– Each group analyzes the scenario through the lens of their assigned R: Tasks: – Identify potential challenges. – Propose strategies to embody their R in the scenario. – Consider the outcomes of their approach. 1. Respect Scenario: A multinational corporation plans to develop a hydroelectric dam that will…
1. Respect Scenario: A multinational corporation plans to develop a hydroelectric dam that will affect the waterways of an Indigenous community. The project’s legal team is tasked with consulting the community to seek their consent and discuss potential impacts. Potential Challenges: – Cultural Misunderstandings: The legal team may lack knowledge of the community’s cultural significance…
Objective: These group exercises are designed to engage you with key concepts from the readings, encouraging critical thinking on the distinctions between Indigenous law and Aboriginal law, and how the decolonization of law can be conceptualized and practiced. The exercise will also cultivate reflexivity among the class regarding your roles and responsibilities as future lawyers…
In the wake of the pivotal Supreme Court of Canada decision Restoule v. Canada (2024), a glaring beacon shines on the necessity for meaningful adherence to Indigenous laws—not merely in the form of policies but as integral fibers within organizational structures. This recent judgment mandates the government to remunerate First Nations for historical Treaty breaches, sending an unequivocal message about the significance of upholding treaty obligations (Supreme Court of Canada, 2024).
The guidebook is crafted to delve into the interconnectedness of
systems thinking, Indigenous law, the mandates of the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission (TRC), and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (UNDRIP). Rather than pigeonholing Indigenous peoples as mere
participants in existing structures, the guidebook argues for their recognition as
sovereign rights-holders within the multi-juridical context of Canada. Furthermore,
the guidebook challenges systemic limitations in Eurocentric legal frameworks that
have not yet fully recognized the distinct Indigenous legal systems that apply
universally across the lands currently called Canada, influencing all who inhabit
them.
Within professional settings, individuals with a high Social Dominance Orientation may consciously or unconsciously exhibit behaviors that reinforce their group’s dominance. This can manifest through practices that promote in-group favoritism, exclusive networking circles, or the perpetuation of organizational norms that prioritize the values and working styles of the majority group (Sidanius & Pratto, 1999). These behaviors contribute to maintaining the status quo and can intensify feelings of marginalization among Indigenous professionals.
Academic rigor is traditionally attributed to the methodical pursuit of knowledge within the halls of higher education. However, this recognition often bypasses the intricate systems of rigor that are inherent in Indigenous ontologies. These systems, defined by principles of care, responsibility, and relationality, hold profound standards of intellectual diligence that academia has yet to fully…
Please note that this is a non-exhaustive compilation, subject to periodic enhancements and updates to better serve as a dynamic repository of knowledge. Academic Articles from Indigenous Academics Absolon, Kathleen. (2016). Wholistic and Ethical: Social Inclusion with Indigenous Peoples. Social Inclusion 4(1): 44-56. Kathleen Absolon’s article “Wholistic and Ethical: Social Inclusion with Indigenous…
The ‘right to comfort’ is an unstated privilege often embedded within white consciousness—a belief that comfort, ease, and a seamless existence are almost natural rights that should not be disrupted. This psyche manifests when white people engage with decolonization in ways that do not threaten their standing, power, or material benefits. It becomes evident when hard truths about colonial legacies are met with defensiveness or calls for civility rather than reflection and action (Tuck & Yang, 2012).
Abstract Mobbing in the workplace is a severe form of harassment that can have lasting effects on the victims. For Indigenous women in the academy, these experiences are compounded by intersecting oppressions stemming from their gender, race, ethnicity, culture, and sometimes socioeconomic status. This essay explores the phenomenon of mobbing as experienced by Indigenous female…
Abstract White saviorism is a pervasive and complex phenomenon that has significant implications for Indigenous peoples’ struggles for sovereignty, empowerment, and decolonization. By positioning white individuals as the primary agents of change and saviors of Indigenous communities, white saviorism undermines the efforts toward genuine Indigenization. This blog analyses the detrimental impact of white saviorism on…
ᐱᒫᑕᐣ pimâtan “Living” Citations
The pervasive issue of houselessness among Indigenous peoples in Canada not only reveals the depth of societal divides but also calls for a significant paradigm shift in societal thinking and problem-solving approaches. The growing visibility of ‘tent cities’ and widespread homelessness is a stark indicator of these divisions. To effectively address these challenges, Canadian society must transition from an individualistic mindset to one that embraces Indigenous wholistic perspectives.
The resignation of CN Rail’s Indigenous advisory council, as highlighted in Shari Narine’s report, is more than a corporate failure; it is emblematic of a systemic issue in reconciliation efforts in Canada. This incident underscores a crucial need for a fundamental shift not only in attitudes and acknowledgments but also in concrete policy, mandate, and…
As a Michif legal scholar situated on the ancestral lands of the Métis Nation Homeland Region and Treaty 6 land, I frequently contemplate the inner work required of non-Indigenous peoples to advance substantive reconciliation. Critical self-reflection is essential for settlers to unpack their positionality within ongoing colonial systems and structures that dispossess and disempower Indigenous…
As a Métis legal scholar working and teaching within post-secondary institutions, I contemplate the duty to Indigenize and decolonize the academy through learning, unlearning and relearning. These interconnected processes require disrupting coloniality – the multifaceted power structures that impose Eurocentric knowledge systems and culture as ideal while subalternizing Indigenous epistemes. Coloniality inherently dislocates Indigenous peoples…
Case Study Overview: A new community center is sparking debate in a small town where Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents must share a communal space. The question at hand: Should the center dedicate space exclusively for Indigenous ceremonies and events, or should all cultural activities have equal precedence without special provisions? The committee, representing both populations,…
Sylvia Duckworth’s Wheel of Power/Privilege organizes the various identities of a person on a wheel with the identities that hold the most power in our society placed at the center, and the identities that hold the least power in our society on the outskirts. The wheel is sectioned off into 12 categories, each marked by…
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