Winnipeg woman helping to Indigenize the Senate at youth forum

AMtis woman from Winnipeg will be sharing her story in the Senate on Wednesday as a part of an event to mark Canada 150 celebrations and Aboriginal History Month.

Tiffany Monkman is one of 10 young Indigenous leaders from across the country acting as a role model at the Indigenize the Senate youth forumand young leaders' meeting.

Monkmansaid it was an emotional moment when she found out she had been selected for the forum from more than 100 nominees.

"I'm not gonna lie, I had some tearshappy tears, that is," she said.

Organized by the Senate's Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples, 10 Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth from across Canada were invited to the Senate totell their stories of community impact,and share their ideas during a special committee hearing.

Monkman will be speaking about her work with Indigenous students at the hearing. She hopes to make an impact on the senators by sharing stories of Indigenous success and overcoming obstacles.

"That is what I want to get acrossto allow Indigenous people to have the platform they deserve to speak about their stories," said the 30-year-old.

Monkman works at the University of Manitoba as a student advisor and recruiter for Aboriginal Business Education Partners. Monkmangraduated from the U of M in 2012 with an honours degree in commerce.

"Being a student advisor is already kind of taxing just hearing people going through tough times, through studying and exams," she said. "Then you put on top what Indigenous people have gone throughtrauma in their lives."

She said she looks inside herself and what she's overcome to help support her students when they're going through difficult times.

"I'm going to be there for them every step of the way," she said. "Everything I've learned from my culture, sport, personallyI bring that with me every day I speak to Indigenous youth."

'The beginning of a celebration for the next 150'

Monkman described arriving in the Senate as comforting because she was surrounded by Mtis, Inuit and First Nations students and elders.

"I thought I'd never be a part of something so extraordinary like this," she said.

In addition to the youth leaders, 55 young people between the ages of 16 and 25 will be part of a youth forum at the Senate on Wednesday. They willtalk about building a relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians, which will be used as youth perspective in the committee's study.

"It is pretty much exactly what my goal is in lifeto help Indigenous youth to get as many opportunities as they can," said Monkman. "To see so many youth here made me so happy."

Monkman acknowledged that Canada 150 celebrations and events have raised conflicting feelings for many Indigenous people. She said she sees the growth made in the past 150 years.

"Just seeing non-Indigenous people wanting to figure out how they can help, hearing conversations, people telling their story on social media and people are reading it, I just find this as the beginning of a celebration for the next 150."

Winnipeg woman helping to Indigenize the Senate at youth forum

7 years ago

Duration 3:18

A Mtis woman from Winnipeg will be sharing her story in the Senate on Wednesday as a part of an event to mark Canada 150 celebrations and Aboriginal History Month. Tiffany Monkman speaks with CBC's Janet Stewart.