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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

UOIT instructor appointed Senior Trainer, Mental Health First Aid Canada

Jennifer Laffier, Senior Instructor, Faculty of Education, UOIT.
Jennifer Laffier, Senior Instructor, Faculty of Education, UOIT.

Jennifer Laffier, Senior Instructor, Faculty of Education (FEd), was recently appointed Senior Trainer with Mental Health First Aid Canada, a sub-division of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

Laffier is one of 10 instructors from across Canada to be appointed to the position, and will help train other mental health first-aid instructors.

In addition to this achievement, she also works with other organizations considering implementation of mental health first aid, including school boards, police services and mental health agencies. She will provide support and assistance with the curriculum development for these organizations.

"Congratulations to Jennifer on this important achievement,” said Dr. Janette Hughes, Associate Professor and Assistant Dean, FEd. “Her appointment reflects her commitment to research in the area of mental health, her 20 years of experience in the field and her continued support and work with the Mental Health Commission of Canada."