On October 23rd, 2020, Immigration Minister announced that the Liberal government will soon introduce a bill to alter the Oath of Citizenship making it “more inclusive,” and the minister says that “this bill will serve as “one more vital bill …
COVID-19 Impact On Indigenous Business
The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on the already fragile Indigenous economy, making the Indigenous economic recovery that much more important. Gaming – including Indigenous-owned casinos – plays a significant role in Indigenous economies, especially in the Western provinces. …
CBC Indigenous Unit and Journalism
Years ago, I was given a great opportunity to be the lead reporter and do the editing work for a national Indigenous newspaper based in Winnipeg. It was called the Drum/First Perspective newspaper and it covered Indigenous news in Manitoba …
Indigenous Communities need to be Partners in Canada’s COVID-19 Recovery Plan
It’s easy to forget that at the beginning of the year, Canada was right in the middle of another crisis triggered by a series of protests over a natural gas pipeline being built through northern B.C. The issue of Indigenous …
Canada’s Indigenous Garden of Eden
There’s a television series called First Contact that’s put out by the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, and recently broadcast by TV Ontario. The series takes a few people who have had little or no contact with Indigenous people on a …
Indigenous Response to COVID-19: Canada v. US
Canadians watching the United States are sadly seeing what the COVID-19 pandemic is doing to Native American communities, knowing what it could have done to Indigenous peoples here. The infection rates for many Native American communities is much higher than …
Indigenous Entrepreneurial Response to COVID-19
A Winnipeg area Indigenous entrepreneur might hold the key to Indigenous peoples controlling their own response to the COVID-19 pandemic. His experience also underscores why it is so important to unshackle the Indigenous business community and entrepreneurial sector from restrictions …
No Government Should be Excluding Indigenous Voices – Especially Elected Ones
In dealing with the Indigenous governance issue that is at the heart of the Wet’suwet’en dispute, Ottawa must not show favouritism to one side or faction, and must ensure that all parts of Wet’suwet’en society are represented as the community …
Indigenous Commitment to Democracy is Under Threat
The Indigenous commitment to democracy is at stake in the controversy surrounding the recent memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the Wet’suwet’en, British Columbia and Canada. A majority of the elected Wet’suwet’en chiefs were incensed about the agreement, insisting the …