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…
In the tapestry of human interactions, the threads of ‘niceness’ and ‘kindness’ are often intertwined, yet distinctly different in their essence and implications. This article endeavours to dissect these concepts, exploring their nuanced differences and the societal perceptions surrounding them. This exploration is particularly poignant in the context of Indigenous cultures, where relationality and community…
The adoption of trauma-informed pedagogies transcends traditional educational methodologies, representing a deep commitment to understanding and addressing both historical and contemporary trauma. This approach is pivotal not just in comprehending its effects on others but also in recognizing and confronting our own professional traumas. Trauma in the Métis Context: A Legacy of Resilience As a…
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…
As the sun sets on the last day of Métis Week (Nov 12-18, 2023), my heart swells from participating in and witnessing the celebrations of our rich heritage, vibrant culture, and enduring governance on this land that was once known as Rupertsland, but is currently called Canada. Every year, during the week of November 16,…
The question of whether decolonization is unconstitutional in Canada prompts a complex examination of legal, historical, and political dimensions within the Canadian constitutional framework. Decolonization, broadly speaking, is the process by which colonies achieve independence from colonial powers. It encompasses efforts to redress the injustices and imbalances of power rooted in historical colonial processes. In…
‘Beaded Elder: Tears of Colonial Devastation’, 2023 curated by Andrea Menard Abstract The Confluence of Medicine Wheel Systems Theory and General Systems Theory This paper employs an interdisciplinary approach by amalgamating Medicine Wheel Systems Theory (MWST), rooted in Indigenous cosmologies, with general systems theory, originating from Western scientific traditions. MWST adopts a wholistically-oriented, cyclical perspective…
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