Understanding Indigeneity transcends national and regional contexts, and 91亚色 has launched the International Indigenous Student Exchange Program to provide opportunities for dialogue and collaboration between Indigenous students at 91亚色 and their peers in Australia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico and the Philippines.

The event will feature many participants who will share their stories and engage meaningfully with the participants in an effort to expand their understandings about global Indigeneity. The Knowledge Fair is a two-day virtual showcase, where students will share culminating projects and reflections covering a range of topics, including Indigenous knowledges, cultures and histories, healing trauma through art, gender, disrupting colonial spaces and re-Indigenization movements.

Live interpretation for the event will be available in English and Spanish.

Register today at the following link: .

To learn more about the program, visit the program .

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More than 700 faculty, staff and students attended 91亚色鈥檚 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation virtual panel, 鈥淩eflections on Truth and Reconciliation,鈥� which took place Sept. 30.

Faculty of Education Professor Carl James, senior advisor on equity and representation and the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora, served as the panel moderator, which was presented by 91亚色 President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton and Vice-President of Equity, People & Culture Sheila Cote-Meek.

In her opening remarks Lenton spoke about the importance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in understanding and acknowledging Canada鈥檚 colonial practices, which had a devastating impact on Indigenous Peoples. She said that it was essential for universities across Canada to reflect on their role as part of a colonial system of education and their responsibility to advance Indigenous scholarship, knowledge mobilization and action that will help move the country towards reconciliation.

Cote-Meek, who is Anishinaabe from the Teme-Augama Anishnabai, spoke about her own experience with the intergenerational trauma that was the result of Canada鈥檚 Residential School System. 鈥淭his is an important day to Indigenous Peoples as well as all Canadians, settlers and visitors to this land,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hile this day marks an important step towards reconciliation, it is also a stark reminder to Indigenous Peoples of the many children who were forcibly removed from our communities and the resulting violence and trauma experienced in the Indian Residential School System.

鈥淭his past summer has been particularly difficult as unmarked graves of hundreds of children were located on various sites of residential schools across this country. Based on death records, more than 4,100 children died at residential schools,鈥� she said, noting that the true total is anticipated to be much higher.

Cote-Meek鈥檚 own grandfather was forced to attend the St. Peter Claver School for Boys in Spanish, Ontario. 鈥淗e survived but never spoke of his experiences there and it wasn鈥檛 until years after his death that I learned of his attendance. When I did, it answered so many unanswered questions for me that I did not understand about my own family.

鈥淚t is important that non-Indigenous people in Canada confront this history and understand the systems from which they benefit and begin to understand how we are all in relation to one another and the land. So today, we honour the victims, those who did not return home and we honour the survivors, including those who are descendants of survivors. We acknowledge your strength and resilience.鈥�

After Cote-Meek鈥檚 remarks,聽Zoey Roy, an Indigenous artist, spoken word poet and a PhD student in the Faculty of Education, presented an original spoken word poem before a two-minute period of silence prior to the start of the panel.

Participating in the panel were: Associate Vice-President Indigenous Initiatives and Faculty of Education Professor Susan Dion; Provost and Vice-President Academic Lisa Philipps; Sean Hillier, Indigenous Council Co-Chair and assistant professor and 91亚色 Research Chair in Indigenous Health & One Health; Osgoode Hall Law School Dean Mary Condon; Randy Pitawanakwat, manager, Indigenous Student Services; and Stephen Teong, interim president, Glendon College Student Union.

Each panellist was asked to answer one of five questions: How/where do you see reconciliation in action? What have you learned from the conversations happening and/or not happening about reconciliation? What actions have you taken or want to take in service of reconciliation? How do you understand your responsibility to participate in accomplishing reconciliation? Reflecting on your position within the 91亚色 community, what do you hope a focus on reconciliation will accomplish?

Dion was the first to respond to the question: What have you learned from the conversations happening and/or not happening about reconciliation?

A Lenape and Potawatomi scholar with mixed Irish and French ancestry, Dion said that while she was encouraged by the interest in truth and reconciliation, she has persistent concerns. 鈥淲hat do Canadians her when we speak? I know that conversations are difficult. They require a rethinking of the story we tell ourselves about what it means to be Canadian. I find that the desire to make the conversations all about you and the feelings for us 鈥� feeling sorry for us or feeling bad for Indigenous Peoples and how much you want to help us, but I have to say that sometimes these conversations can be very frustrating and tiresome, even exasperating,鈥� she said.

In contrast, Dion said that her mother, who had been denied access to her language and cultural practices because of the intergenerational impact of her parents鈥� time in residential school, provided Dion and her siblings with what they needed to do the work of gathering, sharing and initiating conversations about being Indigenous. These conversations, said Dion, have focused on recuperating knowledge, participating in and learning from each other and the land. Important conversations, she said because they are about recognizing knowledge and story, cultural practice and ceremony.

鈥淥n this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, conversations about the impacts of residential schools have to happen. They have to happen respectfully and with purpose to learn how we are all implicated and how we are all responsible to ourselves and each other, and to all creation. We have to invest time and energy in learning from the stories,鈥� she said.

鈥淲hat Indigenous Peoples need are conversations that start with a turning toward and a willingness to accept responsibility to learn from Indigenous Peoples鈥� experiences and perspectives,鈥� Dion added.

Philipps, who in addition to being provost and vice-president academic at 91亚色, is a legal scholar and professor of law. She was asked to consider the question: How do you understand your responsibility to participate in accomplishing reconciliation?

鈥淢y responsibility is to continue my own personal education and learn about Indigenous histories in Canada. My own personal education began for me as a law professor at Osgoode and my own field of scholarship and teaching, which is tax law and policy,鈥� Philipps said. 鈥淎nd, about how there is a specific and interesting space carved out for First Nations and for those defined as qualifying under the Indian Act for particular types of tax treatment; the way that was expressed in case law and by judges hearing cases about that tax treatment; the kinds of assumptions and stereotypes and ideas about why that existed and what it meant.鈥�

Philipps probed deeper into what she was seeing and began to read and research the inequities. She then brought those observations into her courses, in rather tentative ways at first, she said, and then more robustly as her knowledge increased. She attended the Anishinaabe Law Camp that Osgoode Hall Law School initiated and learned from Indigenous Elders and scholars. 鈥淲hat I took away from that was understanding more deeply that Indigenous communities have their own legal orders. Historically and currently, those legal orders are very much rooted in the land,鈥� said Philipps.

She continues to pursue and deepen her knowledge through reading and conversations, listening and continuing education and brings that growing knowledge into her role as provost and vice-president academic. She is continuing to expand the numbers of Indigenous faculty at 91亚色 and is exploring how she can embed an infrastructure to support current Indigenous faculty and embed Indigenous perspectives and knowledge into the curriculum.

Hillier was the next panellist to respond. As Co-Chair of the Indigenous Council at 91亚色, he was asked to consider the question: What have you learned from the conversations happening and/or not happening about reconciliation?

A queer Mi鈥檏maw scholar from the Qalipu First Nation, Hillier began with a story about his grandparents. 鈥淢y grandparents never spoke of the erasure of their culture through dominant groups and violence and being ostracized, but the impacts remain. Deeply.鈥� he said.

鈥淚 appreciate the provost鈥檚 comments around learning because this process that we are now in is not a truth-finding process, but instead it is a learning process of coming to understand and coming to terms with the truths. So, what is reconciliation? For me, reconciliation is critical to our foundation of being able to move forward as a country. Reconciliation is complex, it is multifaceted, and it is continuous and can be contentious,鈥� said Hillier.

At its core, Hillier said, reconciliation is about learning, healing and coming together. It is about honouring the treaties that settlers entered with Indigenous Peoples. 鈥淲e must acknowledge and respect Indigenous rights and titles across this country. Reconciliation is also about learning about Indigenous history.

鈥淚t means recognizing the intergenerational impacts of colonization, attempts at assimilation and the cultural genocide taking place and it means recognizing the critical roles that Indigenous Peoples have held in the creating of this country,鈥� said Hillier. 鈥淩econciliation is supporting the reclamation of identity, language, of culture and nationhood. I did not start my speech today with my own language because it is something that I do not have.

鈥淲hen I talk to my students about the paths we are on, the journeys that we are on, I talk about a two-pronged journey. A journey of learning and a journey of healing. We all have a part in this, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, we must engage in this journey together.鈥�

As the Dean of Osgoode Hall Law School, Condon was asked the question: What actions have you taken or want to take in service of reconciliation?

She began by saying that for legal educators and scholars, there is a strong awareness of the role that Canadian settler law and legal systems have played historically in facilitating colonial structures. 鈥淲hether that is facilitating particular types of treaty relationships and constitutional relationships between settlers and Indigenous Peoples, or the way in which settler law has facilitated the oppression that resulted in the residential school system and maintaining of those oppressive structures,鈥� said Condon.

She observed that the comments and 94 recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission focused on law schools as being necessary to the journey toward reconciliation, including re-teaching how Canadian law has facilitated the oppression of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, creating a cohort of lawyers who can properly and respectfully serve Indigenous clients, and exploring how law schools can make space for the conversations and the study of Indigenous law.

鈥淚 think that it is fair to say that all law schools in Canada have taken up that response and that invitation from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to reflect on the role that legal education should play in the journey towards reconciliation,鈥� said Condon.

She said Osgoode has hired four Indigenous scholars and faculty members into the school. The law school introduced an Indigenous law requirement to its JD degree and last June, the first cohort of students who have completed this requirement graduated and have a greater degree of knowledge of Indigenous perspectives on law. She is hoping to engage the law school alumni in conversations about truth and reconciliation. Condon spoke with pride about the Indigenous law camp for first year students and a law camp for upper year students. She said the law camps provide students and faculty with an opportunity to learn about communities, laws and legal orders from Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and Elders.

As manager of Indigenous Student Services on campus, Pitawanakwat, an Anishinabe with the Anishinabek Nation, is from the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island. He said that he was proud to be participating in the panel. He spoke about the impact of residential schools on his family, specifically his father and grandfather who attended the St. Joseph Residential School in Spanish, Ontario. 鈥淭his was never spoken about to the children, it was a topic that no one discussed,鈥� he said, noting, 鈥渢he education system participated in the lack of education about Indigenous Peoples, so now the education system must now become a full participant in the reconciliation efforts.

鈥淲e need to accomplish an awareness of the past wrongs and right these wrongs. We need to accomplish a desire to join in building a new relationship. Reflecting on my current position within the 91亚色 community, my hope is that we focus on establishing learning opportunities for staff and students,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here is so much to learn about Indigenous Peoples and these learning opportunities can include both in-person and online learning, including in the form of training sessions that can be made available as professional development for staff and employees. We need to build the capacity for learning and have resources available. There is a lot of work to do throughout the entire institution and we need to come together and establish a coordinated effort and set a plan, rather than the current piecemeal format.鈥�

The learning process will be difficult, said Pitawanakwat, but necessary. 鈥淲e must all work together on this, reconciliation is everyone鈥檚 responsibility.鈥�

The last to respond in the panel, Teong brought a student perspective to the question: What actions have you taken or want to take in the service of reconciliation?

Teong responded that he felt lost and overwhelmed in trying to ascertain where to start his own journey. 鈥淎s a student leader, a Canadian and the son of immigrants, my parents came to this land to build a better life. 鈥淎s I reflect on reconciliation, I remind myself that impact begins with one person. I want to work in the service of reconciliation. Whether it be working with campus partners and Indigenous Student Services to learn what they do and how to incorporate their vision into our own [Glendon Student Government], I commit myself and the team to working with the Indigenous councils and student groups.鈥�

Personally, he said that he was engaging with the Canadian Language Museum on the Glendon Campus and encouraged those viewing the panel to visit and study the museum鈥檚 free exhibit. He is pursuing his own learning through reading about the Residential School System and the intergenerational harm caused to Indigenous Peoples. He is also taking courses to learn more about the experiences of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. 鈥淎s we talk about actions, it starts with learning and with difficult conversations. One person taking the first step forward and inspiring others to do the same, and it is in this spirit that we can make things better.鈥�

In her closing remarks, Cote-Meek said that the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation represented an important milestone, and the panel was important for 91亚色.

鈥淎s you reflect on the great injustices of the Residential School System in Canada, I want to remind you that colonization remains ongoing for Indigenous Peoples. I will leave you with the stark realities that Indigenous children and families continue to face today,鈥� said Cote-Meek. 鈥淭here are three times more First Nations children in the current child welfare system than there were at the height of the residential schools. First Nations children are six to eight times more likely to go into child welfare care than non-Indigenous children. This over-representation is largely caused by a number of factors beyond the control of individual families and parents, some of which include poverty, poor housing, under-funded education, and in many cases the lack of access to safe drinking water,鈥� said Cote-Meek. 鈥淭here are a number of other reports that are available online that I would ask you to explore. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Report remains out there and little action has been taken. A new report on the gender-diverse and non-binary community speaks to the high rates of violence directed not only to women but to that community as well.

鈥淎ll of the speakers have provided us with deeper insights into what reflecting on reconciliation in action can be. There is no doubt that it will be a long journey. I leave you with this question: What will you personally commit to going forward?鈥�

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Toronto is the traditional territory of the Wendat, Anishnaabeg and Haudenosaunee Confederacies. It is also one of the most culturally diverse cities on Earth. There is a web of historical treaties that were negotiated on these lands 鈥� agreements that hold continued relevance and possibility for the present.

Polishing the Chain: Treaty Relations in Toronto聽is a fall and winter conversation series that will bring together Indigenous and allied scholars, knowledge holders, artists, Earth workers and activists who will explore the historical significance and contemporary relevance of the treaties Indigenous nations in southern Ontario have made with each other, with the land and with the Crown. It will explore: the spirit and intent of Toronto treaties; the ways Indigenous Peoples have upheld and continue to uphold them; the extent to which they are (and are not) reflected in contemporary Indigenous and state relations; and the treaty responsibilities of both settler and Indigenous Torontonians.

The series鈥� inaugural talk, 鈥淭he Symbolic Language of Wampum Diplomacy,鈥� will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 28, just prior to Canada鈥檚 first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30. The event, co-presented with the Toronto Biennial of Art, will feature Anishinaabe historian and 91亚色 Assistant Professor Alan Corbiere, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous History of North America; Tuscarora writer, historian and curator Rick Hill; and interdisciplinary Kanienkehaka artist Ange Loft.

The series will continue with 鈥淭aking Care of the Dish: Treaties, Indigenous Law and Environmental Justice鈥� on Oct. 26; 鈥淭reaty Relations, Planning and Indigenous Consultation at the City of Toronto鈥� on Nov. 23; 鈥淭he Forgotten Promise of the Treaty of Niagara鈥� on Jan. 31; 鈥淭he Toronto 鈥楶urchase鈥� 鈥� on Feb. 14; and 鈥淲e are all Treaty People鈥� on March 14.

All Fall 2021 seminars will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. via Zoom and live-streamed on the . To register, visit .

This year鈥檚 EUC Seminar Series is co-presented by 91亚色鈥檚 new , the Indigenous Environmental Justice Project, and the Jumblies Theatre and Arts Talking Treaties project. For more information about the seminar series, email polishingthechain@gmail.com.

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Dear colleagues and students, 

As many of you may be aware, Sept. 30 has been declared by the federal government to be the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to learn about and reflect upon the intergenerational trauma and harm resulting from the residential school system across Canada, a day to honour survivors, and a day to recognize the strength and resiliency of Indigenous Peoples and communities. 

As we are still dealing with the restrictions related to the pandemic, and as the University will remain open, we will be hosting a virtual event for our community members, where we will come together to pause, reflect and learn. This event will focus on reconciliation, which is critical to the University鈥檚 ongoing relationship with the Indigenous community, and a variety of panellists from across the 91亚色 community have been invited to speak about what reconciliation in action means to them.  

Date: Thursday, Sept. 30

Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Zoom Webinar:  

Link to Livestream:   

We hope that you will be able to join us on Sept. 30 for this important event. If you are unable to attend, we ask that you take time to explore resources or attend one of the other events taking place across the University. Details and resources are available on 91亚色鈥檚 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation website.

Thank you. Merci. Miigwech. 

Sincerely,

Rhonda L. Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor 

Sheila Cote-Meek 
Vice-President, Equity, People & Culture 

Invitation 脿 un 茅v茅nement de l鈥橴niversit茅 脿 l鈥檕ccasion de la Journ茅e nationale de la v茅rit茅 et de la r茅conciliation

Chers coll猫gues, ch猫res coll猫gues, chers 茅tudiants, ch猫res 茅tudiantes, 

Comme vous le savez peut-锚tre d茅j脿, le gouvernement f茅d茅ral a d茅clar茅 que le 30 septembre serait d茅sormais la Journ茅e nationale de la v茅rit茅 et de la r茅conciliation. Cette journ茅e est une occasion de s鈥檌nformer et de se pencher sur les traumatismes et pr茅judices interg茅n茅rationnels qui r茅sultent du syst猫me des pensionnats autochtones au Canada. C鈥檈st aussi une journ茅e pour honorer les survivants et pour reconna卯tre la force et la r茅silience des peuples et des communaut茅s autochtones. 

脡tant donn茅 que les restrictions li茅es 脿 la pand茅mie demeurent en vigueur et que l鈥橴niversit茅 sera ouverte ce jour-l脿, nous organiserons un 茅v茅nement virtuel pour les membres de notre communaut茅 et nous nous r茅unirons pour faire une pause, r茅fl茅chir et apprendre. Cet 茅v茅nement sera ax茅 sur la r茅conciliation, un 茅l茅ment essentiel de la relation continue entre l鈥橴niversit茅 et la communaut茅 autochtone. Plusieurs pan茅listes de la communaut茅 de 91亚色 parleront de leur vision de la r茅conciliation.  

Date : Jeudi 30 septembre 2021

Heure : 11 h 脿 13 h

Webinaire Zoom : 

Lien pour la diffusion en direct :  

Nous esp茅rons que vous pourrez vous joindre 脿 nous le 30 septembre pour cet 茅v茅nement important. Si vous ne pouvez pas y assister, nous vous demandons de prendre le temps d鈥檈xplorer les ressources propos茅es ou de participer 脿 l鈥檜n des autres 茅v茅nements organis茅s par l鈥橴niversit茅. Vous trouverez tous les d茅tails et ressources sur le site Web de 91亚色 consacr茅 脿 la Journ茅e nationale de la v茅rit茅 et de la r茅conciliation. 

Merci. Thank you. Miigwech. 

Sinc猫res salutations, 

Rhonda Lenton 
Pr茅sidente et vice-chanceli猫re 

Sheila Cote-Meek 
Vice-pr茅sidente de l鈥櫭﹒uit茅, des personnes et de la culture 

The post Invitation to University event on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation appeared first on Research & Innovation.

The Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages (CIKL) is led by inaugural Director聽, an associate professor at 91亚色 and the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice at Osgoode Hall Law School. The new ORU will host Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers and students engaged in these areas of scholarship, and aims to facilitate knowledge production and dissemination that re-centres Indigenous knowledges, languages, practices and ways of being. Moreover, CIKL will support research involving both traditional and contemporary knowledges, as care-taken, shared and created by Indigenous scholars at the University and from Indigenous knowledge holders in the community.

Cross-appointed between Osgoode Hall Law School and the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, McGregor is Anishinaabe from Whitefish River First Nation, Birch Island, Ont. She has an extensive research background focusing on Indigenous knowledge systems and their applications in water and environmental governance, environmental and climate justice, and sustainable self-determined futures.

McGregor notes that 鈥渢he Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages offers a generative space within and beyond 91亚色 to advance Indigenous scholarship, research theories, methodologies and practices that supports a keen understanding of the goals and aspirations of Indigenous Peoples. CIKL will foster collaborations and partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and others that create ethical space for dialogue on how research relationships can be envisioned, negotiated, practised in support of Indigenous futurities. Creating this ethical space in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and our colleagues across the University also creates opportunities for critical dialogue, reflection and change to take place in addressing some of the world鈥檚 most pressing challenges.鈥�

Joining McGregor as a research leader is 91亚色 笔谤辞蹿别蝉蝉辞谤听, who will become CIKL鈥檚 associate director. Hillier has recently been appointed a 91亚色 Research Chair in Indigenous Health Policy & One Health. He is a queer Mi鈥檏maw scholar from the Qalipu First Nation, and an assistant professor at the School of Health Policy & Management. His collaborative research program spans themes of aging, living with HIV and other infectious diseases, and antimicrobial resistance, all with a focus on policy affecting health-care access for Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

鈥淗aving dedicated Indigenous research resources and space, as offered by the new CIKL, which is run by and for Indigenous Peoples on campus, is a critical first step,鈥� says Hillier. 鈥淭his centre will assist 91亚色 in becoming a research-intensive institution and serves the principals of the Indigenous Framework and University Academic Plan.鈥�

Amir Asif, 91亚色鈥檚 vice-president of research and innovation, says, 鈥淭he establishment of CIKL creates a vital space for Indigenous researchers and all those engaged in decolonizing scholarship at 91亚色 and beyond. The centre will play an important role in invigorating and disseminating groundbreaking, Indigenous-centred research taking place at and beyond 91亚色.鈥�

Stayed tuned for upcoming events and initiatives at CIKL.

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Dear colleagues,

We are excited to share some important updates on the work of the President鈥檚 Advisory Council on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and to explain how 91亚色 community members can support our efforts to make 91亚色 a more diverse, inclusive and equitable place for all. 

Chaired by Sheila Cote-Meek, vice-president equity, people and culture, the council was formed in November 2020 with the task of providing advice and counsel on building an institutional EDI strategy for the University. 

Over the past several months, the council has solidified its mandate and structure, and undertaken an environmental scan of the best and most promising EDI practices in post-secondary institutions, including a comprehensive scan of existing practices at 91亚色. Several sub-committees have also been formed to explore the experiences of community members as they relate to EDI through an intersectional lens. These sub-committees are currently drafting strategic recommendations based on existing data and knowledge for consideration by the council, and a draft University-wide equity, diversity, and inclusion strategy will be shared for consultation and feedback from 91亚色 community members before the end of the calendar year. 91亚色 community members will also have further opportunities to provide feedback on the strategy before it is released. 

Share your ideas with the council

As part of the work to develop the EDI strategy, the council would like to understand what your priorities are as they relate to equity, diversity and inclusion at 91亚色. Community members who are interested in sharing their thoughts and ideas can submit their answers to the following question by Oct. 1:

Insights Speaker Series

Last year, the council launched Insights: A Speaker Series on EDI to help inform and inspire community members and encourage open dialogue and critical thinking about EDI issues, strategies and planning. The first two virtual events in the series were held in Winter 2021, with hundreds in attendance.

The council will be hosting the first Insights event of this academic year 鈥� a virtual panel discussion about the intersection of disability and the arts 鈥� on Tuesday, Sept. 28, and all community members are welcome to attend. Details about the event and registration are available on the Insights website.

We want to thank everyone in the community for their continued efforts to support EDI initiatives across our campuses and in our broader communities. We look forward to continuing to work together to cultivate a diverse campus culture that is equitable and inclusive of all.

Sincerely,  

Rhonda Lenton  
President and Vice-Chancellor

Sheila Cote-Meek 
Vice-President Equity, People and Culture

Mise 脿 jour sur les travaux du Conseil consultatif de la pr茅sidente sur l鈥櫭﹒uit茅, la diversit茅 et l鈥檌nclusion

Chers coll猫gues,

Nous sommes ravies de partager d鈥檌mportantes mises 脿 jour sur les travaux du Conseil consultatif de la pr茅sidente sur l鈥櫭﹒uit茅, la diversit茅 et l鈥檌nclusion (EDI) et d鈥檈xpliquer comment les membres de la communaut茅 de 91亚色 peuvent appuyer nos efforts pour faire de l鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色 un lieu plus diversifi茅, inclusif et 茅quitable pour tous.  

Pr茅sid茅 par Sheila Cote-Meek, vice-pr茅sidente de l鈥櫭﹒uit茅, des personnes et de la culture, le Conseil a 茅t茅 form茅 en novembre 2020. Il a pour mission de fournir des avis et des conseils sur l鈥櫭﹍aboration d鈥檜ne strat茅gie institutionnelle d鈥橢DI pour l鈥橴niversit茅.

Au cours des derniers mois, le Conseil a solidifi茅 son mandat et sa structure et a entrepris une analyse environnementale des pratiques d鈥橢DI les plus prometteuses dans les 茅tablissements postsecondaires, qui comprend une 茅tude compl猫te des pratiques actuelles de 91亚色. Plusieurs sous-comit茅s ont 茅galement 茅t茅 form茅s pour explorer les exp茅riences des membres de la communaut茅 en mati猫re d鈥橢DI dans une optique intersectionnelle. Ces sous-comit茅s r茅digent actuellement des recommandations strat茅giques bas茅es sur les donn茅es et les connaissances existantes 脿 des fins d鈥檈xamen par le Conseil. Un projet de strat茅gie d鈥櫭﹒uit茅, de diversit茅 et d鈥檌nclusion 脿 l鈥櫭ヽhelle de l鈥檜niversit茅 sera communiqu茅 aux membres de la communaut茅 de 91亚色 脿 des fins de consultation et de r茅troaction avant la fin de l鈥檃nn茅e civile. Les membres auront 茅galement d鈥檃utres occasions de fournir des commentaires sur la strat茅gie avant sa diffusion. 

Partagez vos id茅es avec le Conseil

Dans le cadre des travaux d鈥櫭﹍aboration de la strat茅gie d鈥橢DI, le Conseil aimerait conna卯tre vos priorit茅s en mati猫re d鈥櫭﹒uit茅, de diversit茅 et d鈥檌nclusion 脿 91亚色. Les membres de la communaut茅 qui le souhaitent peuvent soumettre leurs r茅ponses 脿 la question suivante avant le 1er octobre 2021 :

S茅rie de conf茅rences sur l鈥橢DI

L鈥檃nn茅e derni猫re, le Conseil a lanc茅 Insights : A Speaker Series on EDI pour informer et inspirer les membres de la communaut茅 et encourager un dialogue ouvert et une r茅flexion critique sur les questions, les strat茅gies et la planification en mati猫re d鈥橢DI. Les deux premiers 茅v茅nements virtuels de la s茅rie ont eu lieu 脿 l鈥檋iver 2021 et ont attir茅 des centaines de participants.

Le Conseil organisera le premier 茅v茅nement Insights de l鈥檃nn茅e universitaire : cette table ronde virtuelle portera sur l鈥檌ntersection du handicap et des arts. Elle aura lieu le mardi 28 septembre et tous les membres de la communaut茅 sont invit茅s 脿 y participer. Vous trouverez les d茅tails de l鈥櫭﹙茅nement et les modalit茅s d鈥檌nscription sur le site Web Insights.

Nous tenons 脿 remercier tous les membres de la communaut茅 pour leurs efforts constants envers les initiatives d鈥橢DI sur nos campus et dans nos communaut茅s 茅largies. Nous avons h芒te de poursuivre notre collaboration afin de cr茅er une culture de campus diversifi茅e, 茅quitable et inclusive pour tous.

Sinc猫res salutations,  

Rhonda Lenton 
Pr茅sidente et vice-chanceli猫re 

Sheila Cote-Meek 
Vice-pr茅sidente de l鈥櫭﹒uit茅, des personnes et de la culture 

The post An update on the work of the President鈥檚 Advisory Council on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion appeared first on Research & Innovation.

鈥淓urocentric norms dictate proper appearance,鈥� said Sedgewick, who is M茅tis. 鈥淔ashion is resistance.鈥�

Sedgewick鈥檚 thoughts about the statements fashion can make were only one of the explorations of Indigenous cultures, languages, spiritualities, and histories that came to life online April 7 as students from Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, and the Philippines presented their final projects for the International Indigenous Student Exchange Program. This eight-week virtual pilot program brought together 16 Indigenous students from various countries and communities to learn about their commonalities and differences.

The program, funded by a grant from the Canada Outbound Student Mobility Innovation Fund and 91亚色 International, was created by a team at 91亚色 in partnership with four other universities: Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico, Universidad de San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador, the University of Costa Rica, and the University of the Philippines. Students attended weekly online talks and lectures together and also worked in groups to investigate topics of interest to them in more depth.

At the April 7 event,聽Randy Pitawanakwat, manager, Indigenous student services at 91亚色鈥檚 Centre for Aboriginal Student Services (CASS), offered an opening prayer, followed by welcomes from聽Lisa Phillips, provost and vice-president academic, and聽Lily Cho, associate dean of global and community engagement for 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. Then, it was on to student presentations, moderated by 笔谤辞蹿别蝉蝉辞谤听Carolyn Podruchny, the course director, and聽Breanna Berry, Indigenous Recruitment Officer with CASS, and program facilitator.

Students 脕ngel Solis (Tsotsil), Caleb Wesley (Cree) and Felipe Ba帽ez (Boruca) talked about how technology can help to keep Indigenous languages alive by making resources available online. These websites and social media sites become preservation resources, as well as empowerment tools.

鈥淲ith social media we are able to collaborate and share resources and content,鈥� said Wesley.

For their project, Quenses Quela (Ibaloi), Christina Da Costa (First Nations) and Amy House (Inuk and Mi鈥檏maw) created , a comprehensive timeline of the dispossessions of land Indigenous peoples have faced at the hands of Canadian and Filipino governments between 1900 and 2020.

鈥淟and displacement directly caused by colonialism is an ongoing process and an issue for Indigenous people worldwide,鈥� said House.

She and her peers cited numerous incidents including the High Artic relocation of thousands of Inuit鈥� in 1953 and 1955, which 鈥渨as portrayed as humanitarian by the government but actually extended their borders of control.鈥�

Da Costa also pointed to the hundreds of boil water advisories that are still in place on reserves across Canada, despite the federal government鈥檚 promise to make them unnecessary by 2020.

鈥淢any people on reserves live in Third World conditions due to greed,鈥� she said.

Focusing on Indigenous languages, Samay Ainaguano Baltazar (Quichwa-Chibuleo), Aleria Mckay (Haudenosaunee and Teme Augama Anishnabai) and Rosalyn Gonz谩lez (Boruca) each interviewed speakers of their own Indigenous languages 鈥� Kichwa, Anishinaabemowin, and Boruca 鈥� to research language revitalization.

鈥淢any of us are working hard to learn was has been lost,鈥� Mckay said.

Professor Gabrielle Fletcher of Deakin University in Australia noted that often, efforts to rescue languages are community driven. 鈥淟anguage reclamation is a political act and one of preservation, not only of language but of world views and cultures,鈥� Fletcher said.

Elizabeth Best&苍产蝉辫;(惭茅迟颈蝉),&苍产蝉辫;Sara Fuentes (Quichwa-Otavalo) and Jennifer Sedgewick (M茅tis) joined together to create an e-zine called Disrupting the Colonization of Everyday Life that offered tales of personal struggle and individual and community resistance in the face of colonialism, whether subtle or overt.

In the publication, complementing Sedgewick鈥檚 efforts to 鈥渄ecolonize her closet,鈥� Best displayed her beadwork, created by traditional techniques, and focused on everyday acts of resistance to colonialism.

鈥淢y existence and my art are my resistance,鈥� Best said. 鈥淩esistance is finding ways to serve my community and finding happiness to replace my trauma and hurt.鈥�

Fuentes told the story of women in her community, including her grandmother, who bodily resisted efforts to divert the community鈥檚 water source. Their resistance manifested their three main values: 鈥渨ith one collective hand, one heart and one mindset.鈥�

鈥淚 admire all of the bravery and vulnerability you bring to this project,鈥� Berry told the team. 鈥淥ur existence and our continuation of practices unique to our Indigenous nations are our resistance, resilience and resurgence.鈥�

The final group of students examined whether there was a place for spirituality in Western academy. Jandrea Rose Oddoc (Kalinga), Jen Bolton (Anishinaabe) and Emma Litschko (Mi鈥檏maq) expressed concern that often Indigenous spirituality is reduced to spectacle, rather than taken seriously or seen as intellectual.

鈥淎cademics separate themselves from their work, but as Indigenous people, we are mentally, emotionally and spiritually involved in our work,鈥� Litschko noted.

Drawing on Indigenous stories, the team noted, keeps them grounded, focused on their goal and provides the moral values that guide them through academia.鈥�

The program was meaningful to the faculty and staff involved, as well as the students.

Professor Michael Hill of Universidad de San Francisco de Quito, said, "Indigenous communities and knowledges are certainly often localized, but there are scarce opportunities in the academy to also transnationalize and globalize Indigeneity in ways that allow Indigenous students themselves to share their perspectives across local, national, or regional boundaries. This program, however, disrupted that pattern and provided all of us, and especially the students, with a safe space in which we could come to know one another better and appreciate both the shared challenges facing Indigenous peoples as well as unique Indigenous histories.鈥�

Professor Leah Abayao from the University of the Philippines, said, "For me, the program provided explorations and critical reflections on Indigeneity.  The workshops and the Knowledge Fair elevated discussions into discoveries of deep Indigenous spiritualities and the desire to change the conventional restrictive platforms into enabling spaces where one can think and act with respect and cultural empathy, and allow students to build resilience in becoming Indigenous intellectuals".

Podruchny, the course director, said 鈥淚 feel lucky to be involved and humbled by the students.鈥� Given the success of the program, she added that the group is planning to offer the program this fall, with the addition of Deakin University in Australia to the mix. They are also exploring opportunities for in-person connections once the pandemic related travel restrictions are lifted.

In closing, Vinitha Gengatharan, executive director of 91亚色 International shared how grateful she is for the trust, generosity and commitment of the students and faculty who took part in the pilot initiative. 鈥淲e need to continue to co-create more spaces for reflection, healing, empowerment, and connections to place and community and continually be willing to challenge the power dynamics, our curriculum and structures. We are committed to continuing the work and to expand this pilot initiative,鈥� said Gengatharan.

By Elaine Smith, special contributing writer, 91亚色 International

Courtesy of YFile.

The post Indigenous students shine online in virtual pilot program appeared first on Research & Innovation.

91亚色 has an enduring commitment to the pursuit of knowledge that comes from many differing perspectives and ways of knowing. Indigenous leadership is vital in this. In the coming years, Indigenous leadership in 91亚色鈥檚 research will create a unique space to support contributions to Indigenous knowledges within and beyond the academy.

Enter Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Professor Carolyn Podruchny, an academic in the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies and an expert in Indigenous and French relations and M茅tis history.

Three years ago (2018), she won a Partnership Development Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Her project, 鈥淎andse: Anishinaabe Ways of Knowing and the Transformation of University-based Knowledge Creation and Transfer,鈥� has come to fruition.

Podruchny sits down with 'Brainstorm' to discuss.

Q: This project was highly collaborative and interdisciplinary. Who were your partners and how did co-creation work?

A: This was the brainchild of the late Lewis Debassige, an Elder from M鈥機higeeng First Nations. I had been visiting the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation (OCF), and he was an Elder there. When I first visited, he said, 鈥淲hy don鈥檛 you bring some students?鈥� So, that started an annual visit with students.

Then Lewis suggested, 鈥淲hy don鈥檛 you make this more formal, bring more students, come and stay for a while, and we will set up a program.鈥� He also emphasized that Anishinaabe knowledge needs to start entering the university.

My initial partner was the OCF. Then we expanded to include the Wikwemikong Heritage Organization, and another group, co-founded by one of my former PhD students, called Active History.

The program was an expansion of the History of Indigenous Peoples Network, which is a research cluster at the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies. The Robarts Centre has been incredibly supportive. They were the first believers in our project. They provided us with valuable administrative support and space; they created the loveliest welcoming environment.

More broadly, 91亚色 has been nothing but supportive as well 鈥� the Provost, VPRI, LA&PS, the Libraries, etc.

Q: What were the project鈥檚 objectives?

A: The objectives were to create the context for sharing and learning, both in Anishinaabe spaces and in university spaces, and to bring university people to Anishinaabe spaces and Anishinaabe people to university spaces.

Q: Please describe the project, its themes and audiences.

A: Our big feature event is an annual summer institute called Manitoulin Island Summer Historical Institute (MISHI). In 2017, we focused on the theme of land. In 2018, the theme was clans or Doodemag. The focus of the third was women鈥檚 leadership.

We鈥檝e had students, faculty members, librarians, university administrators, as well as Anishinaabe people from different parts of Canada and the United States. And people from Manitoulin Island wanted to participate as well. For example, the former Chief of Wiikwemkoong, Peggy Pitawanakwat, who is coordinator, First Peoples, at Seneca College.

Q: Who were the instructors, speakers and supporters?

A: The main instructors at the institute have been Lewis Debassige and Alan Corbiere (History Department at 91亚色). Deborah McGregor (Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice, in both the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change and Osgoode Hall Law School at 91亚色) has also been an essential contributor.

We鈥檝e had Elders some in to speak, including Rita Corbiere from Wikwemikong and Marion McGregor from White Fish River.

Q: What are some activities?

A: Our summer schools are a blend of lectures and tours 鈥� learning in place but also different learning activities. We focused on learning by doing and storytelling.

In terms of activities, we鈥檝e done bannock-making, medicine gathering, clay-making and ceramic work, birch bark and willow work to create baskets, and porcupine quill and beading workshops.

We鈥檝e also done language learning, developing vocabulary lists and creating spaces where students can speak Anishinaabe and learn useful, everyday phrases. We brought in specialists in Anishinaabe history from different places.

Q: Art has always been a key part of this.

A: Yes. We have attracted artists in this project. One of our co-applicants, artist Anong Beam, former director of the OCF and daughter of well-known artist Carl Beam, insisted from the beginning that we should always have artists at our summer institute. So, we invited Michael Belmore, Nico Williams, Alan Corbiere, Steven George, Deborah McGregor and others. Art has always been the big focus.

Q: Part of this project involved a literature review. What did you glean from this? How have universities, 91亚色 in particular, been handling decolonializing?

A: Universities have been colonizing institutions. They objectified Indigenous people and shut Indigenous people out of the process through structural inequalities.

The way to decolonize the university is to bring Indigenous people to the university and have them change the structures to suit Indigenous epistemologies and pedagogies.

91亚色 has been doing fairly well, but it needs to keep hiring Indigenous people. I have one great success story: my former PhD student Alan Corbiere, mentioned earlier. He was hired by the History Department a year ago in a tenure-track position.

Also, 91亚色 has supported the Center for Aboriginal Students Services for recruiting and supporting Indigenous students.

Furthermore, I believe this project has allowed 91亚色 in its journey to decolonize by bringing in curricular activities and creating new forms of classes. Some students in Indigenous studies earned their experiential education course by attending MISHI, for example.

To learn more about Podruchny, visit her . It is noteworthy that she plans to publish a scholarly article describing the kinds of Anishinaabe pedagogies gathered through this process.

To learn more about Research & Innovation at 91亚色, follow us at ; watch our new , which profiles current research strengths and areas of opportunity, such as Artificial Intelligence and Indigenous futurities; and see the snapshot infographic, a glimpse of the year鈥檚 successes.

By Megan Mueller, senior manager, Research Communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, 91亚色, muellerm@yorku.ca

The post Study on Anishinaabe ways of knowing could transform universities鈥� knowledge creation appeared first on Research & Innovation.

91亚色 has an enduring commitment to the pursuit of knowledge that comes from differing perspectives and ways of knowing. Indigenous knowledges are integral to this. And an expansive guide for those undertaking Indigenous research will help to facilitate these aspirations. The new interactive web-based research tool will be available this summer.

鈥淲e have learned from members of the Indigenous Council that when engaging with Indigenous communities, values like humility, respect and truth become front and center,鈥� says Innovation 91亚色鈥檚 Manager of Knowledge Mobilization Michael Johnny, who co-created this new resource with the Indigenous Council.

鈥淭his is a major initiative for the University. It reflects and exemplifies the goals of the Indigenous Council 鈥� to help nurture an environment where we all have a stronger sense of connection, inclusion and wellbeing,鈥� said Professor Sean Hillier, Chair of the Indigenous Council. Hillier, a Mi鈥檏maw scholar from the Qalipu First Nation, is also a special advisor to the dean of health on Indigenous resurgence.

鈥淚t is important that, in developing and producing this new resource, the Indigenous Council was fully engaged,鈥� says Vice-President Equity, People and Culture Sheila Cote-Meek. 鈥淭his new resource echoes broader initiatives within the postsecondary educational system in Canada, including the Principles on Indigenous Education developed by Universities Canada in 2015,鈥� she adds. Cote-Meek is Anishinaabe from the Teme-Augama Anishnabai.

Professor of Indigenous Studies Bonita Lawrence, a Mi鈥檏maw scholar who focuses on non-status and urban communities, said of this new resource: 鈥淭his will enable non-Indigenous scholars to learn how to respond to the needs of Indigenous communities 鈥� to conduct research with Indigenous people, rather than about them.鈥�

鈥淚 echo Sheila鈥檚 point: Engaging with the Indigenous Council was essential. We are all working together in supporting Indigenous-formed and -led research, scholarship and related creative activity. We are creating a unique space to support contributions to Indigenous knowledges within and beyond the academy,鈥� says Vice-President Research & Innovation (VPRI), Amir Asif.

David Phipps, assistant vice-president Research Strategy & Impact, and Innovation 91亚色鈥檚 Michael Johnny, manager, Knowledge Mobilization, both in VPRI, sat down with Brainstorm to discuss this new resource.

Q: What spurred you to undertake this project?

DP: The Indigenous Framework at 91亚色, released in October 2017, had 10 recommendations. One was about Indigenous research, but the word 鈥渟taff鈥� didn鈥檛 appear 鈥� it was all faculty and students, and while that鈥檚 not wrong, there was opportunity to find ways for non-academic staff to contribute to the goals of the Indigenous Framework. Being a staff person, I took that to the Associate Vice President of Research, Celia Haig-Brown, a non-Indigenous researcher of Indigeneity, and said: 鈥淚 want to support it and I think there鈥檚 work the staff can do. What can we do?鈥�

We spoke to Special Advisor to the President on Indigeneity Ruth Koleszar-Green, then Chair of the Indigenous Council, and created five workshops, by staff for staff, called 鈥淒ecolonizing Research Administration.鈥� These were designed to lead research admin staff through an understanding of colonization and decolonization, and ultimately to get staff to reflect on their roles.

Within the workshops, we were able to fund Sean Hillier (School of Health Policy and Management), Chair of the Indigenous Council, to undertake research on the barriers to authentic participation of Indigenous researchers in research at 91亚色.

Working with Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers and students, Sean produced a report with eight recommendations. The fifth recommendation was that the Office of Research Services needs to be the 鈥済o-to place鈥� for non-Indigenous researchers seeking to engage with Indigenous communities.

Q: Who is/are the audience/users?

MJ: 91亚色 faculty, grad students and post docs, especially those who are not Indigenous and looking for respectful and meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities.

DP: Also, faculty-based research officers, communications personnel and the Organized Research Units (ORUs).

MJ: This speaks to the research ecosystem at 91亚色. For all the offices and individuals who provide service and support, we want to create some baseline awareness and help them to do their jobs better.

Q: Please describe the three parts.

MJ: The first is the primer. What is the history of academic research engagement with Indigenous communities? In some cases, it鈥檚 poor and very traumatic. I think it鈥檚 important that researchers understand the history.

Also, when engaging with Indigenous communities, values like humility, respect and truth become front and centre. It鈥檚 important for researchers to understand that, especially around their own assumptions that they are caring about the communities with which they want to engage. There are also important cultural considerations.

The second part is a resource list 鈥� an annotated bibliography that support some of the processes. The resource list is going to be a living document where we continue to add new and emerging resources come to our attention.

DP: The resource list came through the work Michael did over the summer of 2020. He did an environmental scan of up to 20 universities in Canada, looking at how they presented their supports for Indigenous research, identifying strengths and weaknesses of these approaches to inform 91亚色鈥檚 approach.

Q: And the third component?

MJ: The tool itself. What we鈥檙e looking to do is take the best of what we know and make it available for our researchers to give them the greatest chance for success with engagement, with Indigenous partners and with the research itself.

There are specific actionable steps for users to consider. There鈥檚 dynamic knowledge mobilization involvement. Tightly aligned to that is impact planning. Our office, as a Knowledge Mobilization Unit, will be available for our researchers as they work through this resource.

DP: To sum up, the primer has interactive elements guiding the user through different stages of preparation for engagement with an Indigenous community. The resource list is the readings, and the tool brings it all together.

Q: When will this be available?

DP: Summer, 2021. It is drafted and has received input from the Indigenous Council and review by some other Canadian university Indigenous research offices. The next step is to engage a designer to turn it into an interactive, web-based offering.

Q: How is this an example of 91亚色 U as a driving force for positive change?

DP: In the academy, we need to acknowledge that research has left, and is leaving, a legacy of colonization, of trauma and of appropriation. We need to correct that.

There are two ways that we hope this guide will drive positive change: One is on the conduct of research at 91亚色. How can we have a positive impact on the conduct of research? By supporting authentic collaboration with Indigenous communities, not recapitulating the trauma and colonization of past and current research experiences.

Secondly, we hope this work will not only drive positive change on campus, but also off campus by co-creating new research evidence that can be used to create positive change for Indigenous communities.

For more on the Office of the Vice-President Equity, People and Culture, visit the website. To read about The Indigenous Framework for 91亚色 (2017), see a YFile story about it. To learn more about the Strategic Research Plan, visit the VPRI website.

To learn more about Research & Innovation at 91亚色, follow us at ; watch our new , which profiles current research strengths and areas of opportunity, such as Artificial Intelligence and Indigenous futurities; and see the snapshot infographic, a glimpse of the year鈥檚 successes.

By Megan Mueller, senior manager, Research Communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, 91亚色, muellerm@yorku.ca

The post Coming this summer: New resource for those wanting to conduct Indigenous research appeared first on Research & Innovation.

In the coming years, Indigenous leadership in 91亚色鈥檚 collaborative, socially engaged research will create a unique space to support contributions to Indigenous knowledges within and beyond the academy.

In articulating this research opportunity, 91亚色 affirms a commitment to respectful, relevant, Indigenous-formed and -led research, scholarship and related creative activity. This research promises positive and critically needed change to policy, practice, community and cultural life and ultimately, relationships among us all.

Deborah McGregor

One way to create this space is through publications that help to shape the research discussion and add to our understanding of this vital area of study. Two professors at Osgoode Hall Law School have done precisely that.

Karen Drake

笔谤辞蹿别蝉蝉辞谤听Deborah McGregor, also in the Faculty of Environmental Studies, has edited a collection with Jean-Paul Restoule (University of Victoria) and Rochelle Johnston (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto):聽Indigenous Research: Theories, Practices, and Relationships聽(Canadian Scholars鈥� Press, 2018).

笔谤辞蹿别蝉蝉辞谤听Karen Drake聽has edited a new book with Brenda Gunn (University of Manitoba):聽Renewing Relationships: Indigenous Peoples and Canada聽(Wiyasiwewin Mikiwahp Native Law Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 2019).

McGregor shines a light on how Indigenous approaches to research are carried out in practice

McGregor, who is Anishinaabe from Whitefish River First Nation, Birch Island, Ontario, is a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice. Her research program seeks to develop a distinctive environmental justice framework based on Indigenous knowledge systems and the lived experience of Indigenous peoples. Her work provides a much deeper understanding of environmental injustices facing Indigenous peoples, and even more importantly, leads to viable approaches to addressing such challenges.

Deborah McGregor鈥檚 new book, Indigenous Research. Image reproduced with permission of the publisher.

McGregor鈥檚 new collection,聽Indigenous Research,聽makes a unique contribution to the literature because it moves beyond asking what Indigenous research is, and examines how Indigenous approaches to research are carried out in practice.

Contributors to this 17-chapter volume share their personal experiences of conducting research within an academic setting in collaboration with their communities and with guidance from Elders and other traditional knowledge keepers.

Topics include healing and transformative learning through Indigenous methodologies, conducting community-based research in First Nation Communities, storytelling in narrative inquiry, and research within relations of violence.

鈥淭hese stories are linked to current discussions and debates, and their unique journeys reflect the diversity of Indigenous languages, knowledges and approaches to inquiry,鈥� says McGregor.

Drake considers renewing relationships between Indigenous peoples and the Canadian state

Drake is a citizen of the M茅tis Nation of Ontario whose research interests include Canadian law as it affects Indigenous peoples, Anishinaabe law, M茅tis law, property law and dispute resolution. Her work addresses the relationship between liberalism and Aboriginal rights, and the role of Aboriginal rights and legal education in promoting reconciliation. She previously served as a commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, on the Board of Directors of the Indigenous Bar Association, and on the Thunder Bay M茅tis Council.

Karen Drake鈥檚 new book, Renewing Relationships. Image reproduced with permission of the publisher.

Her recent publication,聽Renewing Relationships,聽consists of a series of compelling essays by Indigenous legal academics about revitalizing relationships between Canada and Indigenous people.聽Importantly, it reflects the many differing viewpoints from across the nation. 鈥淪ome Indigenous nations might embrace principles of reconciliation, while聽others reject聽the concept of reconciliation and advocate for聽resistance or decolonization,鈥� Drake explains.

This book, which features contributions by McGregor, Professor Signa Daum Shanks and doctoral student Robert Clifford, builds on existing literature about Indigenous-Crown relationships that addresses issues such as the inclusion of Indigenous laws, self-determination and the role of the constitution.

The chapters pose vital questions, such as:

• What is the role of Indigenous law in renewing the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canada?
• What does the聽United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples聽contribute to an understanding of a renewed relationship?
• What shifts must occur within Canadian institutions to move away from the current colonial relationship?

To learn more about McGregor, visit her聽. To learn more about her new book, visit聽. To learn more about Drake, visit her聽. To learn more about her new collection, visit聽.

To learn more about Research & Innovation at 91亚色, follow us at聽; watch our new聽, which profiles current research strengths and areas of opportunity, such as Artificial Intelligence and Indigenous futurities; and see the聽,聽a glimpse of the year鈥檚 successes.

By Megan Mueller, senior manager, Research Communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, 91亚色,聽muellerm@yorku.ca

The post Books illustrate thought leadership in Indigenous-formed and -led research appeared first on Research & Innovation.