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Agenda

Check back on this page & stay tuned to your emails for more information!
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Pre-Registration will be available Sunday February 8th, 2026 from 6pm to 8pm.

Monday
Feb. 9
TUESDAY
Feb. 10
WEDNESDAY
Feb. 11
Grandmothers

Monday February 9th, 2026

"Aligning Our Purpose with Spirit & Community"

7:30am
7:30am
Breakfast
8:30am
8:30am
Opening Celebrations
MC’s Joan Riggs & Stan Wesley
  • Opening Prayer and Teachings by Tina Armstrong
  • ONWA Passwewe Ikwewug Women’s Drum Group
8:45am
8:45am
Welcoming Words
  • Representative of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation
  • Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition – Co-Chairs Mary Daoust and Stephanie Mikki Adams
  • Stephanie Mikki Adams with Words of Poetry
  • Honourable Associate Minister Charmaine Williams
  • Cora McGuire-Cyrette, ONWA CEO
9:30am
9:30am
Knowledge Keepers Panel
Facilitated by Stan Wesley

A conversation with our Elders reflecting on how they carry their traditional roles, teachings for younger generations and daily practices that align purpose with spirit and community leadership.

Maria Campbell, Maria Linklater, Reepa Evic-Carleton, Renee Thomas-Hill & Tina Armstrong

FEEDBACK SURVEY
11:00am
11:00am
Break
11:15am
11:15am
Connecting Self and Grandmothers: A Healing Letter
Jenny Sutherland
FEEDBACK SURVEY
12:00pm
12:00pm
Lunch
1:00pm
1:00pm
Tree Teachings
Joan Riggs & Tina Armstrong
FEEDBACK SURVEY
2:00pm
2:00pm
Break
2:15pm
2:15pm
Breakout Sessions: Planting in Wisdom Rich Soil
My Session:
No Selection
Room:
N/A

As we journey through life, we recognize that each person carries gifts and purposes. Guided by the wisdom shared by Knowledge Keepers, these breakout sessions invite reflection on aligning our work and communities with spirit and intention.

  • Addressing Lateral Violence from Indigenous Women’s Voices, Collin Graham & Ingrid Green
  • Awaken Your Gifts, Christine Friday
  • Circle of Knowledge – Empowering Indigenous Women's Research, Manjit Pabla & Sarah McPherson
  • The Great Dream and Human Development, Allen Sutherland
  • Indigenous Women’s Wise Practices in Data, Thi Nguyen, Gerri Yerxa, & Kaileigh Winters
  • Living in a Good Way: Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) principles, Reepa Evic-Carleton
  • Reclaiming Our Caregiver Roles, Holly Doxtator, Donis Tucker, & Keira Smith
  • Relationship, Reciprocity & Remembrance, Jody Harbour & Jennifer Luxmore Begin
  • Sweetgrass Teachings & The Practice of Kindness, Robin Beauclair & Alicia Gordon
  • When We Turn I Into We, We Turn Illness to Wellness, Bobbi Fletcher, Rhonda Braun, & Alandra Koss
FEEDBACK SURVEY
3:15pm
3:15pm
Break
3:30pm
3:30pm
Indigenous Astronomy
Samantha Doxtator
FEEDBACK SURVEY
Mothers & Aunties

Tuesday February 10, 2026

"Roots of Care – Nurturing Caregivers"

7:30am
7:30am
7:30am
Breakfast
breakout
8:30am
8:30am
8:30am
Morning Teachings
breakout
MC’s Joan Riggs & Ingrid Green
  • Silla Inuit Throat Singers, Charlotte Qamaniq & Cynthia Pitsiulak
8:45am
8:45am
8:45am
Welcoming Words & Introduction to Interactive Exercise
breakout
Joan Riggs
9:00am
9:00am
9:00am
Mothering and Aunty-ing as Leadership
breakout
Dr. Kathy Absolon
CHANGE
10:00am
10:00am
10:00am
Break
breakout
10:30am
10:30am
10:30am
Anishinaabekwe Minwaajimo (Good Stories)
breakout
Dr. Patricia McGuire
CHANGE
12:00pm
12:00pm
12:00pm
Lunch
breakout
1:00pm
1:00pm
1:00pm
Breakout Sessions: Nurturing Resilient Roots
breakout
My Session:
No Selection
Room:
N/A
CHANGE

Taking the time to reflect on the work of caregivers and invisible labour that forms the foundation and strength of our roots. These sessions explore nurturing, resilience, and practices that support healing and community wellbeing.

  • Art of Healing, Dr. Kathy Absolon & Tina Armstrong
  • Bamenim To Care For - Cultural Safety Training, Collin Graham, Sarah Kaukinen, & Kylie Moyer
  • Birch Bark Teachings & Mini Birch Bark Canoe Making Activity (Day 1), Miigwan Agawa & Alyssa Lentz
  • Fish Skin Tea Tanning, Diane Montreuil
  • Gaag Porcupine Quill Earrings, Audrey DeRoy
  • Inuit Female Leadership, Stephanie Mikki Adams
  • Invisible Labour, Visible Strength: A Journey to Coming Back to Who We Are, Felicia General & Alissa Zampaloni
  • Rag Rug Braiding, Suzanne Jackson
  • Rolling Resilience Journey Teachings & Red Dress SealSkin Pin, Vanessa Brousseau
3:00pm
3:00pm
3:00pm
Break
breakout
3:30pm
3:30pm
3:30pm
Live Performance
breakout
Rebecca Strong, Canada’s Got Talent Champion
Daughters

Wednesday February 11, 2026

"Strong Roots to Support a Thriving Forest"

7:30am
7:30am
7:30am
breakout
Breakfast
8:30am
8:30am
8:30am
breakout
Morning Teachings
MC’s Joan Riggs, Jennifer San, & Heidi Lucas
  • Traditional Teachings, Maria Campbell
  • ONWA Passwewe Ikwewug Women’s Drum Group
9:00am
9:00am
9:00am
breakout
Welcoming Words
Joan Riggs
9:15am
9:15am
9:15am
breakout
Youth Making Change Panel
Facilitated by Collin Graham

We explore what leadership looks like through the voices of today’s youth leaders, the challenges they face, their hopes for the future, and how their strong roots help nurture the growth of their thriving forests.

  • Climate Justice -Shelby Gagnon, Shaelyn Wabegijig
  • Language Revitalization - Tia Adams
  • Sex Discrimination – Zoe Craig-Sparrow
  • Sugar Bush Teachings - Daanis Pellietier
CHANGE
10:00am
10:00am
10:00am
breakout
Break
10:30am
10:30am
10:30am
breakout
Breakout Sessions: Growing Deep Rooted Forests
My Session:
No Selection
Room:
N/A

We explore what leadership looks like through the voices of today’s youth leaders, the challenges they face, their hopes for the future, and how their strong roots help nurture the growth of their thriving forests.

  • Birch Bark Teachings & Beading of Mini Birch Bark Canoes Activity (Day 2), Miigwan Agawa & Alyssa Lentz
  • Caribou Tufting Workshop, Hunter Corbiere
  • Crafting Mini Leather Mitts, Mariah Abotossaway
  • From Global to Local: The Importance of Indigenous Rights Training and Awareness, Daryl Kootenay
  • Gimashkawiziiwinaan: Indigenous Feminism and Anishinaabe Law, Cassandra Spade
  • Indigenous Youth as Environmental Leaders, Elaina Cox from Roots and Shoots
  • More Than a Mask: Creating, Reflecting, Empowering, Sergeant Tara Singleton
  • Moving Indigenous Women’s Stories to Advocacy to Action, Julie Hodson & Heather Cameron
  • Restoring Safety: Protecting Body, Mind & Spirit, Matt Richer
CHANGE
12:00pm
12:00pm
12:00pm
breakout
Lunch
1:00pm
1:00pm
1:00pm
breakout
Honouring the Land and the Water
Wabanoonkwe and Waawaate Fobister

Land Defense and Mercury Justice, Women and Children to the Front, Grassy Narrow Women’s Group

CHANGE
2:00pm
2:00pm
2:00pm
breakout
Break
2:30pm
2:30pm
2:30pm
breakout
Water Stories
Wabanoonkwe
3:30pm
3:30pm
3:30pm
breakout
Closing Remarks
  • Cora McGuire-Cyrette CEO
  • Closing Prayer – Tina Armstrong
CHANGE

We wish everyone safe travels!