Moving Acadia Forward in Reconciliation
As a nation, Canada is engaged in an important national dialogue on truth and reconciliation, and how we move forward together to create a new partnership with Indigenous peoples and communities across this country. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was a clarion call to Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians alike, and at Acadia we are working to determine how best to respond to its recommendations and its vision of a better future, not just for Indigenous peoples but for all Canadians.
In 2016, a President’s Advisory Council on Decolonization (PAC) was formed to determine how Acadia can better support Indigenous students on campus, become more welcoming and accessible to Indigenous students pursuing post-secondary education, and form new and long-lasting partnerships with our neighbouring First Nations communities.
The PAC produced an interim report in June 2017 and its final report was submitted in December 2017. I want to thank members of the PAC for their work and their series of short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations for Acadia and am pleased to be able accept either completely or the intent and direction of all of the recommendations.
This is an important step forward for Acadia. This website is intended to provide visitors with resources and information including the PAC’s report, my response and the PAC-produced handbook entitled “Working with Indigenous Peoples at Acadia University – Handbook and Protocols”.
Dr. Peter J. Ricketts
President and Vice-Chancellor