Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Building Empathy, Addressing Inequity: A Lecture by Tanya Talaga

By Kelly Husack “We were talking two different languages.” These were the words that Tanya Talaga, the award-winning author and journalist, used to describe her interview with the former grand chief, Stan Beardy of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation as she spoke at the second event hosted by the Indigenous Affairs Student Initiative at the Munk School of…

The Sixties Scoop and steps toward reconciliation

The term “Sixties Scoop” has been widely referenced in the media for much of 2017, often in passing and without much discussion of the dark history behind it. This term references Canada’s child welfare policies from the 1960s to the mid-1980s, which supported the forceful removal of Indigenous children from their families, and resulted in…

Why a New Royal Proclamation Needs a New Treaty of Niagara

Caleb Holden The Walter Gordon Symposium is an annual conference co-hosted by the School of Public Policy and Governance and Massey College. In the lead up to the 2016 Walter Gordon Symposium, students, speakers, faculty, and community members are invited to share their reflections on the theme of reconciliation between Canada and its Indigenous Peoples…

What does reconciliation mean to me? A reflection on land, sovereignty, and the role of the courts

Jessica Kras The Walter Gordon Symposium is an annual conference co-hosted by the School of Public Policy and Governance and Massey College. In the lead up to the 2016 Walter Gordon Symposium, students, speakers, faculty, and community members are invited to share their reflections on the theme of reconciliation between Canada and its Indigenous Peoples…

Seen and Heard: SPPG’s First Forum on Aboriginal Policy

Silvia Ciobotaru First Nations hold a unique place in Canadian history. While Aboriginal groups played a key role in the establishment of our country, centuries of discrimination and disenfranchisement have resulted in a number of disturbing realities. In recent decades, issues affecting Aboriginal communities including lack of education and housing, unemployment, substance addiction, and criminalization…

Ottawa Should Be Made to Hand Over Documents to the TRC Concerning Residential Schools

Wyndham Bettencourt-McCarthy The events of the past month have clearly demonstrated that the Harper administration has a lot of explaining to do regarding the state of aboriginal affairs. Yet in addition to issues surrounding Bill C-45, the environment, and treaty rights, the federal government has also thwarted requests from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of…