In his policy paper “Learning from the Nordic Sami Model”, Joseph Quesnel asks whether the current approach to solving the serious problems faced by Canadian Aboriginals is the right one. For the last half-century, courts and governments in this country …
Five Proposals for Three Indigenous Populations
In his paper “Successful Integration Experiences From Around the World”, Joseph Quesnel examines the response of three diverse countries to the economic and social challenges facing their Indigenous populations: Mexico with its Meso-American peoples, the Japanese with the Ainu, and …
Indigenous Communities Are a Perfect Storm for This Kind of Outbreak
The federal government has a mixed record on helping Indigenous communities deal with pandemics and other outbreaks. In the case of COVID-19, Ottawa must ensure it gets it right. For many reasons, Indigenous communities are a perfect storm for this …
Indigenous Governance and Coastal GasLink
Last January, a group of breakaway hereditary chiefs from Wet’suwet’en First Nation in the interior of British Columbia erected a blockade at a remote forestry road in protest of the proposed Coastal Gaslink pipeline to Kitimat, BC. Eventually, the issues …
The Institutionalization and Suicide Crisis Among Indigenous Youth
Statistics Canada’s report on suicide among First Nations people, Métis and Inuit (2011-2016) released June, 2019, found that Indigenous people in Canada die by suicide at a rate three times higher than that for non-Indigenous Canadians. The preamble starts by …
Real Help for Indigenous Youth
Last week there was yet another “round dance” held at Portage and Main, this one was in support of the “hereditary chiefs” of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation blocking authorized construction of a natural gas pipeline in northern British Columbia. In …
Indigenous Path to Prosperity
The saying, “The more things change, the more they stay the same,” should not be applied to First Nations bands. Those that have maintained the same tired model that has failed for decades are still failing. Ones that have adopted …
Indigenous Protestors Start Blocking Roads
The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) is organizing protests to slow down traffic and inconvenience thousands of Manitoban heading to cottage country. Friday saw the first disruption on number one highway to Lake of the Woods. Chief Jerry Daniels explained: “We’re …
Re-direct money from Indigenous affairs departments and into the pockets of status Indians: researcher
An average family of five people who have status cards could be more than $25,000 richer each year if treaty annuity payments were based on today’s land values. Currently, treaty people with status cards get $5 a year based on …