ONLINE FORUM: Centering a Youth Climate Corps on Indigenous Sovereignties in the Places Colonially known as Newfoundland & Labrador
Date: November 4, 2025
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM NT / 6:30 - 8:30 PM AT
Location: via Zoom, please complete this form to receive the link
Background & Context:
After a years-long campaign, the federal government is responding positively to calls for the creation of a Youth Climate Corps (YCC). This would be a national jobs program designed to address the intersecting crises of climate change and record-high youth unemployment. As of June 2025, youth unemployment in Canada stands at 14.2% among those aged 15 to 24.
This proposed federal jobs program would employ thousands of young people (aged 35 and under) in two-year placements focused on climate action and resilience. It aims to create meaningful green jobs, support a Just Transition, and strengthen communities in the face of increasingly severe climate impacts.
The campaign is grounded by Six Principles, including Centering Indigenous Knowledge and Sovereignty.
We are aware of the contradiction inherent in calling on colonial governments to implement a transformative federal jobs program that centers Indigenous Knowledge and Sovereignties.
The purpose of this online forum is to bring community together in advance of this program's creation to explore how it could look to center Indigenous Sovereignties in the places colonially known as Newfoundland and Labrador, which is the unceded territories of diverse Indigenous nations.
The island of Ktaqmkuk (colonially Newfoundland) is the unceded home of the Mi'kmaq. The island is also the unceded home of the Beothuk, whose culture was destroyed by colonial violence and genocide. The land colonially known as Labrador, is the unceded home of the Inuit of Nunatsiavut, the Innu of Nitassinan, and the Inuit of NunatuKavut.
Our discussion will be facilitated by Two Spirit Mi'kmaq Environmentalist Jude Benoit, Co-Founder of the Mixed Coast Collective.
And enriched by two Guides:
Cole Kippenhuck, Discussion Mentor (Crow Kinship Consulting)
Cole Kippenhuck (they/them) is a Two Spirit (multi-spirit) Inuk Labradorian with 24 years experience in the community sector. They are the owner of Crow Kinship Consulting, a life coach, and an advocate for Indigenous, queer, and social justice issues. Cole is passionate about community engagement, trauma healing work, and organizational development. They are a respected Indigenous knowledge holder who holds ceremony, protects land, and walks in a spiritual way.
Randi Sipu Whelan, Youth Mentor (Queer and Trans Resilience Coalition)
Randi Whelan (Mi’kmaq name, Sipu, meaning river)(He/She/They/Nekam) is a 21 year old activist and community organizer, as well as a full time fourth-year student at Memorial University, where they double-major in English and Gender Studies. His areas of interest focus on collective struggle, aiming to examine political injustice through systems of privilege and oppression, and to find solutions that are both intersectional and inclusive. As a queer, Two-Spirit settler-Mi’kmaw living with disabilities, Randi's unique worldview is rooted in Two-Eyed Seeing, social constructivism, and intersectionality.
A follow up Insight Report will be prepared by Researcher, Community Strategist, and Just Energy Transition Advocate, Kassie Drodge (Mixed Coast Collective) and Lea Movelle, Atlantic Organizer for the Youth Climate Corps
All are welcome to join.
We are particularly interested in hearing from Indigenous youth and community leaders.
Please complete the form below to receive the Zoom link.
