Mi’kmaw flag raised for the first time at Saint Mary’s University

19 February, 2016

Saint Mary’s University flew the Mi’kmaw flag for the first time this week. The raising of the flag honoured the visit of Dr. Don Julien, Executive Director of the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq (CMM), for a meeting with Saint Mary’s President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. Their talks build upon the MOU signed between the two parties in October around the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek: Mi’kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas and Website, and focused on future collaboration. The flag raised this week was presented to Saint Mary’s by Dr. Julien on behalf of the CMM.

Dr. Julien, Dr. Summerby-Murray, and Dr. Trudy Sable, Director of the Office of Aboriginal and Northern Research at the Gorsebrook Research Institute, met at the flagpole with Elora Gehue, President of Saint Mary’s Aboriginal Society, and other Aboriginal students, to acknowledge the significance of Saint Mary’s relationship with the Mi’kmaq, and the University’s hopes for ongoing collaboration in responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Report recommendations, and SMU’s President’s Task Force on Aboriginal Education.

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