Northern College graduate honoured by the province
A Northern College graduate is leaving her post-secondary career with a pretty big honour: she's the recipient of the 2023 Premier's Award as a recent graduate.
A member of the Attawapiskat First Nation, Christina Kioke is program manager with the Omushkego Six Seasons Youth Program in Timmins.
Kioke is the first person to lead a team of 14 staff who will offer tools and opportunities for Indigenous youth to become successful leaders.
She advocates for the better treatment and understanding of Indigenous youth from First Nation communities who attend high schools in urban centres.
"What happens a lot of the time is given the resources that are lacking within some of the northern communities within the First Nations, we see a lot of youth head to urban centres so they can participate in high school, in college, in university,” Kioke said.
When that happens, she said they are removed from their community and some of their cultural and traditional practices.
“So what Muskegowuk council found when they did their peoples inquiry into the suicide pandemic is that there were these gaps within the cultural area,” Kioke said.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“Using and learning the traditional languages, whether that's Cree or Ojibwe or whatever that may be, so what we wanted to see within our urban centres is providing our youth with that opportunity so that they can increase their resilience so they can move forward and be successful."
Kioke attended the awards ceremony with her daughter. She said she's proud of the accomplishment and that she was able to pursue post-secondary education and able to return to her studies in her mid-30s.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6949994.1720031014!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'I am running': Biden scrambles as pressure grows to abandon his campaign
U.S. President Joe Biden vowed to stay in the 2024 presidential race during a call with campaign staff on Wednesday and sought to reassure top Democrats on Capitol Hill that he is fit for reelection despite his shaky debate performance last week.
Is Greece's six-day work week an option in Canada? An expert weighs in
As some Canadian companies explore offering staff a four-day work week, experts are watching Greece's move closely and suggest it could work in Canada.
Ontario man suffers cardiac arrest in Florida. This is why insurance won't cover his $620,000 hospital bill
An Ontario man who wanted to spend time with his family in Florida was hospitalized after suffering a cardiac arrest at the airport as he was about to fly back to Canada.
Irish prime minister 'appalled' by Montrealer's death after alleged assault
Ireland's prime minister says he's "absolutely appalled" by an assault in the country's capital that resulted in the death of a tourist from Montreal.
'Not my finest moment:' Police called to dispute between Ottawa city councillor and daycare owner
Ottawa city councillor Clarke Kelly says he is not apologizing after a Kinburn daycare owner alleged he screamed and swore in front of children during a dispute that saw police called to the scene on Wednesday afternoon.
Hudson's Bay Co. to purchase U.S. department store Neiman Marcus: reports
Hudson's Bay Co. has reached a deal to buy luxury department store chain Neiman Marcus, according to media reports.
Trudeau focused on governing, fighting right-wing populism following byelection loss
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been taking calls from different members of his Liberal caucus following the party's historic byelection loss in a Toronto riding last week, but the prime minister said his focus remains on governing.
Canadian feels 'abandoned' in Mexico after WestJet strike
More than 1,100 WestJet flights and counting have been cancelled since last Thursday, when a strike by the airlines mechanics union grounded travel plans for more than 100,000 customers.
DEVELOPING Hurricane Beryl roars by Jamaica after killing at least 6 people in the southeast Caribbean
Hurricane Beryl was roaring by Jamaica Wednesday, bringing fierce winds and heavy rain after the powerful Category 4 storm earlier killed at least six people and caused significant damage in the southeast Caribbean.