September 23, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University’s free In Conversation talks are returning to the Thunder Bay Public Library with exciting presentations planned for this semester.

Learning and Leading: An Anishinaabe kwe perspective - Saturday, Sept. 28

Cultural knowledge plays an important role in the development of identity. Join Lakehead University’s Denise Baxter, Vice-Provost, Aboriginal Initiatives, as she shares her journey through the education system and connects this to the ways in which she has learned her cultural knowledge. 

As an educator for over 25 years, Denise has worked from within educational systems to affect change and worked to Indigenize and decolonize educational systems to ensure that learners have opportunities to connect with their own identities in the process of learning. Join Denise Baxter at the Mary J.L. Black Library on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 2 pm.

TBPS and Community: Renewing trust - Saturday, Oct. 19

Academics and reporters have written extensively about broken relationships between police and racialized communities. Recently, national media and oversight committees have focused on broken trust between the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) and Indigenous peoples.

Yet, little has been written on how police services restore broken trust with communities. This talk focuses on an ongoing organizational change initiative to restore trust between the TBPS and Indigenous communities in Thunder Bay.

Join Lakehead University's Dr. Leisa Desmoulins, assistant professor in Education and a consultant for the Thunder Bay Police Service, at the Waverley Library on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 2 pm.

Big Tires, Big Ambitions: The Role of Fat Bikes in Recreation and Tourism in Northern Ontario - Saturday, Nov. 23

Last winter, undergraduate students and instructors from the School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism at Lakehead University began exploring how people use fat bikes in recreational and sporting activities.

As one of the first post-secondary courses to be offered on fat biking, Topics in Outdoor Recreation – Fat Bikes: Big Tires – Big Aspirations provides a unique experiential opportunity for students to acquire fat biking skills while also interviewing managers, shop owners and fat bikers throughout Northwestern Ontario and Northeastern Minnesota.

Dr. Harvey Lemelin, professor in Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism, will host this discussion at the Brodie Library on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 2 pm.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University released its first Sustainability Plan in tandem with one of the Plan’s first projects, an outdoor classroom and stormwater demonstration area, on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

The 2019-2024 Sustainability Plan demonstrates Lakehead’s strong commitment to sustainability at both Lakehead Thunder Bay and Lakehead Orillia, and in the wider community. 

At Lakehead University, sustainability is considered in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, social justice and equity, Indigenous rights, secure livelihoods, workplace well-being, and leadership for vibrant and resilient communities.

“Sustainability is about protecting and maintaining the health of the Earth, and all living beings that the Earth supports. It is an urgent matter,” said Dr. David Barnett, Interim Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

“There are numerous sustainability challenges, including climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, to name a few. Reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people can also be viewed as important in the context of sustainability,” Dr. Barnett said.

Universities have often modelled sustainable behaviour and developed innovative solutions to major sustainability challenges. Two primary functions of universities are to educate students and develop research. 

“Situated next to the boreal forest, and on the shores of Lake Superior and Lake Simcoe, we are reminded of the vital role these natural ecosystems play on the Earth’s health,” Dr. Barnett said. 

Lakehead’s Sustainability Plan is comprehensive, covering the sustainability of the institution’s academics, operations, engagement, and planning and administration. While implementation of the plan will be a collective effort across the University, the Office of Sustainability will oversee its fulfilment.

The plan was a collective effort, developed by the Office of Sustainability, in collaboration with numerous faculty, staff, students, and community members who sit on the University’s Sustainability Stewardship Council and its Working Groups.

The plan will benefit students, staff, faculty, and community members through the various commitments it makes, from increased sustainability programming to enhanced stormwater management of its grounds. 

The recent Depave Paradise project is an example of the implementation of the Sustainability Plan. The project removed 100 m2 of concrete from the Centennial Building courtyard in Thunder Bay, transforming it into an outdoor classroom with four demonstration gardens. The project is part of a broader movement to ‘depave’ hard surfaces and increase water infiltration, thereby decreasing flood risk and filtering pollutants before they enter the watershed.

The space was named M'wade Gaazhi Namaadibinaanowin Outdoor Classroom (Anishinaabemowin for “A Place Where People Sit Down”). The classroom is nestled within the University’s arboretum. To continue the theme of ecological learning, it was designed as a space where students and community members can both gather outdoors for classes and learn about native plants. Interpretive signage will highlight some of the plants and their traditional uses.

“The four demonstration gardens represent the boreal forest ecosystem, the tallgrass prairie ecosystem, ethnobotanical uses of plants, and pollinator-friendly plants,” said Ledah McKellar, Sustainability Coordinator. “Many of these plants are locally and culturally significant and are used widely by Indigenous Peoples for edible, medicinal, and ceremonial purposes.”

The classroom and gardens are important – they are a symbol of reclamation and resurgence of Indigenous traditional knowledge and they create a space to celebrate the importance of our relationship with the Earth.

The Depave project was made possible by Lakehead University, Depave Paradise, Green Communities Canada, Ontario Trillium Foundation, TD Friends of the Environment, EcoSuperior Environmental Programs, the City of Thunder Bay, and the many students, faculty, staff, and community members who assisted along the way.

Embracing a culture of sustainability is a challenging but necessary transition. The power to create a more sustainable Lakehead University lies in this collective action. The University invites the community to become involved in the implementation of the Sustainability Plan.  

For more information, please contact Sustainability Coordinator Ledah McKellar at coordinator.sustainability@lakeheadu.ca. 

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Moira McPherson, third from left, cut the ribbon to officially open Alumni House in 1294 Balmoral along with, from left, Elder Gerry Martin, Lakehead University Board of Governors Chair Ross Murray, Q.C., Yolanda Wanakamik, Vice-President of the Alumni Association of Lakehead University, Thunder Bay Mayor Bill Mauro, and Deb Comuzzi, Lakehead University's Vice-President, External Relations. 

October 3, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the grand opening of Alumni House in its new location on Thursday, Oct. 3, which kicked off Homecoming Weekend.  

Located at 1294 Balmoral St. in Thunder Bay, Alumni House is now more visible and more accessible to alumni, donors and supporters of Lakehead University.

“Alumni House serves as a welcoming entry point to campus for alumni, donors, and friends who would like to come by and visit,” said Yolanda Wanakamik, Vice-President of the Alumni Association of Lakehead University.

“This new location will also allow Lakehead University to display more than 60 years of memorabilia as a celebration of the University’s past – and the Association’s contributions to Lakehead University,” Wanakamik said.

“With hundreds of alumni visiting Lakehead Thunder Bay for Homecoming, we felt this was an excellent opportunity to hold the grand opening,” said Dr. Moira McPherson, Lakehead University’s President and Vice-Chancellor.

The Alumni Association of Lakehead University has a long and proud tradition of supporting the institution, recognizing and celebrating the many distinguished Lakehead alumni with awards, and supporting current students through scholarships, bursaries, mentoring, and the creation of opportunities for engagement like Homecoming Weekend.

For more information about Homecoming Weekend, visit lakeheadu.ca/alumni-and-friends/homecoming

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Hilary Macdougall is a Lakehead Commerce student who participated in the RBC Work-Integrated
Learning Program through a placement in human resources at St. Joseph's Care Group.

September 25, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

RBC Foundation has pledged $500,000 over five years in support of the RBC Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Program at Lakehead University. 

This generous grant from RBC Future Launch will allow Lakehead to grow the two-year RBC Work-Integrated Learning Program pilot project launched at the university in 2017.

Originally open to 20 students annually, the RBC WIL program offers opportunities for experiential learning in order for students to gain the skills necessary to successfully transition to a career. Over the next five years, Lakehead will expand the core program delivered in the pilot to 60 students annually who participate in a part-time work placement, workshop series, and mentorship and networking activities over a six-month period.

“This increased opportunity to gain experience, develop skills, and build networks is critical to the success of students after graduation,” said Hilary Macdougall, a fourth-year student in the Honours Bachelor of Commerce program.

Last year, Macdougall participated in the RBC Work-Integrated Learning Program and did a placement in human resources at St. Joseph’s Care Group.  

“Having participated in the RBC Work Integrated learning program, I know I am able to launch into the future with confidence. On behalf of all of the students participating in the RBC WIL Program, I would like to thank RBC and RBC Future Launch as well as the Faculty of Business Administration for implementing and facilitating this opportunity,” she added.

Dr. David Richards, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, said the RBC Work-Integrated Learning Program, as part of RBC Future Launch, allows Lakehead to provide mentorship and experiential learning opportunities to students.

“This additional funding will allow us to reach an increased number of Lakehead University students to promote employability and job-readiness for our graduates, and for that we are truly grateful,” Dr. Richards said.

Dr. Moira McPherson, Lakehead’s President and Vice-Chancellor, said the university is grateful for the vision and support provided by RBC.

“Today's announcement and the RBC Future Launch initiative demonstrates RBC’s commitment to helping Canada’s young people prepare for their future careers. We are very honoured to continue our partnership with RBC, which provides foundational skills, job experience and career networks that ensure our students’ success,” Dr. McPherson said.

“Whether starting fresh or retraining, it’s clear that the skills needed to excel in today’s workplace are changing,” said Annie Beauchemin, Regional Vice-President, RBC.

“That’s what RBC Future Launch is all about, and our partnership with Lakehead University is part of our commitment to enable Canadian youth to identify, articulate, build and develop their skills for the changing landscape of work,” she said.

With this new gift, Lakehead University will be able to provide a suite of work-integrated learning opportunities to all students in Business courses that build their workplace readiness starting in first year. 

This suite of programs and the core program will benefit up to 1,150 students across multiple disciplines over the next five years. This will include in-class experiential learning based on real-world cases, projects with partner organizations, increased mentorship opportunities, a Foundational Skills Co-Curricular Workshop Series, and customized models of work-site placements, ranging from week-long to full summer placements.

RBC has also provided a $20,000 grant from RBC Future Launch to allow Lakehead University to access Ten Thousand Coffees, a networking platform that connects current students with Lakehead University Alumni. This valuable resource will provide Lakehead students with mentorship in their fields of study, along with professional networks to support their successful transition into careers upon graduation.

RBC Future Launch is a 10-year, $500-million commitment to help young people gain access and opportunity to the skills, job experience, and career networks needed for the future world of work. This initiative is the result of two years of conversations with young Canadians from coast to coast. RBC identified three critical gaps to help prepare young people for successful futures: experience, skills, and networks.

Lakehead Thunder Bay and Lakehead Orillia will both deliver the RBC Work-Integrated Learning program. Business and non-business students enrolled in Lakehead’s Entrepreneur Certificate program are eligible to apply.  

If you are interested in becoming a mentor by hosting an experiential learning placement student, please contact Maryann Kleynendorst, Experiential Learning Navigator, at (807) 346-7753 or mkleynen@lakeheadu.ca.

Dr. David Richards, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, said the RBC Work-Integrated Learning Program, as part of RBC Future Launch, allows Lakehead to provide mentorship and experiential learning opportunities to students.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. In 2018, Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and found that students ranked Lakehead University as one of the top 10 universities in Canada and top three universities in Ontario that prepare them for employment. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

October 9, 2019 – Orillia, Ont.

Lakehead University is excited to welcome alumni “home” to the Orillia Campus during the biggest weekend of the year.

Lakehead Orillia’s annual Homecoming celebration takes place from Friday, Oct. 18 to Saturday, Oct. 19, with activities taking place on and off campus. From sporting events to quiz night and the Principal’s brunch, Homecoming offers something for everyone.

“Lakehead has more than 63,000 alum around the globe,” said Debra Woods, President of the Alumni Association of Lakehead University. “During Homecoming we look forward to seeing alumni and celebrating their achievements since graduating from Lakehead.”

A full list of Homecoming Weekend events can be found below or on our website at lakeheadu.ca/homecoming.  The community is welcome to attend, but are encouraged to register in advance.

Friday, Oct. 18

• Quiz Night at Flying Monkey Brewery, 8 p.m., Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery

 Saturday, Oct. 19

• Principal’s Homecoming Brunch, 11 a.m., Lakehead Orillia cafeteria
• Wolfie’s 9-Hole Golf Tournament, 1:30 p.m., Hawk Ridge Golf Club
• Alumni vs. Student Hockey Game and Tailgate, 5:30 p.m., Rotary Place

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Media: For further information or to arrange an interview, contact Jaclyn Bucik, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, 705-330-4008 ext. 2014, or jaclyn.bucik@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 8,500 students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has 10 faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Maclean’s 2020 University Rankings, once again, included Lakehead University among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities, and in 2018, Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Eric Melillo has been elected as a Canadian Member of Parliament in the riding of Kenora. Eric completed his BA degree in Economics earlier this year. Eric is one of the youngest MPs ever elected to parliament. The Department of Economics congratulates Eric on his success and looks forward to him representing the people of the Kenora area.

Lakehead University has partnered with Commute Ontario, a province-wide program designed to encourage commuters to adopt healthy and sustainable transportation options.

Faculty, staff and students can now enjoy free programs to help you commute smarter including:

Carpool Ontario
Find your carpool partner with Carpool Ontario, a free ride-matching tool that helps faculty, staff and students search for people to carpool with. Whether you are looking to drive a carpool or share a ride, Carpool Ontario allows you to customize your search criteria to find a perfect match.

Thunder Bay Campus: lakeheadthunderbay.carpoolontario.ca
Orillia Campus: lakeheadorillia.carpoolontario.ca

Active Switch
The Active Switch online tool allows faculty, staff and students to set goals, track and monitor progress and converts the distance travelled to into calories burned and greenhouse gas emissions saved. Log your active trips at https://activeswitch.ca/campus for a chance to win great monthly prizes.

Monthly Rewards Program
Carpool Ontario and Active Switch faculty, staff and students are also automatically entered into a monthly prize draw simply by keeping their accounts active. Could you be the next lucky winner? Click here to see the Monthly Rewards Program prizes for 2019!

Emergency Ride Home program (ERH)
As an employee (staff or faculty ONLY) at a participating Commute Ontario campus, you are eligible for the Emergency Ride Home (ERH) program. If you have an unforeseen emergency on any day you use a sustainable method to commute to work, you can request a reimbursement of up to $75 for your emergency transportation costs.

Please note students are not eligible for the ERH Program.

Sustainable Commuting Information Portals
Visit the Lakehead Thunder Bay or Orillia Campus Information Portal for program details and year-round campaigns and take the first steps towards a sustainable commute!

Thunder Bay Campus Information Portal: commuteontario.ca/lakeheadthunderbay
Orillia Campus Information Portal: commuteontario.ca/lakeheadorillia

Brandon Walker: What can you tell us about your new book?

Dr. Todd Dufresne: In The Democracy of Suffering I examine climate change in the light of philosophy and intellectual history.  My goal is to survey how we got here, what we have become, and what happens to us next.  I’m afraid it’s a horror story.   

BW: What inspired you to write it?

TD: I’m worried about the future of humanity, and thought it irresponsible to just ignore it – especially when my students, as well as my own daughter, now live in a world very different from the one into which I was born.  I wanted to answer the question: What is this new condition of human existence?  What is the ‘Anthropocene’? 

BW: How would you describe humanity’s future with the seeming reluctance of many governments around the world to step up and make a real difference?

TD: It depends on which day you ask me.  Some days I despair for real change, as when the Brazilian government instigates the burning of the Amazon.  It’s very obvious that these actions will accelerate the “sixth extinction” currently underway.  But there are also grassroots movements, like Idle No More and Fridays for Future, and there are politicians like Bernie Sanders who seem to understand.  So we are a few key electoral wins away from avoiding a catastrophic, literally unlivable future world. 

BW: Where do philosophy and intellectual history intersect with the environment? How can philosophy and intellectual history help save us all?

TD: Philosophy is just a discipline and, as such, it can’t “save us all.”  But ‘lovers of wisdom’ can!  Listen, the fates of human beings and the earth are entwined in a way that we often don’t comprehend.  How we think, what we think, who gets to think – these abstractions have concrete impacts in the real world, in nature.  Through our ideas, through ‘philosophy’, we have radically remade the natural world in our own image.  And it’s a hostile world.  But today this newly remade nature is also remaking us.  It’s not just baking, flooding, choking, starving, and killing us, reminding us that we are, after all, animals.  It’s also obliging us to rethink, and therefore recreate, our identities as human beings as a part of nature.  As “Earthlings.”  So at best philosophy has the power to diagnose, analyze, and prescribe what is happening, and then maybe help decide what is to be done.  But it will be lovers of wisdom, real philosophers like you and I, who will embrace this new reality and, along with it, forge a future very different from the recent past.

For more information, please see Dr. Dufresne's upcoming readings on Oct. 19 and Oct. 22, or you can purchase the book here.

You can also read more about Dr. Dufresne's book in this Los Angeles Review of Books interview.

A pilot project that brings together police, health-care workers and crisis support staff to deal with mental health issues in Thunder Bay is getting rave reviews from its partners, thanks in part to research undertaken by Lakehead University that has shown the benefits of the program as well as areas for improvement.

“We were highly successful in terms of meeting our targets,” Jennifer Hyslop, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Thunder Bay branch, says of the Joint Mobile Crisis Response Team’s initial efforts. “We were extremely pleased with the results of the Lakehead University study. It really spoke to the impact of the program and also gave us some insight into what we can do in next in terms of making sure we’re delivering the service that’s meeting the needs of people having a mental health crisis.”

Thunder Bay Police Chief Sylvie Hauth was equally pleased with results in the first year.

“We fully support the program and appreciate the positive impact the team has on our ability to provide emergency services in Thunder Bay,” she says.

With a $300,000 contribution from the North West LHIN, the JMCRT program sees a mental health crisis response worker summoned to a 911 call to assist police in dealing with a person suffering an issue. The crisis response worker tries to de-escalate the situation and may refer the individual to other care in the community, easing the burden on hospital staff and the police.
The program was launched in June 2018 and an evaluation was conducted by a graduate student, part of Lakehead’s commitment to developing community partnerships.

“We offer supervision and research assistance to the student to collaborate with a community partner,” explains Dr. Jo-Ann Vis, an associate professor in Lakehead’s School of Social Work.

The review by master’s student Ashley Palmer involved focus groups and surveys with Thunder Bay Police officers and communications staff, crisis response workers, Emergency department nursing staff as well as interviews with clients of the program.

“What came out of that is the positive relationships between all the partners,” Palmer explains. “They spoke of how well everyone was working collaboratively.”

Other findings from Palmer’s research:

• The program was able to provide better and more specific care to the individual;
• Better use of police resources; officers were able to clear the hospital quicker or not even need to attend there at all;
• Individuals were connected to other services in the community.

Thunder Bay Police say there were 1,416 incidents where the JMCRT was utilized, of which there were 622 instances where police did not have to also attend the Regional hospital. There were 647 instances where the team was not available, either because it fell outside their hours of operation or they were already at another call.

“This project is a really good example of how we can bridge education and research to a practical level,” Vis says.

There remain, however, challenges. Palmer has suggested improvement, such as: hiring more staff to expand the program beyond 12-hour daily coverage; have the crisis response worker ride along with police rather than wait in an office for a callout; and ongoing mental health training for frontline police and hospital personnel.

“Ashley’s work really complemented the project and gave us some great insight to further support the longevity and need for continuing the partnership,” says Hyslop, adding that the research is being shared with groups across Ontario to develop their own plans.

The program’s future in Thunder Bay is still not assured, though. Funding was for the initial one-year period, which ended March 31. Hyslop says they have submitted a proposal to the North West LHIN for permanent funding. The team continues to operate in the interim.

Continuation of the JMCRT program is important to the Thunder Bay Police Service and to the community as a whole, the police chief says.

“The success of the program is in the fact that persons in crisis are getting the appropriate assistance,” Hauth states. “Given the ongoing challenges of mental health and the high number of calls to police, the use of such an important resource as the JMCRT diverts persons in crisis from being solely in the care of police. There is a clear need to continue and expand the program to provide the community with a much needed service.”