NAN Congratulates Lakehead University Honorary Degree Recipient Rosie Mosquito

THUNDER BAY, ON: Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, on behalf of the Executive Council, congratulates Bearskin First Nation member Rosie Mosquito for receiving an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Lakehead University today.

“On behalf of Nishnawbe Aski Nation I congratulate Rosie for this well-deserved honour,” said Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler. “Rosie is passionate about empowering Indigenous learners to pursue their goals in culturally and linguistically responsive First Nation environments. She has dedicated much of her career to closing the education achievement gap and developing meaningful and sustainable paths towards reconciliation. We are grateful for her many contributions helping learners of all ages achieve their education goals and pursue their dreams.”

Rosie Mosquito became the first female Chief in the Western part of NAN, and later served as Executive Director of NAN from 1994 to 1996.

She has been involved in community development since 1983 and has served at the community, Tribal Council, and regional levels, including senior policy advisor to the Ontario Regional Chief and executive director of Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute (Oshki-Wenjack) from 2004 to 2018.

She has served as Chair of the Aboriginal Institutes Consortium, which represents First Nation controlled post-secondary education and training institutes and guided the development of the Indigenous Institutes Act that creating an indigenous pillar in the Ontario post-secondary education system. She was also named to the Government of Canada’s Indigenous Women’s Circle, which was established in 2018 to engage with Indigenous women leaders and experts in the public and private sectors.

A respected NAN Elder, she remains active with NAN, Chiefs of Ontario, and the Assembly of First Nations. 

NAN also congratulates Lac Seul First Nation member Patricia Ningewance Nadeau, who also received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. She is a translator, Ojibwe author, and assistant professor at the University of Manitoba, actively promoting and preserving the Ojibwe language.

For more information please contact:
Michael Heintzman,
Director of Communications
Cell: (807) 621-2790
mheintzman@nan.ca