The Culture and Heritage Working Committee heard presentations from three guests at its February 4th meeting in Halifax, each one sharing information of interest to the committee. Tim Fedak, Curator of Geology with the Nova Scotia Museum, shared information on Spencer’s Island, traditionally known to the Mi’kmaq as Wtouml. He explained to the committee that […]

The Tripartite Forum Members leading the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Women & Girls in Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation (SPAR) Action Plan are progressing with their work, and shared that progress with the Sport and Recreation Committee. Project proponents Sara-Lynne Knockwood-Sack and Ryan Francis reported that Sara-Lynne completed a series of community engagements in 14 Mi’kmaq […]

HALIFAX – The Economic Development Working Committee heard a presentation on potential opportunities, relating to offshore power generation, for Indigenous communities in Nova Scotia. Marine Renewables Canada’s Executive Director Elisa Obermann spoke to Economic Development Committee members at a November 26th meeting in Halifax, presenting on potential opportunities for Indigenous participation in offshore wind projects in […]

The Tripartite Forum’s Fall/Toqwa’q 2025 Newsletter is now available! Check out what our working committees have been up to over the last few months, with progress reports from our work tables, on projects taking place in communities across Mi’kma’ki. The newsletter can be found HERE. If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions for future […]

The Tripartite Forum and its Education Working Committee are happy to announce the newest co-chair to join the Education Committee: Denise Pictou Maloney. Denise, who the Nova Scotia Chiefs voted in as Mi’kmaq Co-Chair on October 6th, joins Provincial Co-Chair Melody Martin-Googoo, and Federal Co-Chair Helen Long. Denise is taking over the reins from previous […]

A major Maritime seafood company in which seven First Nations have a financial stake spoke to the Education and Economic Development Working Committees about the education and employment opportunities it offers Indigenous youth and adults across Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia). Michelle MacEwan, Indigenous Employment Ambassador from Membertou, accompanied by other Clearwater staff, presented to the Education […]

The Cultural and Heritage Working Committee is calling for community awareness of the funding opportunities for Mi’kmaw initiatives available through the Mi’kmaq Cultural Activities Program (MCAP). The committee recently heard from a provincial representative about the program, in a presentation on the funding it offers at a meeting in Glooscap First Nation by Meghan Hallet, […]

With the return of the fall colours, we once again celebrate the heritage and legacies of the original inhabitants of Mi’kma’ki. Happy Mi’kmaw History Month! This year, Gerald Gloade, a former Culture and Heritage Working Committee member, and employee with Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre, has taken time out of his well-deserved retirement to design the […]

A sacred mountain in Unama’ki (Cape Breton) is about to officially receive its proper Mi’kmaw name, with Kellys Mountain poised to receive an Indigenized facelift, with an educational twist. Speaking to fellow committee members at a Culture and Heritage Committee meeting in June, Darrell reported on how he is pulling together the final steps in […]

A celebration is coming to mark an important milestone for Survivors of Federal Indian Day Schools in Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia), on August 8th. Debra Ginnish, a proponent behind the recent compensation claims for survivors of the former Indian Day Schools, spoke to two Tripartite working committees about plans to commemorate the victory achieved for and […]

The Spring 2025 Edition of the Tripartite Forum Newsletter is now available! To take a look at what our members have been up to, over the course of the past few months, take a look HERE. Following a decision to reduce the frequency and increase the amount of content per newsletter, this Spring 2025 edition […]

Amid ongoing concerns surrounding changes to Jordan’s Principle and the process of applying for it, two of the Tripartite Forum’s work tables are preparing to collaborate in response to recent sweeping federal-level operational changes to the system. Concerns over Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)’s February updates to Jordan’s Principle have prompted serious discussions at two Tripartite […]

The Mi’kmaw Housing and Homelessness Symposium served as an ideal stage for a serious conversation about homelessness for Indigenous communities and groups. The event, hosted by the Tripartite Forum’s Social Committee was a bid to build a knowledge base and plan to tackle the issue of Indigenous homelessness in Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia. The late February event at […]

The Tripartite Forum Secretariat, Co-Chairs and Executive Committees and general membership are all extending a heartfelt congratulations to Gerald Gloade. Gerald, a longtime member of the Tripartite Forum since its inception in 1997, retired earlier this month, following a storied career as a Mi’kmaq artist, educator, naturalist and visionary.   A Member of Millbrook First […]

The Tripartite Forum’s working committees meet several times throughout the year, and are busy with many different initiatives. In the interests of keeping members apprised of all working committee activity, the Communications Team has launched a page on the Tripartite Forum website where members can access meeting minutes for reference. Going forward, minutes from all […]

The Tripartite Forum’s Executive Committee Meeting hosted a series of serious discussions on its future, how to move it forward, and how the work should flow from committee to committee. One major purpose of the January 16th event in Dartmouth was for consultant Heidi Weigand to outline a series of recommendations to the Executive Committee. […]

The Culture and Heritage Committee is grateful to Bryn Tapper for sharing his research findings on an iconic cultural Mi’kmaq symbol. Bryn , a graduate student at Memorial University studying archaeology, shared findings from his doctoral research into the role of rock art in the Maritimes and its role in Indigenous societies – specifically pertaining […]

Congratulations to the four working tables whose requests for financial support from the Project Fund for Social and Economic Change have been approved. The Justice, Economic Development, Sports and Recreation and Social Working Tables were all approved for funding. The Project Fund will subsidize each working table’s projects. In the coming months each working table […]

The final steps to the construction of The Indian Residential School (IRS) Legacy Project are in sight with community consultation underway and the project entering its fourth and final phase. The Culture and Heritage Committee is working with the Community of Sipekne’katik to secure a location for the commemoration site of the Shubenacadie Indian Residential […]

As we kick off Mi’kmaw History Month, you’re invited to check out this year’s poster. Created by Gerald Gloade with Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre (MDCC), the poster was unveiled at the Tripartite Forum’s Sept. 10th Culture and Heritage meeting. The theme for this year’s poster is food, and Gerald’s work, with nuance and historical respect […]

Darrell Bernard wants to give a sacred space in Unama’ki (Cape Breton) the respect it deserves with its traditional Mi’kmaw name. Darrell spoke about the work he has done to collaborate with the province to change the name of a mountain currently named Kellys Mountain to its original Mi’kmaw name – Mukla’qati – which means […]

Before any Europeans trod in Nova Scotia, the Mi’kmaq were stewards of the land, with a network of their own hunting trails, and hunting and harvesting grounds throughout the province. It is the goal of Wasuek Googoo to preserve and share this ancient knowledge. To that end, Wasuek, the Infrastructure Program Manager with the Union […]

The Tripartite Forum’s seven Working Committees met in the spirit of collaboration for the 2024 All-Mi’kmaw Members Session and Working Development Session. The three-day event, hosted at the Inverary Resort in Baddeck, on Unama’ki (Cape Breton), is the sole event where all members of the Tripartite Forum gather under one roof and the first time […]

The Spring Edition of the Tripartite Forum Newsletter is now available. This newsletter is one in a series of what will be regular, quarterly publications, with the next edition planned for release in mid-summer. The 2024 Spring Edition Newsletter contains updates pertaining to the past few months’ meetings, and up to date information profiling committees […]

The Tripartite Forum Economic Development Working Committee hosted a discussion of economic development. Michael Polak, Executive Director of Finance and Administration with Pictou Landing First Nation (PLFN), presented on the multi-dimensional approach for sustainable and impactful growth within an Indigenous context, at the Tripartite Forum Economic Development Working Committee’s April 24th meeting in New Glasgow. […]

The Tripartite Forum’s Justice Committee is moving ahead with a plan to structure laws and decision making in Nova Scotia’s Indigenous communities around the stories of Glooscap. At its April 18th meeting in Membertou, the Justice Committee passed a motion to refer Gluskabewimk (the Glooscap Stories Project), as submitted, to Project Fund Coordinator Brad Sullivan. […]

The Tripartite Forum is pleased to announce that a time and place have been chosen for the All Mi’kmaw Members Meeting and Working Development Session. The two-and-a-half-day event will be taking place on June 5th, 6th and 7th at the Inverary Resort in Baddeck. The agenda and other meeting materials will be provided to members […]

The Tripartite Forum’s committees will be meeting in  more Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia’s Mi’kmaw communities in the coming months. Until recently, Tripartite Forum committee meetings have been limited to two of the 13 Mi’kmaw communities: Millbrook and Membertou. This has changed, following a decision from the March 6th Officials Committee meeting in Membertou, permitting Tripartite Forum committees […]

Congratulations to Samantha (Sam) Trites on her promotion to Tripartite Liaison Officer! Sam, a member of the Millbrook Band, and most recently, the Tripartite Administrator, is the granddaughter of Tommy Gloade. She grew up in Debert, and began with The CMM in 2010, after graduating from NSCC with Certificate in Office Administration. During Sam’s tenure […]

Congratulations to Sara-Lynne Knockwood (Sipekne’katik)! Sara-Lynne was inducted to the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame earlier this month. Sara-Lynne, a three-time gold medalist at the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG), and this year’s Director of Sport for the games, earned a berth in the Hall of Fame for her performance in Taekwondo. She is […]

The Tripartite Forum’s Culture and Heritage Working Committee is moving forward with its plans for the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School (IRS) Commemoration Project. The Committee received approval to use $92,000 from the Tripartite Fund to support the development and implementation of the Residential Schools Survivor Project. The project, which began in April 2023, aims to […]