A 79-year-old Indigenous great-grandmother marked a major milestone on Thursday, receiving her doctorate in education from the University of Toronto.
"I've been excited and I couldn't sleep the past couple of nights," newly minted doctor of education Jacque/line Lavallee told CTV National News.
It was a lifelong dream of hers to reach this accomplishment, inspired by a message from her father.
"I only knew him for a short time when I was a kid, but he always stated, 'When you get big, when you become a woman, you need to pursue the educational field,'" she said.
Lavallee had also been the university's elder-in-residence and would have received an honorary doctorate, but she wanted to earn her degree. Her doctoral thesis focused on the important role Anishinaabe traditional knowledge can play in higher education, centring her own experience as a residential school survivor and a teacher.
"The rest of the world doesn't understand what traditional knowledge is," she said. "It's oral. It's always spoken. It's not written down on some paper. If you want to learn something, you have to go look at look for it."
Lavallee defended her thesis at a lodge was set on campus in 2020, which has also provided space for other learning and traditional ceremonies.
"In many ways, Dr. Lavallee's research has allowed us to think and learn more about what the role of elders is in the university," Eve Tuck, an associate professor in social justice education and Lavallee's supervisor, told CTV National News.
Lavallee will continue on as the elder-in-residence, teaching Indigenous knowledge to help develop curriculum.
"I just want to tell young Anishinaabe students that are coming up this way to not be afraid to tell their story. Because it's valid, it's their life," she said.
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the lodge on campus was developed as a result of Lavallee's work.
Members of Parliament are questioning why Canadian security officials did not inform them that they had been the target of Beijing-linked hackers, after learning from the FBI that the international parliamentary alliance they are a part of was in the crosshairs of the Chinese cyberattack in 2021.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says international students will be able to work off-campus up to 24 hours per week starting in September.
Norovirus is spreading at a 'higher frequency' than expected in Canada, specifically, in Ontario and Alberta, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Toronto police say 12 people are facing a combined 102 charges in connection with an investigation into a major credit fraud scheme.
French actor Gerard Depardieu was questioned by police on Monday in connection with alleged sexual assaults against two women on separate film sets, police sources said, and was released without charge.
Tobacco manufacturers have until Tuesday to ensure every king-size cigarette produced for sale in Canada has a health warning printed directly on it.
The clock is ticking ahead of the deadline to file a 2024 income tax return. A personal finance expert explains why you should get them done -- even if you owe more than you can pay.
Anne Hathaway first shared she lost interest in drinking after a bad hangover in 2018. She’s now five years sober.
The majority of Canadians aspiring to buy a home say they will push their plans to next year or later to wait for interest rates to drop, a new survey shows.
McGill University says the growing encampment on its lower field in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza violates its policies.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says international students will be able to work off-campus up to 24 hours per week starting in September.
Police have charged a third youth in connection with the death of a teenager in Halifax last week.
The same storm system that brought deadly tornadoes to parts of the U.S. is heading north, hammering some Canadian provinces with rain and snow, according to latest forecasts.
Dozens of London Drugs stores across Western Canada remained closed Monday following what the company described as a "cybersecurity incident" over the weekend.
A staff member at an Ontario school has been placed on home assignment after video of what the board is calling 'harmful and discriminatory' language directed at a student wearing a keffiyeh surfaced online.
NATO countries haven't delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, the alliance's chief said Monday, allowing Russia to press its battlefield advantage while Kyiv's depleted forces wait for Western military supplies to arrive.
The climate crisis impacts Earth — its land, its atmosphere and its bodies of water — and it also profoundly affects the health and behavior of the planet’s inhabitants large and small, including humanity.
A suspected missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels damaged a ship in the Red Sea on Monday, authorities said, the latest assault in their campaign against international shipping in the crucial maritime route.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's governing party, stung by an extensive slush funds scandal, appeared to have lost all three seats in Sunday's parliamentary byelections, according to media exit polls and preliminary results.
A dam collapsed in western Kenya early Monday, killing at least 45 people and leaving dozens missing after a wall of water swept through houses and cut off a major road, the Interior Ministry said.
A teenage gunman wounded 10 people when he opened fire early Sunday after fighting broke out during a private event at a Florida party venue, authorities said.
Members of Parliament are questioning why Canadian security officials did not inform them that they had been the target of Beijing-linked hackers, after learning from the FBI that the international parliamentary alliance they are a part of was in the crosshairs of the Chinese cyberattack in 2021.
The federal Conservatives are pushing the Liberals to end allowing drug use in public after British Columbia announced it wants to scale back its decriminalization pilot project.
The Opposition Conservatives are demanding to see contracts related to six electric vehicle projects underway in Canada for information on what they do to protect local union jobs.
Tobacco manufacturers have until Tuesday to ensure every king-size cigarette produced for sale in Canada has a health warning printed directly on it.
The number of measles cases around the world nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023, researchers say, presenting a challenge to efforts to achieve and maintain elimination status in many countries.
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
A northern Ontario beekeeper is sounding the alarm after discovering most of her bees had died earlier this year.
Anyone who has a Gen-Z person in their life is likely familiar with the popular social media app TikTok, but a new bill in the U.S. may soon take it off of the American market.
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
Anne Hathaway first shared she lost interest in drinking after a bad hangover in 2018. She’s now five years sober.
Taylor Swift continues to dominate in the week following the release of her 11th album, "The Tortured Poets Department." The 31-track album has hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, tying Swift with Jay-Z for second-most No. 1 albums at 14. Only The Beatles, with 19 No. 1 albums, have had more.
Actor and activist Elliot Page offered a parent some guidance and blasted the Alberta government Sunday at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo.
The majority of Canadians aspiring to buy a home say they will push their plans to next year or later to wait for interest rates to drop, a new survey shows.
A boycott targeting Loblaw is gaining momentum online, with what could be thousands of shoppers taking their money elsewhere in May.
The clock is ticking ahead of the deadline to file a 2024 income tax return. A personal finance expert explains why you should get them done -- even if you owe more than you can pay.
A gold watch worn by John Jacob Astor IV, a member of the wealthy Astor family and the richest man aboard the Titanic, sold for a record-breaking US$1.485 million at auction on Saturday.
Employees increasingly find that robust workplace volunteer programs meet their desires for in-person connections, professional growth and altruistically inclined employers — career objectives that might be missing in conventional corporate atmospheres.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Tributes continue to pour in for Bob Cole as his family has confirmed a funeral will be held for the legendary broadcaster Friday in St. John's, N.L.
Sunday's comeback win by the Vancouver Canucks had special meaning for Carol Morin and her family.
Connor Hellebuyck has a chance to add to his NHL awards hardware as he has been named one of the three finalists for the Vezina Trophy.
On a three-lane test track along the Monongahela River, an 18-wheel tractor-trailer rounded a curve. No one was on board.
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Ford’s electric vehicle unit reported that losses soared in the first quarter to US $1.3 billion, or US$132,000 for each of the 10,000 vehicles it sold in the first three months of the year.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A nearly century-old church in one of Vancouver's most desirable neighbourhoods is up for sale.
Sunday's comeback win by the Vancouver Canucks had special meaning for Carol Morin and her family.
Dozens of London Drugs stores across Western Canada remained closed Monday following what the company described as a "cybersecurity incident" over the weekend.
Toronto police say 12 people are facing a combined 102 charges in connection with an investigation into a major credit fraud scheme.
Norovirus is spreading at a 'higher frequency' than expected in Canada, specifically, in Ontario and Alberta, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
A staff member at an Ontario school has been placed on home assignment after video of what the board is calling 'harmful and discriminatory' language directed at a student wearing a keffiyeh surfaced online.
A Calgary elementary school principal has been charged with possession of child pornography, authorities announced Monday.
Premier Danielle Smith will be in Calgary on Monday to announce more details about a plan to improve rail service in Alberta.
A low complex (multiple low-pressure systems) across the western Prairies and B.C. will create some challenging conditions over the next few days.
Premier Doug Ford announced the province will be opening a new regional office dedicated to Ottawa on Monday.
A report for the city's finance and corporate services committee recommends the city implement an administrative penalty system for adjudicating parking and camera-based offences, with municipally appointed hearing officers adjudicating ticket disputes instead of the provincial courts system.
Via Rail says it will be operating an early-morning train service between Ottawa and Toronto for commuters hoping to arrive before 9 a.m.
McGill University says the growing encampment on its lower field in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza violates its policies.
In a time of push for bigger and better infrastructure, Quebec researchers are working toward an environmentally friendly way to build bridges and construct sidewalks.
Over the past year, the rise in the cost of living has been most brutal for those with lower income, according to a new report.
The Edmonton Oilers' offence wasn’t rolling Sunday night, but head coach Kris Knoblauch felt just fine knowing his goalie would get them to the finish line.
An oilfield equipment supply company has been ordered to pay $360,000 in connection with the death of a worker more than two years ago.
As the urban centre at the heart of Canada's oilsands industry, Fort McMurray has seen more than its share of ups and downs.
Police have charged a third youth in connection with the death of a teenager in Halifax last week.
A high school in Halifax is dismissing students early Monday due to an alleged threat.
A Bedford, N.S., man has been charged with stunting after the RCMP says he was caught driving more than 138 km/h over the posted speed limit.
The trial of a Winnipeg man accused of killing four women began this morning with a preliminary matter before the jury is called in next week.
The trial for the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg is set to get underway on April 29.
Winnipeg forward Vladislav Namestnikov was hospitalized Sunday after taking a slapshot to the side of the head during the third period of the Jets' 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
Saskatchewan has brought in resources early to prepare for this year's fire season. A drier than normal summer is forecast with eleven fires currently active.
Residential street sweeping in Regina is set to get underway this week with more than 1,000 kilometres of roadway expected to be cleaned over the next six weeks.
Tobacco manufacturers have until Tuesday to ensure every king-size cigarette produced for sale in Canada has a health warning printed directly on it.
Police have arrested a 46-year-old Guelph man after a woman said she found a hidden camera and was hit with a bat several times.
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
Saskatoon’s public school board says that despite “record” funding from the province this year, the ministry’s allocation to the division doesn’t make the grade.
Saskatchewan has brought in resources early to prepare for this year's fire season. A drier than normal summer is forecast with eleven fires currently active.
Workers at group homes run by LutherCare Communities in Saskatoon are escalating their strike action.
A gruesome discovery was made in a remote wooded area of Greater Sudbury on Sunday night, Sudbury police say.
A boycott targeting Loblaw is gaining momentum online, with what could be thousands of shoppers taking their money elsewhere in May.
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
A tentative agreement has been reached between Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA) and Western University.
Police have charged a 20-year-old London man with sexual assault following an alleged incident downtown.
The Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre has officially been unveiled in London, Ont. As announced in November, the $20-million gift was left to the London Health Sciences Foundation from the late Archie and Irene Verspeeten.
An alleged suspect has been identified by police for a car-bombing incident in Barrie last fall.
Police and search and rescue crews in Gravenhurst searched for a man presumed drowned in Lake Muskoka.
A 19-year-old motorcycle driver has died after being struck by a car on Sunday evening. Around 8:30 p.m., police responded to the crash in the southbound lanes of Dougall Avenue near the E.C. Row Expressway.
Sentencing has been delayed for a Windsor denturist convicted of sex offences.
Windsor fire and police are investigating two fires over the weekend.
Dozens of London Drugs stores across Western Canada remained closed Monday following what the company described as a "cybersecurity incident" over the weekend.
A nearly century-old church in one of Vancouver's most desirable neighbourhoods is up for sale.
Sunday's comeback win by the Vancouver Canucks had special meaning for Carol Morin and her family.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
An emaciated dachshund is now recovering thanks to a Good Samaritan who found the pup near a biking trail in Kelowna, according to the BC SPCA.
Search and rescue crews have been called in after a vehicle belonging to a missing senior was located near a rural intersection outside of Kelowna Tuesday.
Three locations, more than 200 vehicles pulled over – Mounties out of a southern Alberta detachment conducted a check stop operation on Friday night.
The Brooks Bandits got down to business Friday, defeating the Okotoks Oilers 8-2.
An Alberta political scientist said the NDP leadership hopefuls remained fairly even following the first of the party’s debates.
Parts of northeastern Ontario are under a freezing rain warning Monday morning as wet conditions continue across the region.
Greater Sudbury marked the Day of Mourning with ceremony at Laurentian University on Sunday to honour lives lost in workplace accidents and occupational illnesses.
St. Joseph’s General Hospital Elliot Lake says it is moving towards “normalcy” by transitioning to a mask-friendly policy.
Tributes continue to pour in for Bob Cole as his family has confirmed a funeral will be held for the legendary broadcaster Friday in St. John's, N.L.
Legendary sportscaster Bob Cole was a Newfoundlander through and through, and his daughter says his connection to the province was 'everything' to him.
Cenovus Energy has been ordered to pay a $2.5-million fine for its role in the largest offshore oil spill ever recorded in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
