Gakino’amaage: Teach For Canada to Host 2025 Advisory Council Meeting with First Nations Education Leaders

March 25, 2025 – Winnipeg, MB –– Gakino’amaage: Teach For Canada will host its 2025 Advisory Council Meeting from April 1–2, 2025, at the Wyndham Garden Winnipeg Airport Hotel, located on the Long Plain Madison Reserve (Treaty 1 Territory).

The meeting will bring together education leadership from across the First Nations Gakino’amaage serves in what is now known as Canada.

The Advisory Council serves as a guiding body for Gakino’amaage, offering First Nations Community Partners a dedicated space to share direction and feedback that actively shapes the organization’s mission, programming, and long-term strategy. This forum reinforces Gakino’amaage’s commitment to a community-led approach in everything it does.

This year’s meeting carries special meaning as Gakino’amaage marks its 10th anniversary. The organization will honour the seven First Nations that have partnered with Gakino’amaage since its founding in 2015: Big Grassy River First Nation, Deer

Lake First Nation, Eabametoong First Nation, Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation, Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, Lac Seul First Nation, and Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation, recognizing their long-standing leadership and vision in shaping education for their communities.

Over 25 First Nations Community Partners and 30 representatives are expected to participate in this year’s meeting, including virtual attendees from Fort Severn First Nation, Slate Falls Nation, and Webequie First Nation, ensuring community voices remain at the centre of the conversation.

In direct response to requests from Community Partners, Gakino’amaage will share updates this year on a new directive to begin implementing program streams that support Indigenous teacher certification. This next step reflects a long-term vision to increase the number of certified Indigenous educators in a sustainable and community-led way. The initiative will be both locally delivered and guided by the priorities identified by First Nations partners.

“The Advisory Council is where our direction is set—by the voices of the First Nations we serve,” said Shardae Fortier, Vice President of Programs, Gakino’amaage: Teach For Canada. “As we mark 10 years, we’re reflecting on the strength of

Gakino’amaage: Teach For Canada ∙ 215 Spadina Avenue, Suite 550 ∙ Toronto, Ontario ∙ M5T 2C7

these partnerships and looking ahead to the next decade of community-led innovation in First Nations control of First Nations Education.”

As an Indigenous-led organization, Gakino’amaage continues to grow as a national leader in Indigenous education, advancing community-driven solutions to the education gap and teacher shortage that impact First Nations learners.

For more information about Gakino’amaage and the Advisory Council, visit teachforcanada.ca.
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Contact:

Meredith Stapon
Director of Communications
meredith@teachforcanada.ca
416-562-4402

NT5