鶹AV announced on November 27, 2021 that Gerald Rimer, BCom ’56, and his three sons, Daniel, David, and Neil Rimer, made a $13-million donation to the university that will go toward renovating the Leacock building and creating a new Institute for Indigenous Research and Knowledge (IIRK). ()
The IIRK will include an Indigenous Language Reclamation and Revitalization Lab that will support Indigenous students, faculty and community members in order to help preserve and grow Indigenous languages and cultures. Plans for the future Institute also include language labs, training and on-site knowledge keepers, as well as events and symposia, among other initiatives. ()
Watch the Rimer gift announcement
Institute for Indigenous Studies Commitee
Yann Allard-Tremblay obtained his PhD in philosophy from the universities of St Andrews and Stirling. He previously held postdoctoral research fellowships at the Centre for Research in Ethics of the University of Montréal and at the 鶹AV Research Group on Constitutional Studies. Professor Allard-Tremblay is a member of the Huron-Wendat First Nation. His current research in political theory is focused on the decolonization and Indigenization of political theory. More specifically, he is interested in investigating ways in which existing mainstream concepts and methods in political theory may silence and distorts the thoughts and claims of Indigenous peoples. Professor Allard-Tremblay is also interested in investigating ways in which the political thoughts and claims of Indigenous peoples offer alternative ways to think about, and transform, political conduct and political concepts. His earlier research was concerned with epistemic theories of democracy. The current focus of his research is the result of a progressive turn to political pluralism.