Today@Dal

As part of Dalhousie’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation, the Dalhousie Libraries is administering a course titled 4 Seasons of Reconciliation, which is available to all Dalhousie faculty, staff, and administration.

This year, the course is funded by the Faculty of Engineering; responsibility for funding the course will be shared across different faculties and units in future years.

“In partnership with the Dal Libraries, we launched this initiative for Engineering faculty and staff in July. We are very pleased to see that it can now be extended to all Dalhousie faculty and staff,” said John Newhook, Dean, Faculty of Engineering.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), formed in 2008, was created to work towards a stronger and healthier future by telling the truth about what happened at residential schools and rebuilding and renewing relationships between Indigenous Peoples and Canadian settlers. The process of rebuilding relationships is called reconciliation and it applies to both institutions and individuals. It is an ongoing commitment we all must undertake. For individuals ready to take action now, the online course 4 Seasons of Reconciliation is a good place to start. The course provides decolonialized education in line with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

"The urgency for us to act on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action has never been more immediate as the horrific uncovering of thousands of unmarked children’s graves at former residential school sites continues across Canada, further amplifying the damage that residential schools have done," said Theresa Rajack-Talley, Vice-Provost for Equity and Inclusion.

The course is broken down into 10 modules and does not have to be completed in one sitting. It can take approximately 3.5–4.5 hours to complete the course and a certificate is issued upon completion.

The course was developed by Reconciliation Education, an e-learning producer of online resources, and the First Nations University of Canada for workplaces and the education sector. An Indigenous Advisory Circle, comprised of Elders, Knowledge Keepers, educators, and members of the First Nations University of Canada, was consulted on the creation of the course.

Register now for the 4 Seasons of Reconciliation course: https://share.hsforms.com/1pEikEO12TbueGRvpisqyVA4z7zm