Edmonton Community Papaschase Endowment Fund

The Edmonton Community Papaschase Endowment Fund was established by a private Edmonton citizen, Eric Rice, as a form of concrete land acknowledgement.

Many non-Indigenous people in Alberta have benefited greatly from the land and from the resources under the land. It is Eric’s belief that each of us who have benefited personally owe a debt to the Indigenous peoples who suffered the loss of their lands and communities. He believes this is also true in the case of the Papaschase Cree whose reserve was first established within the current municipal boundaries of Edmonton and later dissolved.

This fund was established to acknowledge that debt and to support the Papaschase Cree. At their request the fund will provide scholarships for individuals who express Indigenous identity, with a preference for students who identify as members of the Papaschase First Nation. The scholarships are intended to support the cost of tuition, fees, books, learning tools and other materials, and/or other living expenses.

The scholarship will be rewarded in accordance with the Hilltop Awards and Bursaries program. More information can be found here – https://ecf.ca/student-awards/hilltop-awards-and-bursaries/

For more information on the Papaschase story please visit www.papaschase.ca, or see this storymap created by William T. D. Wadsworth (PhD Student, University of Alberta) in collaboration with Chief Calvin Bruneau (Papaschase First Nation). https://arcg.is/05Lnz9