Red River College has created a new role to help implement the 94 calls-to-action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Carla Kematch is its new manager for Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement with Red River College, and shares her experience that suited her for the task.

"What's great about the experience I have is I have worked at the grass-roots levels," explains Kematch. "I have developed art programming for the inner city. I've worked at policy with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. I've worked with the private sector and government sector with various projects, and I'm committed to building capacity within Manitoba's indigenous community."

Part of Kematch's role is to develop training programs with college staff, as well as implementing the Blanket Exercise.

"It's a role-playing training program that simulates the experiences of individuals while the treaty-making process was happening," she says.

Kematch notes some occurrences of the policies inflicted upon indigenous cultures and their effects are brought forward to help students experience and learn from the history that took place within Canada. She adds the beauty of the program is its commitment from many institutions in the province that signed on, along with all of the Red River College campuses. She says they signed on to the Manitoba Indigenous Education blueprint, which brings unprecedented commitment from all indigenous educations in Manitoba.

Kematch explains they want to achieve the status of a global centre of excellence for indigenous education, researches, language, and culture, adding this will allow them to move forward with all they do, but in a collaborative manner.