Latest news with #TylerFauvelle
CTV News
29-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Northern College unveils bronze Indigenous statues at all four campuses
In honour of Truth and Reconciliation, Northern College has installed bronze statues of shawl and grass dancers at all four of its campuses. In honour of Truth and Reconciliation, bronze statues depicting a shawl and grass dancers have been installed at each of Northern College's four campuses in northern Ontario The one at the Timmins campus is located near the college's main entrance. One Indigenous student said it makes her reflect on her family and her ancestors. 'I think it started a conversation in the classrooms, definitely amongst the staff, definitely sparked questions about the policies and procedures and overall what student life looks like for Indigenous people,' said Meghan Akiwenzie. 'The dancers themselves represent children because children are timeless,' said Dr. Audrey Penner, president and chief executive officer of Northern College. 'This is not one point in time, it's not today, it's not yesterday, it's not tomorrow, it's all three.' Sudbury sculptor Tyler Fauvelle created the statues and included symbols such as the butterfly and the handprint on the drum, which gives people an opportunity to place their own hand upon it and connect. 'It is an overwhelming response and one that's very hard to describe in words,' aid Christina Kioke, manager of Northern College's Indigenous Services and Initiatives. 'You are just filled with emotion thinking of the children, you know, past, present and future and the opportunities that were either taken away or the opportunities that we could provide for them and it instills you with sadness over the dark history with our county but also one of hope.' The Moosonee campus is the only one that has its statue indoors at floor level, which provides greater accessibility for children. The Inuit drum and Métis sash that's included in each installation ensures all First Nations are represented. 'Being a grandchild of residential school survivors and having attended Northern College as a student and now an employee, a legacy piece like this illustrates the steps northern college is willing take to ensure that the 94 calls to action for Truth and Reconciliation are being followed and implemented and I feel very comfortable here,' said Kioke. Penner said the figures serve as a reminder to stop and think about what it means to be a just and inclusive country -- and to recognize the ways in which institutions once abused their powers.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Northern Ont.-based sculptor unveils bronze monument in Norway honouring WWII hero
Sculptor Tyler Fauvelle, is shown here with his 'Make Waves' monument – a life-sized bronze monument commemorating Canadian war hero Fern Blodgett Sunde - in Farsund, Norway on May 8, 2025. (Supplied/Tyler Fauvelle) Sudbury-based sculptor Tyler Fauvelle unveiled Make Waves, a life-sized bronze monument commemorating Canadian war hero Fern Blodgett Sunde, in Farsund, Norway, on May 8 – the 80th anniversary of VE Day, also celebrated as Liberation Day in Norway. Crowd in Farsund, Norway The crowd in Farsund, Norway, as 'Make Waves' – a life-sized bronze monument commemorating Canadian war hero Fern Blodgett Sunde made by northern Ontario-based sculptor Tyler Fauvelle on May 8. 2025. (Supplied/Tyler Fauvelle) The statue honours Sunde, a trailblazing radio operator who served aboard the Norwegian merchant ship Mosdale during the Battle of the Atlantic in the Second World War. The public ceremony included dignitaries, veterans, and military representatives from Canada, Britain, and Norway. The Farsund monument is a twin to one Fauvelle unveiled in 2020 in Cobourg, Ont., Sunde's hometown. Born in 1918, Sunde dreamed of a maritime career – an unlikely ambition for a young woman at the time. 'Fern made righteous trouble pushing past schools that didn't want to train women as professional wireless radio operators, and then she broke all kinds of barriers to get on that ship in 1941, the most dangerous time of the Battle of the Atlantic,' Fauvelle said in an email to CTV News. The sculpture's name, 'Make Waves,' reflects Sunde's perseverance, the radio waves central to her work, and the wartime social changes for women. Tyler Fauvelle Sculptor Tyler Fauvelle, is shown here with his 'Make Waves' monument – a life-sized bronze monument commemorating Canadian war hero Fern Blodgett Sunde - in Farsund, Norway on May 8, 2025. (Supplied/Tyler Fauvelle) Aboard the Mosdale, Sunde faced seasickness, torpedoes, mined waters, and storms. In 1942, she married the ship's captain, Gerner Sunde, as both risked their lives in the war effort. The couple completed 78 of the Mosdale's record 96 Atlantic crossings, transporting vital supplies. In 1943, Norway's King Haakon VII awarded Sunde the Norway War Medal – an unprecedented honour for a Canadian woman – recognizing her bravery and the bond between Norway and Canada. 'Monuments such as Make Waves are tangible reminders,' Fauvelle said. 'History is always speaking to us. How can we recognize and resist the erosion of our liberties, without the example of those who came before us?' Sunde settled in Farsund after the war and lived there until her death in 1991. Back of Make Waves The back view of Sudbury-based sculptor Tyler Fauvelle's 'Mak Waves' monument in Farsund, Norway, on May 8, 2025. (Supplied/Tyler Fauvelle) The new bronze stands at Fern Sundes Plass, overlooking the Farsund fjord. Its counterpart remains in Cobourg's Victoria Park, commemorating Sunde and all Battle of the Atlantic veterans. Head of Make Waves The head of Sudbury-based sculptor Tyler Fauvelle's 'Make Waves' monument in Farsund, Norway, on May 8, 2025. (Supplied/Tyler Fauvelle) Fauvelle, a professional sculptor since 2008, has created numerous commemorative works across Ontario.
