Friday
Sept 12
Saturday
Sept 13
Sunday
Sept 14
Friday

September 12, 2025

Networking and Delegate Registration Opens
11:00 AM
11:00 AM
11:00 AM
Networking and Delegate Registration Opens
Networking and Delegate Registration Opens
Lunch
12:00 PM
12:00 PM
12:00 PM
Lunch
Lunch
Welcome
1:00 PM
1:00 PM
1:00 PM
Welcome
Welcome
  • Cora McGuire-Cyrette, CEO, ONWA
  • Melinda Commanda, President
  • Ottawa Aboriginal Council Elders Welcoming
Regional Caucus (All Regions)
1:30 PM
1:30 PM
1:30 PM
Regional Caucus (All Regions)
Regional Caucus (All Regions)

Presentation (Cora McGuire-Cyrette, Melinda Commanda, Joan Riggs)

Break
2:00 PM
2:00 PM
2:00 PM
Break
Break
Regional Caucus Engagements
2:30 PM
2:30 PM
2:30 PM
Regional Caucus Engagements
Regional Caucus Engagements
  • By-law Changes Review
  • What does it mean to be a member of ONWA?
  • Are we considering members at Large within ONWA?

Eastern Region, Richelieu Room 
‍Facilitator: Monique DesRosiers

‍Southern Region,Frontenac Room   
‍Facilitator: Justine Barone

‍Western Region, Chaudiere Room  
‍Facilitator: Collin Graham

‍Northern Region, Joliet Room  
‍Facilitator: Laurie Moyer

Regional Caucus Report Back (all Regions)
3:30 PM
3:30 PM
3:30 PM
Regional Caucus Report Back (all Regions)
Regional Caucus Report Back (all Regions)
54th Annual General Assembly (AGA)
4:15 PM
4:15 PM
4:15 PM
54th Annual General Assembly (AGA)
54th Annual General Assembly (AGA)
Dinner
4:15 PM
4:15 PM
4:15 PM
Dinner
Dinner
Opening Ceremony
5:15 PM
5:15 PM
5:15 PM
Opening Ceremony
Opening Ceremony
  • ‍Opening Prayer, Suzanne Knapp, Eastern Regional Grandmother
  • ONWA Passwewe Ikwewug Drum Group

Welcome

  • Melinda Commanda, President, ONWA
  • Cora McGuire-Cyrette, CEO, ONWA

Honouring Grandmother Catherine (Kitty) Everson

  • Video of Kitty
  • Blanket Ceremony
  • Honour Song, ONWA Passwewe Ikwewug Drum Group
Call to Order
6:00 PM
6:00 PM
6:00 PM
Call to Order
Call to Order

ONWA President Melinda Commanda

Acceptance of:  

  • ‍Chair, Stan Wesley
  • Recorder, Minute Solutions

Roll Call & Declaration of Quorum, Stan Wesley, Chair

Acceptance of:  

  • 2025 Agenda
  • 2024 AGA Minutes  

President’s Report, President, ONWA Melinda Commanda

CEO Report, CEO, ONWA Cora McGuire-Cyrette

Chief Electoral Officer 2025 Report, Joan Riggs

2024-2025 Auditors Report, MNP Robin D

Appointment of 2025-2026 Auditor, Stan Wesley, Chair

By-Law Amendments, Joan Riggs

Resolution Report Presentation, Heather Cameron, Senior Advisor in Strategy & Communications, ONWA

  • 2024-2025 Resolution Report
  • 2025-2026 Resolutions
  • Acceptance for 2025-2026 Resolutions  

Closing Ceremony  

  • Closing Prayer, Suzanne Knapp, Eastern Regional Grandmother
  • ONWA Passwewe Ikwewug Drum Group

‍

Saturday

September 13, 2025

Pipe Ceremony

ONWA Pipe Ceremony, Supreme Court Lawn

7:30 AM
7:30 AM
7:30 AM
Pipe Ceremony
Pipe Ceremony

ONWA Pipe Ceremony, Supreme Court Lawn

Breakfast
8:00 AM
8:00 AM
8:00 AM
Breakfast
Breakfast
Opening Ceremony
  • Opening Prayer Renee Thomas-Hill, Southern Regional Grandmother
  • ONWA Passwewe Ikwewug Drum Group

Welcoming Remarks

  • Stephanie Mikki Adams, Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition Co-Chair / ONWA Board of Directors Secretary
  • Mary Daoust, Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition Co-Chair, Minwaashin Lodge Executive Director
  • Cora McGuire-Cyrette, ONWA Chief Executive Officer
9:00 AM
9:00 AM
9:00 AM
Opening Ceremony
Opening Ceremony
  • Opening Prayer Renee Thomas-Hill, Southern Regional Grandmother
  • ONWA Passwewe Ikwewug Drum Group

Welcoming Remarks

  • Stephanie Mikki Adams, Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition Co-Chair / ONWA Board of Directors Secretary
  • Mary Daoust, Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition Co-Chair, Minwaashin Lodge Executive Director
  • Cora McGuire-Cyrette, ONWA Chief Executive Officer
Panel Discussion

Healing, Leadership, Wisdom

9:30 AM
9:30 AM
9:30 AM
Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion

Healing, Leadership, Wisdom

Break
10:30 AM
10:30 AM
10:30 AM
Break
Break
She is Wise Framework - Restoring Indigenous Women’s Leadership
  • Art Activity: Quilt Square
11:00 AM
11:00 AM
11:00 AM
She is Wise Framework - Restoring Indigenous Women’s Leadership
She is Wise Framework - Restoring Indigenous Women’s Leadership
  • Art Activity: Quilt Square
Lunch
12:00 PM
12:00 PM
12:00 PM
Lunch
Lunch
Community Change Workshops
  • Collaborating in Community, Richelieu Room‍
  • Circle of Knowledge, ‍Frontenac Room
  • Voices Rising, Chaudiere Room‍
  • The Sacred Tree, Joliet Room
1:00 PM
1:00 PM
1:00 PM
Community Change Workshops
Community Change Workshops
  • Collaborating in Community, Richelieu Room‍
  • Circle of Knowledge, ‍Frontenac Room
  • Voices Rising, Chaudiere Room‍
  • The Sacred Tree, Joliet Room
Break
2:30 PM
2:30 PM
2:30 PM
Break
Break
Indian Auction
3:00 PM
3:00 PM
3:00 PM
Indian Auction
Indian Auction
Closing

ONWA Passwewe Ikwewug Drum Group

4:45 PM
4:45 PM
4:45 PM
Closing
Closing

ONWA Passwewe Ikwewug Drum Group

Sunday

September 14, 2025

Pipe Ceremony
7:30 AM
7:30 AM
7:30 AM
Pipe Ceremony
Pipe Ceremony
Breakfast
7:30 AM
7:30 AM
7:30 AM
Breakfast
Breakfast
Opening Ceremony
8:45 AM
8:45 AM
8:45 AM
Opening Ceremony
Opening Ceremony
  • ‍Opening Prayer, Gwen Prevost, Northern Regional Grandmother‍
  • ONWA Passwewe Ikwesug Drum Group
Art as Healing
9:00 AM
9:00 AM
9:00 AM
Art as Healing
Art as Healing

Presentation by Wabanoonkwe

Break
10:00 AM
10:00 AM
10:00 AM
Break
Break
2025 Annual Recognition Awards
10:30 AM
10:30 AM
10:30 AM
2025 Annual Recognition Awards
2025 Annual Recognition Awards
  • Honoring Annual Award Recipients, Cora McGuire-Cyrette, CEO, ONWA
  • ONWA Passwewe Ikwewug Drum Group
Closing Ceremony
11:30 AM
11:30 AM
11:30 AM
Closing Ceremony
Closing Ceremony
  • Closing Prayer, Gwen Prevost, ONWA Grandmother
  • Closing Song, ONWA Passwewe Ikwewug Drum Group    
Lunch
12:30 PM
12:30 PM
12:30 PM
Lunch
Lunch

agenda