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FREE October 24, 2019 rtheeflector www.TheReflector.ca Trudeau’s How Calgary In review: Q&A with Liberals win businesses How to Fall Men’s Soccer the 2019 are promoting in Love with superstar Justin federal election sustainability Anyone Anderson-Louch (Pg. 3) (Pg. 7) (Pg. 9) (Pg.11) News Editor Nathan Woolridge news [email protected] Why MRU’s growing Indigenous student population is significant “We are reducing barriers. We’re opening up the doors.” Andrea Wong Contributor MRU has never seen more Creating space for new students transition into Indigenous students than those university. That’s how Nikita walking on campus today. In Indigenous students Kahpeaysewat, whose Cree the last five years, the number Today, Kootenay-Jobin works name, Usinee Iskwew means of self-identified Indigenous in the Iniskim Centre as the ‘Rock Woman’ in Plains Cree, students has more than doubled Indigenous housing coordinator. found her place at MRU. to 800 and for the first time He says he is very happy to see Originally from Moosomin has reached a higher retention a positive shift as hundreds of First Nation, Sask., and graduation rate than non- Indigenous students attend Kahpeaysewat had been out Indigenous students. MRU. of high school for about three It’s a milestone worth He attributes this change years when she decided to move celebrating, but the successes to the university’s Indigenous and go to university. While she along the way stir a greater Strategic Plan and commitment was upgrading through the appreciation for how these to reconciliation. Indigenous University Bridging students got here and where MRU was one of the first program, Kahpeaysewat had they are heading. universities in Canada to adopt academic support from tutors, the Indigenous Admission as well as program director Navigating the Policy, which reserves seven Tori McMillan. With their university system per cent of all program seats for help, Kahpeaysewat was able incoming Indigenous students. to succeed and eventually Historically, assimilation and The policy makes room for discovered a love for science. systemic racism has permeated students who meet the minimum “When you provide an This past spring, Nikita Kahpeaysewat’s university numerous sectors of Canadian requirements but might not be at opportunity, you’ll see the best story was featured in the Winds of Change magazine. society, and the post-secondary the competitive average. come out of people, you’ll see Photo courtesy of Blaire Russell institution is no exception. While some may think them thrive,” McMillan says. would have taken me a lot longer true through education and Until the 1960s, under the those seats are being “tossed “That’s the story here in our to figure it out. And maybe by experience,” Parsons says. Indian Act, if an Indigenous around as perks or privileges,” school. The students are thriving then, I would be struggling so As more Indigenous people person attained a university Kootenay-Jobin says it allows because they have a community much, I wouldn’t want to stay.” go to university, they also bring degree their Indian status opportunities for first-generation here and through that sense their friends, family members would be taken away, which university students to break of belonging, it carries them Beyond the walls of and communities. meant losing their treaty rights through barriers of trauma and through the challenges of being For Kootenay-Jobin, two and connections to family and university discrimination. a student.” of his brothers followed after community. While Kahpeaysewat has “Many people, unfortunately, Kahpeaysewat is now in her him, and it is a reality that his The lack of support services gotten “really comfortable as a don’t feel secure in continuing second year of environmental nephew has grown up seeing. posed another barrier to student,” she has plans to work on in schooling if they’re science and has attended “Education is no longer a higher education and made in research and policy where consistently told no,” Kootenay- national conferences such as ‘what if’ factor [or a] ‘do I have post-secondary institutions she hopes to impact Indigenous Jobin says. “We are reducing the American Indian Science and what it takes?’ It has become “impossible to navigate,” says communities like her own barriers. We’re opening up Engineering Society Summit, normalized for my nephew MRU alumni Steve Kootenay- concerning water quality. the doors and our institution where they featured her in their now, where it’s ‘when I go to Jobin from Stoney Nakoda It is aspirations like is showing a commitment to magazine. university.’” nation. Kahpeaysewat’s that Indigenous reconcile but also address the “If somebody would have told Parsons agrees, adding that When he first stepped into recruitment officer Melanie inequities and the inequalities me that I’d be in science and I’d as more Indigenous people the halls of MRU in 2007, Parsons says MRU aims to of the past.” like school back when I was in move into different roles and Kootenay-Jobin was the build. While speaking to high school, I probably would work in their communities, youngest amongst a few other Indigenous communities Building bridges have laughed because it was the they will inspire others to do Indigenous students. With across Canada, Parsons shares complete opposite back then. the same. little support on campus and The Iniskim Centre has also her own university experience “I didn’t have the drive to do “The more people that are many of his peers dropping out, expanded to a robust “one-stop- as a Cree Métis woman and well in school,” Kahpeaysewat getting their education the Kootenay-Jobin often felt alone shop” that provides community inspires students to consider the says. better, so that we can have and hopeless. and brings together resources possibilities of higher education. However, none of these Indigenous doctors and teachers “Indigenous peoples have that help students navigate “There is a safe place for opportunities would be possible and social workers,” Parsons specific needs. We need to be university in a culturally safe Indigenous students at Mount without the support she says. “It’s about creating an able to feel like we have a sense space. Royal … where they can make received. opportunity for yourself [and] of belonging [and] a sense of The Indigenous University something of themselves “If it wasn’t for the people at creating opportunities for your identity,” Kootenay-Jobin says. Bridging Program, in particular, and make their dreams come plays a key role in helping Iniskim guiding me, I feel like it community.” October 24, 2019 • the reflector 3 THE REFLECTOR Issue 4, Volume 58 EDITORIAL STAFF: Publishing Editor: Andi Endruhn Liberals win minority Managing Editor: Ivar Bergs News Editor: Nathan Woolridge Features Editor: Isabelle Bennett government, but lose popular Arts Editor: Sarah Green Sports Editor: Dan Khavkin Photo Editor: Riggs Zyrille Layout Editor: Karina Zapata vote Web Editor: Rosemary De Souza Noel Harper CONTRIBUTORS: Contributor Andrew Wong, Noel Harper, Christian Kindrachuk, Cassie Weiss, Alaina Shirt STAFF WRITERS: Mackenzie Gellner COVer: Illustration by Riggs Zyrille The Reflector, with an on- and off- campus circulation of 5,000, is the independent voice of the students of Mount Royal University. It is published fortnightly during the academic year (Sept. to April). The Reflector is editorially autonomous and financially independent from all other governing bodies at Mount Royal University. The Reflector welcomes newsworthy Justin Trudeau celebrated his win with a speech that cut off the speeches of his competitor, Andrew Scheer. Photo submissions from all students and community members. While courtesy of CTV News the right of editorial comment is Shortly after the polls closed will be ready and we will win.” Confederation) returning to in a rally with Trudeau in reserved for editors of The Reflector, opinion pieces may be submitted for Canada’s 43rd federal Rounding out the rest of the House. Calgary to drum up support, but as letters to the editor, and may be election Monday night, Liberal the results across the country, Alberta at large ultimately lost to Conservative published on the editorial page as Leader Justin Trudeau took to the Bloc Québécois more experienced a near sweep candidate Jag Sahota. such. The Reflector reserves the right not to publish submissions the stage in Quebec and spoke than tripled their seat count by the Conservatives, with “I hope [Jag] will represent deemed by the Publishing Editor to to his supporters with the from 2015, coming in third the exception of Edmonton these people and give them be offensive. confidence of a politician who place overall. The NDP under Strathcona, where NDP the kind of representation that Complaints arising from the content had the support of a nation Jagmeet Singh dropped to candidate Heather McPherson they deserve,” Naidoo said after of the paper should be directed behind him — support that he fourth, suffering a significant was elected. Not a single seat conceding to Sahota. to the Ombudsboard. This board has been established as a mediator may not have. decrease in seats. in the province was awarded Polls in Alberta were among between the Reflector Publications Trudeau will form “The winner of this election to the Liberals, with the party the last to close nationally, Society staff and its readership. government once again after is not a leader or a party — the losing all three of its members around the same time as All decisions of the Ombudsboard winning the most seats of winners should be Canadians. in the two major cities. networks began to project a are final and binding on both any party nationwide. But, They want a government that Kent Hehr, the last remaining Liberal minority government. parties.