BU civic leadership forum underway
Organizers impressed by level of student engagement
It’s a big, rich buffet of people, ideas, stories,” said Jim Hughes, Director of the civic leadership forum taking place this week at Bishop’s University.
“They are being genuinely appreciated,” Hughes added, explaining that the students attending the forum are taking full advantage of the opportunities presented.
“These are very engaged young people, and they are becoming even more engaged,” he commented.
The weeklong forum, which attracted English-speaking youth aged 1824 from across the province, was designed to give participants a better understanding of how fundamental
institutions in Quebec and Canada function.
Romeo Saganash, Member of Parliament for Abitibi—baie-james—nunavik— Eeyou and NDP critic for Intergovernmental Aboriginal Affairs addressed the students enrolled in the forum on Tuesday afternoon. Saganash was introduced by his daughter Maïtée, a political science student, writer and vocal advocate for First Nations rights.
“Being proud is a revolution in itself,” she said, describing what her father had gone through and the struggles faced daily by First Nations people.
Saganash first addressed the forum attendees in his Cree mother tongue, and then continued in English, sharing his story as a residential school survivor and discussing reconciliation.
BU Principal Michael Goldbloom told The Record that to date, the forum is going extraordinarily well.
“They are bright, engaged students from across the province. They ask really smart, pointed questions,” said Goldbloom.
Goldbloom said that three days into the forum, he noticed the students seem comfortable with their linguistic identity.
“They self-identify as English-speaking,” he said, adding that there is a high level of bilingualism.
“Most seem interested in things that go beyond language,” Goldbloom commented. “It’s a much healthier thing,” he said. Not dismissing the preoccupations of Anglos in Quebec 20-30 years ago, Goldbloom explained that with issues like independence no longer in the forefront, the impression given by the comments from forum participants so far suggested they want to make society better in all languages.
Goldbloom added that it wasn’t only the participants who recognized the importance of the forum.
Liberal MNA and Minister responsible for Higher Education Hélène David was at BU over the weekend for a meeting with local party members and learned of the forum.
“She wasn’t on the program, but she saw that it was really important,” Goldbloom said. David drove from Montreal on Tuesday and spent the morning as a special guest speaker at the forum.
The forum will continue until Friday, looking at topics including political engagement, the role of media, and careers of the 21st century to name a few.
The full program and list of guest speakers is available on the Bishops Website at bishopsforum.ubishops.ca/program.