PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte, left and U of S President Peter Stoicheff talk about the MOU signed Wednesday (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

education agreement

PAGC and U of S announce education agreement

Apr 24, 2019 | 5:31 PM

The Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) is looking to build a working relationship with the University of Saskatchewan.

Wednesday morning, PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte and University of Saskatchewan President Peter Stoicheff signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which will see the two groups work together on issues surrounding reconciliation and making the university more welcoming to Indigenous students.

Hardlotte said the agreement is important.

“Moving forward this is a very important area, of course education is the key to the era that we’re in, and that’s reconciliation,” he said.

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The announcement comes as the University of Saskatchewan continues work toward a new campus at the Forest Centre in Prince Albert. The new facility is set to open its doors in 2020.

Hardlotte said having a campus in P.A. is not just nice for the local area, but can be good for those in northern communities as well, who will not have to travel to Saskatoon to study.

He added that in the future he is hoping to see the provincial university have more of a presence across the north. The PAGC has been working on the MOU with the U of S since the announcement was made about a campus opening in the city.

Hardlotte explained that the official signing of the MOU document is an important gesture.

“It’s a declaration of commitment between the two parties to work towards the University of Saskatchewan’s Indigenization and reconciliation in all areas,” he said.

University president Peter Stoicheff spoke about how important it is for the University of Saskatchewan to have a local presence.

“The University of Saskatchewan is not the University of Saskatoon, it’s the University of Saskatchewan for the whole province and it is particularly special therefore, to be able to build a formal relationship that will become a deeply meaningful relationship with parts of the province other than Saskatoon,” he said.

Stoicheff said while the institution has been making progress on Indigenization, such as by mandating Indigenous content for degree programs, there is still work to be done.

“The only way we can do it is by having Indigenous communities, Indigenous leaders, Indigenous knowledge keepers, language keepers and Indigenous students and faculty members and staff members helping the institution and us to understand how it can be the best place it can possibly be,” he added.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn