Ten years ago, the release of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report reshaped the national educational landscape.
For Memorial University, it marked the beginning of a journey that continues to evolve today.
The TRC’s Calls to Action challenged universities to examine their structures, policies and practices through the lens of reconciliation.
Kelly Butler, now director of Memorial’s Office of Indigenous Affairs, had just started working in Indigenous affairs at Grenfell Campus and remembers her first day vividly.
“The day I started at Grenfell was the day the TRC executive summary came out,” she recalled. “Initially they were worried there wouldn’t be enough work for me to do.”
At the time, universities were generally focused on Indigenous student support. But after the TRC executive summary became public, conversations broadened.
“People started realizing that we need to look at institutions, not just students,” Ms. Butler said.
The adoption of Universities Canada’s principles on Indigenous education in June 2015 ultimately compelled universities to re-examine their approach to indigenization and reconciliation. The words of the late Murray Sinclair, chair of the TRC, anchored the task at hand:
“Education got us into this mess, and education will get us out of it.”
Building a framework for change
A few months prior to Ms. Butler beginning her role at Grenfell Campus in 2015, Memorial hired Catharyn Andersen as special advisor to the president on Indigenous affairs.
Together, they began laying the groundwork for what would become a university-wide commitment to indigenization.
By 2016, the President’s Advisory Committee on Indigenous Affairs was established to guide the institution on matters related to the Office of Indigenous Affairs, including the development of a strategic plan.
“Everything we did here at Memorial was rooted in this place, in Newfoundland and Labrador’s unique history and story.”
But within a year, the committee quickly broadened its scope when Memorial released a position statement on indigenization, committing to indigenize the academy and identifying the need for an institution-wide strategic plan.
After extensive consultation, the Strategic Framework for Indigenization was approved in 2021, with its first priority calling for strengthened Indigenous leadership. In response, Ms. Andersen’s role was elevated to vice-president (Indigenous), reflecting the university’s recognition of the need for Indigenous leadership at the executive level.
“Indigenization almost immediately took a broader focus, and this was in line with other universities,” Ms. Andersen recalled. “But everything we did here at Memorial was rooted in this place, in Newfoundland and Labrador’s unique history and story.”
Over the years, the committee has since evolved into the Vice-President’s Advisory Committee on Indigenous Affairs. Four members of the original group — Dr. Paul Banahene Adjei, Lynn Kendall, Kelly Butler and Catharyn Andersen — remain active today, alongside other Indigenous faculty, staff and administrators.
Milestones along the way
Throughout the past decade, the committee has driven significant initiatives out of the framework’s recommendations.
In 2021, it played a central role in an Indigenous cluster hire, interviewing candidates and reinforcing the importance of Indigenous perspectives in academic hiring and institutional decision-making.
“We’ve accomplished a lot, but reconciliation is ongoing. We need to keep asking ourselves how we can do better.”
The committee also worked to identify and develop Indigenous leadership positions, ensuring that Indigenous voices were represented at multiple levels of the university.
Student support expanded throughout this period, with resources and programs designed to strengthen mentorship and community-building for Indigenous learners.
At the same time, the university increased Indigenous-led education and dialogue, most notably through the Forum on Indigenization and Reconciliation, which brings together faculty, staff, and students for meaningful conversations.
Recognition of progress
Memorial’s sustained efforts since the release of the TRC have not gone unnoticed.
Earlier this year, the Mastercard Foundation made a generous donation, acknowledging the university’s leadership in indigenization and reconciliation.
“The recognition from the Mastercard Foundation is deeply meaningful,” said Ms. Andersen. “It affirms that the work we’ve been doing is making a difference, and it gives us the resources to continue building momentum into the future.”
Looking ahead
As Memorial marks the report’s milestone, the university is preparing to renew the Strategic Framework for Indigenization.
The review will ensure the framework reflects current perspectives and recommits the institution to reconciliation.
“This review is about looking forward,” said Ms. Butler. “We’ve accomplished a lot, but reconciliation is ongoing. We need to keep asking ourselves how we can do better.”
Memorial’s next chapter will build on a decade of progress, guided by Indigenous leadership and rooted in the belief that education can serve as a catalyst for transformation.
