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Vizina, Yvonne. B.Ed., M.Ed., PhD.

Yvonne Vizina is the first Indigenous student to graduate with a PhD from the University of Saskatchewan’s School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS). Her doctoral dissertation is entitled Indigenous Knowledges and Sustainability in Post-Secondary Education.

Yvonne Vizina is a Métis woman from Saskatchewan with roots in the historic Métis communities of Manitoba. She is the great-great granddaughter of William Halcro [1] and Margaret Monkman, a family that sheltered Louis Riel during the 1885 Resistance. After the fighting ended at Batoche, Margaret Halcro of the Halcro Settlement hid Louis Riel in her root cellar until he surrendered to Middleton’s scouts. In thanks, he gave her a presentation Métis sash. This sash is now held by the Manitoba Métis Federation and can be seen in the St. Boniface Museum.

Yvonne graduated from the Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program in Prince Albert and holds a University of Saskatchewan B. Ed. with Great Distinction. Yvonne double majored in Native Studies and Biology and has a love for both Western and Indigenous sciences. She taught adult learners in Prince Albert and middle years and high school at Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation, then went to work with her community at the Métis National Council for several years.

In 2004, she returned to Saskatoon from Ottawa where she had been the Director of Environment for the Métis National Council. She completed a Master of Education Degree on the subject of Métis Traditional Environmental Knowledge. Yvonne worked as Researcher/Coordinator, Environment and Natural Resources, Métis Nation—Saskatchewan. Yvonne was previously the Associate Director of the Aboriginal Education Research Centre at the University of Saskatchewan. She is currently teaching at the Faculty of Education, University of Winnipeg.

[1] Her father, Dale Vizina’s maternal grandparents were Roderick Geordie Halcro (b. 1890) and Edith Fraser. Geordie was the son of William Halcro born December 9, 1854 at the Red River Settlement and Margaret Monkman born 1855 at St. Andrew’s Red River. Dale Vizina’s paternal grandparents were William Visnaugh dit Vizina and Marguerite Jane Fidler (b. 1878). Marguerite was the daughter of Peter Fidler born 1824 at St. John’s Red River and Theresa Swain born 1845 at Pembina. Marguerite’s cousin Alexandre Fidler (b. 1835) fought in the 1885 Resistance as a member of Captain Baptiste Vandal Sr’s Company.

Written by Lawrence Barkwell

Coordinator of Métis Heritage and History Research

Louis Riel Institute