I love First Peoples visits MPS

Last fall, I Love First Peoples, a Quebec-based national charity, received widespread attention and support for its shoebox campaign that saw schools, universities, businesses, community groups and celebrities come on board to fill over 10,000 shoeboxes with gifts for students living in remote and semi-remote Indigenous communities. I Love First Peoples is now visiting communities across Canada as part of a National School Celebration Tour to distribute the shoebox gifts. The Tour, which focuses primarily on motivating academic success, provided an opportunity to see the outpouring of support and friendship from fellow students and Canadians through the shoebox campaign. “We strongly believe in the power of connection and celebration,” says Josée Lusignan, president and founder of I Love First Peoples. “As we embark on a tour of 20 communities, we want the students to know that they have much to be proud of and that Canada is eager to listen and to learn.” The visit also featured three-time world champion hoop dancer, Dallas Archand, who shared stories and performed a 13 hoop dance to the delight and cheers of the students. If the name sounds familiar to you, it may be because he performed on the world stage at both the 2010 and 2012 Olympic ceremonies. Shoebox gifts are due to arrive at the school for each student in June.