On March 7th, 2014, President Colin Dodds stood before hundreds of people assembled at Saint Mary’s University – SMU alumni, students, faculty, and staff together with leaders and youth from the urban Aboriginal community – to pay tribute to Loretta Saunders’ life. Only nine days previous the authorities had located her body along the TransCanada Highway outside Salisbury, New Brunswick. 

For many on Turtle Island, her disappearance and murder viscerally highlighted the levels of violence indigenous women face in Canadian society. Her name was evoked in the House of Commons and the Senate as evidence of the need for swift and decisive action on the part of government. It was fitting that President Dodds committed to a Task Force on Aboriginal Education at Saint Mary’s University during his speech at the memorial last year.

The Task Force led a comprehensive review of the university’s policies and procedures, as well as the services and supports in place for Aboriginal students, and compared these to other universities. It presented the Task Force’s final report to President Dodds on September 17th, 2014.

Regrettably, the President has not released the Task Force Report to the university community, nor has he publicly addressed the report’s recommendations. Instead, Aboriginal students at Saint Mary’s continue to struggle with the lack of appropriate services and supports on campus.

Dr. Isabelle Knockwood, a SMU alumni (’92), Indian Residential School Survivor, author of Out of the Depths, and honorary doctorate recipient at SMU (2013), recently wrote a letter to the administration explaining that Aboriginal students have been appealing to the administration since her time as an undergrad for many of the same services and supports as current students.

We, the undersigned, believe it is time for Saint Mary’s University to live up to its potential. We demand the following:

1)        That President Dodds release the Task Force report to the university     community;

2)        That Saint Mary’s University immediately commit to hiring a full-time, professional (non-student) Aboriginal Advisor on campus, employed for the entire calendar year.

3)        That Saint Mary’s University immediately commit to providing a safe, accessible space on campus for the use of Aboriginal students.

4)        That Saint Mary’s University immediately set up an Aboriginal Advisory Council on campus, featuring SMU alumni and community members, and selected in consultation with Aboriginal students.

5)        That Saint Mary’s University immediately commit to practices that will rectify the serious underrepresentation of Aboriginal staff and faculty on campus.

The undersigned, 

1. Miriam Saunders, Loretta’s mother.

2. Dr. Isabelle Knockwood, SMU alumni (’92), Indian Residential School Survivor, author of Out of the Depths, and SMU Honorary Doctorate (2013).

3. Danielle Root, SMU alumni (’05) and former Aboriginal Student Advisor.

4. Natteal Battiste, SMU alumni (’14) and former Aboriginal Student Advisor.

5. Chenise Haché, SMU alumni (’14).

6. Molly Peters, Loretta Saunders Community Scholarship Fund.

7. Delilah Saunders, Loretta’s sister.

8. Diane Obed, Loretta Saunders Community Scholarship Fund.

9. Élisabeth Girard, SMU Aboriginal Student Society (Vice-President).

10. Tyler Sack, SMU alumni (’11).