On Nov. 26, ii' taa'poh'to'p, the University of Calgary's Indigenous Strategy, hosted its eighth annual Journey Update. The event focused on the new report, Empowerment from the Circle, and invited the university community to celebrate the successes of ii' taa'poh'to'p over the past year. The event also affirmed the report in an Indigenous context.
A Grand Entry kicked off the event with songs from drum group Eya-Hey Nakoda, Indigenous student flag carriers, Elders, UCalgary leadership and working circle members. The audience then stood for the UCalgary Honour Song before viewing the Four-Story videos on Ways of Knowing, Ways of Doing, Ways of Connecting and Ways of Being, showing how UCalgary has committed to the four key visionary circles within ii' taa'poh'to'p.
Dr. Michael Hart, PhD, vice-provost (Indigenous Engagement), hosted the event and Elders Reg and Rose Crowshoe were there to open and close the event in a good way.
The event also included a special keynote by Dr. Niigaanwewidam (Niigaan) Sinclair, PhD, who is an award-winning writer, editor and professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba, and in 2022 was named by Maclean's magazine as one of the most influential people in Canada. Sinclair is the son of late Hon. Murray Sinclair, Hon. LLD'17, who had a significant role in the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Sinclair spoke on changing Canadian view when it comes to Truth and Reconciliation and what each one of us can do to help move towards it. UCalgary President Ed McCauley hosted a Q and A with Sinclair after his talk, sharing in conversational dialogue and taking questions from the audience.
There is much to celebrate with ii' taa'poh'to'p, including significant upward-trending numbers related to progressing the Strategy.
Some of the key highlights include:
- More than $15 million in research funding was received by UCalgary from 2024 to 2025 in support of Indigenous research, bringing the total to $57 million since 2018.
- Since 2017, awards, bursaries and scholarships for Indigenous graduate and undergraduate students have nearly tripled, rising from $1.5 million in 2017 to $4.4 million in 2025.
- Access for Indigenous students has been expanded, with the university introducing a new Pathway Program in the Faculty of Kinesiology, bringing the total number of faculty-based access programs for Indigenous students to seven.
- More than 200 Indigenous-recruitment engagements were held in communities and online, contributing to an 18.5-per cent increase in Indigenous applicants.
- Since 2017, the number of Indigenous graduates from UCalgary has increased by 145 per cent, from 134 in 2017 to 328 in 2025.
- In total, more than 10,400 UCalgary students, staff and faculty took part in intercultural capacity-building learning opportunities to further their journey on the path towards Reconciliation.
Hart expressed pride in the progress made. "The Journey Update is a reminder of the outstanding work our university community contributes each year as we advance along parallel paths," says Hart. "While we are taking important steps forward, we remain committed to ongoing transformation and we recognize that we are still in the early stages of this journey."
The event finished with Elder Reg Crowshoe welcoming everyone in the room to participate in a round dance with music lead by Eya-Hey Nakoda.
For more information on ii' taa'poh'to'p and to read this year's report, you can visit the website.
ii' taa'poh'to'p, the University of Calgary's Indigenous Strategy, is a commitment to deep evolutionary transformation by reimagining ways of knowing, doing, connecting and being. Walking parallel paths together, "in a good way," UCalgary is moving toward genuine reconciliation and Indigenization.
