By Rosalind Russell – Laurentian University’s new Chancellor is Kristan Straub, a well-known bilingual leader and champion of Indigenous economic sovereignty.
Vice-Chancellor, President Dr. Lynn Wells says Straub’s relationship with Laurentian spans generations, not only as an alumnus, but also as the grandson of Art and Eva Solomon, who were instrumental in founding the federated Native Studies Program.
She says Straub currently serves as the inaugural President and CEO of the Canadian Indigenous Loans Guarantee Corporation, and his career includes executive roles at Wyloo and Glencore Nickel, where he led the renegotiation of the Raglan Impacts and Benefits Agreement.
Dr. Wells says he is band member of Henvey Inlet and French River No. 13 First Nation and received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Laurentian last year.
He officially begins his term following a formal installation ceremony this spring.
She adds his ties to the campus are literal and symbolic; at age 12, he helped his grandfather construct the Apology Cairn on campus, a monument commemorating the Anglican Church’s apology to First Nations people and a landmark of reconciliation.
Photos: 1. Kristan Straub
2. The Apology Cairn is situated in the parking lot at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario where the 1986 Apology to the First Nations peoples occurred. Under the leadership of Elder Art Solomon, volunteers from the Manitou conference worked to create the memorial. The Cairn itself includes rocks that Presidents from all the Conferences brought to the same General Council meeting that the Apology took place. Other stones that were used in the construction originate from First Nations communities. The field stones came from the M’chigeeng First Nation and red flagstone came from Whitefish River First Nation (“Apology Cairn”). The circular shape of the Cairn represents the Circle of Life and the four openings represent the four different directions of the Universe (The United Church).
The Cairn was officially dedicated at a ceremony held on October 1st 1988. Two plaques currently adorn the Cairn. One that was created by the Whitefish River First Nation that explains the significance of the red flagstone and a second (which was added after the dedication) explains the meaning of the memorial in English, French and Anishinabemowin (“Apology Cairn”).
The Cairn remains “incomplete” and can be added to as the reconciliation process continues. Photos provided
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