Elders in Residence

Toronto Public Library hosted the first Elders in Residence, Frances Whiskeychan and Patrick Etherington, in the fall of 2018, from September 24 to December 6, at North York Central Library, Parliament Street Branch, Mount Dennis Branch, Dawes Road Branch and Toronto Reference Library.

In February 2020, Patrick Etherington returned to TPL as a Visiting Elder, hosting one-on-one meetings with members of the public, answering questions, offering teachings, and providing counsel.

About Frances Whiskeychan and Patrick Etherington

Frances Whiskeychan and Patrick Etherington are a husband and wife team that have worked in a variety of Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous organizations. They both provided support to Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence during her hunger strike in Ottawa, undertaken to focus attention on Indigenous Issues and the Idle No More Movement. They are Indian Residential School Survivors and have led Awareness and Healing Walks for Truth and Reconciliation, as well as Iskapowishak Grassroots Treaty Walks to educate and to elevate discussions about Treaty rights.

Elders Frances Whiskeychan and Patrick Etherington will be delivering a variety of programs, meeting with the public one-on-one, providing culturally informed support and guidance, and creating space for Indigenous literacies within Toronto Public Library.