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Imagine a Canada

Congratulations to the 2025 Imagine a Canada Honourees!

Decorative graphic for Imagine a Canada with the NCTR logo and text Presented by IG Wealth Management.

Imagine a Canada asks students across the country to envision a reconciled Canada and make something that reflects their vision. To enter, students may create artwork, write an essay, or plan a community project to promote reconciliation. These are this years honourees:

Project Honourees
Name Region School Project
Alisa Rtishcheva MB U Multicultural Inc. Create and release 3-episode podcast, “Radio des Petits Hiboux – Youth Voices for Reconciliation”.
Grace Keehn, Hailey Bear, and Lyric Bear AB École Okotoks Junior High School Develop a new culturally grounded multipurpose sharing space.
Puneet Kaur and Kingston Baptiste AB James Fowler High School  A day to honour the late Senator Murray Sinclair.

Zoe Lheritier, Nicole Chisholm, and Anna Vallières Martinson

BC École Secondaire Jules-Verne Bring traditional sport called double-ball to gym curriculum.
Jocelyn Whalen’s group MB Otetiskewin Kiskinwamahto-wekamik School Develop traditional food garden and delivery of food kits to community.
Annabelle Lecouffe and Mia Massé QC École secondaire Paul-Hubert de rimouski Build a culturally grounded sharing circle space/teepee.
Angeleah Bulger SK Chief Little Pine School Establishment of sewing club.
Kaylee Roney and Basil George Moody BC Houston Secondary School Bring in a knowledge keeper to teach traditional BC-style carving.

Aviva Wiser, Ethan Panaligan, and Elena Garcia

BC St. Thomas More Collegiate (STMC) Costal Salish cultural week of learning.
Luca Roberts and Shawn Chuddford BC Cultus Lake SwĂ­lhcha Community School Cultural day with a whole range of activities.
Sadie Truong and Sarah Krause BC Prince of Wales Secondary School Expand their traditional plant garden.
Lenn Crowshoe, Kylee North Peigan, and Sapphira Storm Warrior AB Matthew Halton High School Mural for the school honouring Blackfoot culture.
Aurora McConini and Maya Dunn ON Langton Public School Mural for the school representing the 13 moons.
Julia Folk ON Father Bressani Catholic High School  Mmiwg micro-gallery for the school.

Hudson Docker

ON Tait Street Public School Expand existing garden to make for 3 sisters garden.
Lily Dubois and Addison Mason ON A. Lorne Cassidy Elementary School Hockey equipment drive that will delivery equipment to communities.


Essay Honourees
Name Region School Type Title
Robbin Swain-Wallace and Peter Charlie (tsundigamak) BC
Eke Me-Xi Learning Centre Video essay My World
Dylan Smarch (Shkatnigi) and Grace McLeod (Watsi) YK Khàtìnas.àxh Community School Drawing Imagine a Canada where you can be yourself?
Doyinsola Oluboye MB R. D. Parker Collegiate Song Reconcile Canada
Ammy Parmer MB Tyndall Park Community School  Essay A Reconciled Canada
Taravat Farsian ON Crestview Public Scool Drawing More Plants, More Medicine
Naia Kuljis ON École élémentaire Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau Drawing ville de la réconciliation
Wren Mercanti AB Hillcrest Christian School Script for a play What is Reconciliation?
Kaydence Chalifoux SK Viscount Central School Essay The MMIW Movement and the lack of Media Coverage
Alexander Andrei SK Miller Comprehensive High School Song Sacred Signs
Maryse Simon’s class AB École HĂ©ritage Drawing La tortue de la vĂ©ritĂ© | The turtle of truth
Kian Lavenir ON École élémentaire Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau Drawing Pont de réconciliation
Emma Vickers NFL Brother Rice Junior High Drawing and essay The Wolf’s Child
Anne Yu and Linnea Wolf BC Glenlyon Norfolk School Painting Art for Action
Isabelle Adams ON Our Lady of Lourdes Photography Canada’s Upside Down History
Fayt Kenney, Marek Ozembloski, and Jonas Giese ON Lindsay Collegiate and Vocational Institute Art and essay It’s Always Too Little Too Late
Youth who participate in the art and essay stream can submit an art piece, essay, or other representation to express their vision of a reconciled Canada and what they hope others will learn from their submission.
Up to twelve projects will be selected from the art and essay stream to be included in an art booklet showcasing their work and message.
Youth who participate in the project stream are asked to go one step further and submit a plan on how their project will address Reconciliation in their community or school.
Projects for consideration include: inviting Survivors, Elders, or Knowledge Keepers to speak at a series of learning events; building a permanent art installation representing Reconciliation at the school; or supporting volunteer work in communities related to Reconciliation. Six projects from the project stream will receive $750, six will receive $1000, and three will receive $1500. Additionally, these projects will also be recognized in an art booklet.
Youth from select projects in both streams will be invited to participate in virtual leadership training exercises.
Youth will learn directly from Elders, Survivors, and Knowledge Keepers as well as special guests about how to engage and lead difficult conversations, how to be a Reconciliation leader, how to manage projects, and how and where to secure funds for future projects.
At the end of the school year, a national celebration will be held to honour up to twelve projects from the art and essay stream and up to fifteen projects from the project stream.
Youth from the project stream will be expected to give a short presentation of their project and its progress. Furthermore, the youth will engage with select classrooms from across the country to talk about Reconciliation and share their project. They will also be expected to provide a check-in midway and provide a final report as to their project and how the funds were spent.
A group of 17 students and teachers pose in front of a light brown backdrop at an Imagine a Canada event.
A procession of Survivors and people at an Imagine a Canada event, some with walkers. One man is holding the Eagle Staff.
A small circle of people listen to Elder Paynter in front of a black quilt with a bright Indigenous multi-coloured star.

Past Program Gallery

Browse our photo and art book gallery from past programming events, including student submissions and honourees.

Financial Support:

Support for Imagine a Canada program comes from IG Wealth Management and Power Corporation of Canada.

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NCTR’s spirit name – bezhig miigwan, meaning “one feather”.

Bezhig miigwan calls upon us to see each Survivor coming to the NCTR as a single eagle feather and to show those Survivors the same respect and attention an eagle feather deserves. It also teaches we are all in this together — we are all one, connected, and it is vital to work together to achieve reconciliation.