announced that the province is moving ahead with plans to establish the University College of the North (UCN).

Don Robertson, currently chair of the Council on Post Secondary Education, has been appointed to chair the implementation team for this initiative.

"We are extremely pleased that we are moving ahead with a unique post-secondary educational institution in the North," said McGifford. "By establishing a university college, we will be providing an increased range of education and training opportunities for northern residents. The University College of the North is a strategic investment in the future of Manitoba’s north."

McGifford said the implementation team is charged with creating a development plan and implementing the initial stages of the establishment of UCN. The team will be composed of three individuals, the majority of whom are anticipated to be northern Aboriginal educational leaders. A larger steering committee will also be established to work with the implementation team during the initial stages of development.

"This is a challenging task and we believe the best approach is to involve northern Manitobans and Aboriginal educators in the initial development phase of the new institution," said McGifford. The remaining appointments of the implementation team are expected before June 15, the official start date of the team.

The implementation phase includes development of the following areas:

• Educational Programming - educational programming that will meet the needs of northern residents;
• Facilities - the status of existing facilities will be examined to determine infrastructure requirements;
• Co-ordination and Integration - to co-ordinate and integrate existing administration, facilities and programming to make more effective use of available resources; and
• Governance - the appropriate governance structure and legislative framework required to establish the UCN.

McGifford noted that UCN will demonstrate a creative approach to skills training in the North and will focus on flexible course options and close-to-home delivery.

"This initiative is designed to refocus and co-ordinate existing educational resources in the North," said McGifford. "The implementation team will be looking for ways to provide better distance education and community-based educational programming for northerners and to establish partnerships with institutions in the south."

Last fall, a series of public consultations was held throughout Northern Manitoba for northerners to share their views on the future of post-secondary education in the North. The consultations were facilitated by Prof. Verna Kirkness, a well-known authority on Aboriginal education.

"I would like to express my gratitude to Professor Kirkness for her hard work and dedication on this important issue," said McGifford. "Her insight and advice will assist in shaping the development of UCN into the future."

"The establishment of UCN will benefit northern and remote communities," said Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister Oscar Lathlin. "Presently many northerners are forced to leave their home communities to receive any post-secondary education. UCN will allow Aboriginal and northern people to remain closer to their home communities and will allow their communities to benefit from their new training."

Lathlin noted that education and training is one of the key components of the province’s Northern Development Strategy (NDS).

"This initiative is designed to bring educational opportunities to remote and isolated communities throughout the north," said Steve Ashton, minister of conservation. "While we are looking to increase programs in Thompson and The Pas, we are also committed to expanding programs in the existing college facilities in Flin Flon, Churchill, Cross Lake, Easterville, Nelson House, Split Lake and Swan River, and to community-based training in other northern communities including Norway House and Pukatawagan. In this way, we are confident that this initiative will help to ensure the long-term economic future of the entire region."

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Don Robertson is a Cree from Norway House. He has recently retired as the executive director for the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre. He received his education at Cook Christian Training School, Phoenix Junior College in Arizona and at Union College in British Columbia where he was ordained as a United Church minister. His subsequent theological training concentrated on clinical counselling at Brandon General Hospital and the Calgary Pastoral Institute.

Prior to his employment with the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre, he served pastorates in Melita and Russell and was dean of Aboriginal education and institutional diversity at Red River Community College.

Robertson’s experience includes positions as: education superintendent of the Manitoba Indian Education Association; counsellor/co-ordinator and director of IMPACTE (Indian-Metis Project for Action in Careers Through Teacher Education) at Brandon University; director of BUNTEP (Brandon University Northern Teacher Education Project); co-ordinator of community and program liaison for special projects; co-ordinator of program support services and education for the Core Area Training and Employment Agency, Manitoba Education and Youth; and director of education for the Island Lake Tribal Council.

Currently he is in his second term as chair of the Council on Post-Secondary Education.