A symbol of inclusion and understanding
On Wednesday, Anishinaabe Ojibway artist Will Morin unveiled the compass dream catcher medicine wheel he was commissioned to create for College Boreal.
“This sculpture is about bringing all people together and recognizing as a symbol as a Native American symbol the teachings of inclusion and all people coming together and celebrating our connection,” said Morin.
“And how the power of the medicine wheel is all four colours coming together equal.”
College officials said they are proud to unveil the work of art that is a cultural tool, a symbol of inclusion and part of the school’s commitment to reconciliation.
"We are a college so education is key,” said Daniel Giroux, president of College Boreal. “So learning from our elders, our Indigenous community, our Métis community, some of the history -- and it’s not just Indigenous learnings. It's human learnings. So I think we can all continue to learn from these great initiatives.”
Morin said the piece took him eight months to create and assemble, adding that 50 per cent of the material he used is recycled.
“In the world that we are in, we have a consumer culture that is still recognizing with blind eyes to the fact that climate change is a reality," Morin said.
"And as a recycle artist, I have been trying to include in all of my work material that is to try to echo the importance of the environment, the need to be aware of the changes that are occurring.”
He said although the piece features the French language, it includes symbols and teachings that are inclusive of all cultures.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.