Zoo to work with Siksika First Nation to create training, education opportunities for Indigenous youth
The Calgary Zoo teamed up with The Wilder Institute and tribal administration of the Siksika First Nation to sign a memo of understanding Tuesday that they hope will help build a stronger relationship that leads to more opportunities for Siksika people.
With a spirit of respect and reconciliation, the zoo acknowledged that it sits near the junction of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, on Blackfoot lands that were a traditional meeting place for Indigenous peoples for centuries that they called Mo-kins-tsis before Europeans arrived and changed the name to Calgary.
With the agreement signed Tuesday, the zoo and the Wilder Institute hope to build and nurture a strong relationship with members of the Siksika Nation.
"We are proud to partner with the Siksika Nation to integrate recognition of their long presence on these precious lands into our interpretive programs, particularly in the Canadian Wilds, and to create opportunities to advance understanding and reconciliation," said President and CEO Clément Lanthier. "By working together, we hope to honour the history of stewardship of the Siksika Nation, a member of the Blackfoot Confederacy."
Among the plans, the parties plan to hold an annual meeting that focuses on conservation programs for at-risk plants and animals on Blackfoot lands. They also plan to focus on creating jobs, training and educational opportunities for Siksika youth, with a focus on conservation.
"We look forward to building a relationship built on mutual respect and understanding. There is a lot we can learn from an organization such as the Calgary Zoo, and there is much traditional knowledge we can share with the Calgary Zoo, especially as it pertains to the lands and animals native to the area Calgary Zoo now calls home," said Chief Ouray Crowfoot.
"As we continue to build strong partnerships, it creates an atmosphere of growth and opportunities for our people. We are excited to see this partnership grow, for the betterment of the Siksika, Calgary Zoo, Calgarians and all Albertans."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.