Canada's Salmon Industry in Crisis

 

Key Stats:

Fifty percent First Nation students at North West Community College

North West Community College has campuses in Hazelton, Houston, Kitimat, Masset, Nass, Prince Rupert, Village of Queen Charlotte, Kaay Llnagaay, Smithers, and Terrace. Ruth Wheadon is the Director of NWCC campuses in Haida Gwaii. "In Haida Gwaii, we run developmental programs that we call Essential Skills for the Workplace (ESWK)," says  Wheadon .
 

"We also run Continuing Education and Training courses that include work-preparation in first-aid, eco-system management, natural resource management," and others, "but the ESWK contains an art focus in the past couple of years, and ESWK continues to offer development of work skills."
 

The art focus introduces business management skills to artists. "We give them the tools to take their art to the business level, and we introduce them to success strategies in marketing their work." Students range in age from their late teens to their fifties. The main purpose of ESWK is to bridge the gap between the public school system and learning today, including a culturally inclusive environment for study.

"It allows students to experience a different perspective on education," says  Wheadon. NWCC also offers university credit courses, "First year anthropology and 2nd year ethno-geography are running this summer from July 14 to 30, 2010, including a four-day trip to Swan Bay Rediscovery Camp, and other trips to four different field sites in Haida Gwaii." 

The Swan Bay Rediscovery Program operates a cultural camp to teach Haida cultural skills and knowledge, plus new life skills, self-esteem and confidence to help build character. Swan Bay puts traditional Haida values at the center, and students at the camps participate in a variety of activities designed to challenge, teach and nurture.

The NWCC website explains that the college operates in a region that encompasses 104,689 square kilometres with a combined population of approximately 83,000 people. "This region is home to seven First Nations whose students make up over 50% of the College's student population." 
 

First Nation participation in the college serves to enrich the cuture of the NWCC community and strengthen its connection and relevance to the area. The College region's geographic boundaries are defined by Haida Gwaii on the West, Houston on the East, Hazelton to the North, and a less defined Southern boundary approximately 800 km due north of Vancouver.