Canadian Council on Learning | Conseil Canadien sur l'Apprentissage

Future generations to benefit from Aboriginal Learning Knowledge Centre

October 19, 2006 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan—The Canadian Council on Learning will celebrate the launch of its newly created Aboriginal Learning Knowledge Centre today at 4:00 p.m. at the Wanuskewin Heritage Park in Saskatoon. The Centre is an unprecedented force that directly involves Aboriginal Peoples in identifying ways to strengthen learning outcomes among First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples.

“Learning is the key to success in today’s knowledge-based society, yet nearly twice as many working-age Aboriginal as non-Aboriginal Canadians don’t have a high-school diploma,” said Dr. Paul Cappon, President of the Canadian Council on Learning. “This clearly illustrates the need to identify learning practices to support Aboriginal people in meeting their economic, social, political and cultural aspirations ”.

The celebration will feature examples of learning initiatives such as Nunavut Sivuniksavut (NS). NS is a unique eight-month college program based in Ottawa for Inuit youth. Students in the NS program learn about Inuit history, organizations, land claims and other issues relevant to their future careers.

“Providing a forum and sharing knowledge about promising practices from across Canada and around the world will contribute to better learning outcomes for Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples” said Dr. Vivian Ayoungman, Executive Director of the Calgary-based First Nations Adult and Higher Education Consortium and co-lead of the knowledge centre.

Dr. Marie Battiste, Academic Director of the Aboriginal Education Research Centre at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon and co-lead of the knowledge centre, stated: “Our membership is deeply committed to identifying effective solutions to the many learning challenges First Nations, Métis and Inuit face.”

The Aboriginal Learning Knowledge Centre—with a growing membership of more than 50 organizations from across Canada—is one of five national centres of expertise established by the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL). The other centres are: Adult Learning (Atlantic Canada), Early Childhood Learning (Quebec), Health and Learning (British Columbia and Yukon), and Work and Learning (Ontario).

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The Canadian Council on Learning is an independent, not-for-profit corporation funded through an agreement with Human Resources and Social Development Canada. Its mandate is to promote and support evidence-based decisions about learning throughout all stages of life, from early childhood through to the senior years.

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