mediaINDIGENA

How UN envoy’s visit launched food fight and debate over who speaks for Indigenous north in Canada

Rick Harp — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:26:31 +0000

Nestled deep within the recent brouhaha over the visit to Canadian soil by Olivier De Schutter, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food, is an interesting sub-text: namely, who, in a complicated country like Canada, is in the best position to speak on behalf of Indigenous peoples? Well, as anyone even vaguely familiar [...] . . . → Read More: How UN envoy’s visit launched food fight and debate over who speaks for Indigenous north in Canada

Speaking for the Government? Or the People?

Penny Cadrain — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:06:26 +0000

Canada's Health Minister's protests about UN criticism of how the federal government ensures the right to food for all in Canada ring a discordant note. . . . → Read More: Speaking for the Government? Or the People?

Asinabka Festival: Creating spaces for Aboriginal arts in Ottawa

Guest Contributor — Sat, 12 May 2012 17:53:36 +0000

Amidst the tulips, tourists, and perfectly landscaped government spaces of Ottawa, lives an understated yet growing independent arts scene. Though sometimes hard to spot for those casually passing through, this scene — rife with small galleries, film collectives, indie music shows, and festivals — has helped to transform the side streets of the nation’s capital into [...] . . . → Read More: Asinabka Festival: Creating spaces for Aboriginal arts in Ottawa

Tracking the Cross-Canada Cuts to Aboriginal Affairs

Rick Harp — Sun, 06 May 2012 18:50:35 +0000

Media reports indicate that hundreds of employees with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (née Indian Affairs) have recently received letters telling them that their jobs could be “affected” as part of a larger wave of federal budget cuts seeking to eliminate just over 19,000 public sector jobs by 2015. Based on “figures released by public-sector [...] . . . → Read More: Tracking the Cross-Canada Cuts to Aboriginal Affairs

The Politics of Skin Colour

Guest Contributor — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:07:33 +0000

If only it'd been a colour-blind date, bemoans Dawn Dumont . . . → Read More: The Politics of Skin Colour

No Colonialism Here: An all-too-easy journalists guide to Canada’s aboriginals

Dan David — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:46:38 +0000

So simplistic, you'll finish your articles in no time! . . . → Read More: No Colonialism Here: An all-too-easy journalists guide to Canada’s aboriginals

POLL: Is Johnny Depp’s ‘Tonto’ a salute or slight to native people?

Tim Fontaine — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 01:59:39 +0000

Cast your vote on Depp's modern take on old Hollywood Indian sidekick . . . → Read More: POLL: Is Johnny Depp’s ‘Tonto’ a salute or slight to native people?

Does gritty APTN series ‘Blackstone’ deserve a third season? Viewers weigh in on-line

Rick Harp — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 23:39:52 +0000

TV series makes no apologies for its depictions of dysfunction and corruption in Indian Country . . . → Read More: Does gritty APTN series ‘Blackstone’ deserve a third season? Viewers weigh in on-line

Any illusions of credibility for “sham” Missing Women Inquiry fade as Aboriginal rep resigns

Sarah Hunt — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:52:39 +0000

Tensions reach boiling point over true purpose of Inquiry: to account for lives and deaths of missing and murdered women, or for the (in)actions of police? . . . → Read More: Any illusions of credibility for “sham” Missing Women Inquiry fade as Aboriginal rep resigns

VIDEO: Tom Jackson urges people to ‘make change’ for Attawapiskat

Martha Troian — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:17:14 +0000

Actor & musician Tom Jackson made Attawapiskat the last stop on his 2011 Christmas tour – and he brought a camera crew with him, including Algonquin filmmaker Caroline Monnet. The result is a short documentary about the remote northern Ontario community, which gained international recognition after it was learned that some residents were forced to live [...] . . . → Read More: VIDEO: Tom Jackson urges people to ‘make change’ for Attawapiskat

A History of Violation: Why an Aboriginal grave site robbery is no isolated incident

Sarah Hunt — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 20:55:22 +0000

In Tsartlip, a Coast Salish community near Victoria, BC, a family grieves the loss of a loved one for the second time. Back in 1999, a fatal car accident took the life of then-30 year old Frazer Joe Smith Jr.. Thirteen years later, the family struggles to understand the removal of a totem pole memorializing Smith. [...] . . . → Read More: A History of Violation: Why an Aboriginal grave site robbery is no isolated incident

REVIEW: ‘Runaway Dreams: Poems by Richard Wagamese’

Penny Cadrain — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:28:52 +0000

A review of the first poetry collection by Ojibway author Richard Wagamese. . . . → Read More: REVIEW: ‘Runaway Dreams: Poems by Richard Wagamese’

Sisters in spirit? NWAC hit by division, funding crunch

Martha Troian — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:26:30 +0000

For the past six years, families who have lost a loved one have been brought together from across the country at special, commemorative events by the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC). Known as ‘Family Gatherings,’ they’re an opportunity to honour a missing or murdered Aboriginal female family member, to ‘give voice’ to their story and [...] . . . → Read More: Sisters in spirit? NWAC hit by division, funding crunch

A Leap of Faith: Trust and the Relationship with Government

Penny Cadrain — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:43:52 +0000

Renewing the relationship between First Nations and Ottawa and a discussion on retiring the Indian Act. . . . → Read More: A Leap of Faith: Trust and the Relationship with Government

The Missing and Murdered: A Week of Domestic and International (In)Action

Martha Troian — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:07:05 +0000

A horrific but too often ignored situation in Canada received some very high profile attention this past month. The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) and the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) announced that the United Nations will be conducting an inquiry into the hundreds of murders and disappearances of Aboriginal women and girls [...] . . . → Read More: The Missing and Murdered: A Week of Domestic and International (In)Action

Aboriginal Journalists Assemble!

Rick Harp — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 03:55:57 +0000

Ho-leh, the Canadian media world is getting browner and browner these days. Or so it seems to me. From print to radio to television to the world wide interweb, a new Indigenous face or voice practically emerges every few weeks. To my mind, that is an indisputably good thing for all concerned, not least, for Canadian [...] . . . → Read More: Aboriginal Journalists Assemble!

An Aboriginal Who’s Who of Canadian Politics: Provincial/Territorial Version

Tim Fontaine — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:59:09 +0000

Your guide to Aboriginal politicians in provincial and territorial governments As I’ve pointed out in my previous ‘Who’s Who’ posts, a small but growing number of Aboriginal people have been running for and winning seats in the federal government. Now here’s a quick overview of how many Aboriginal people are already sitting in provincial and territorial [...] . . . → Read More: An Aboriginal Who’s Who of Canadian Politics: Provincial/Territorial Version

UPDATED: An Aboriginal Who’s Who of Canadian Politics

Tim Fontaine — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:01:22 +0000

After a record number of Aboriginal candidates participated in the last federal election, just how browner is Canada’s parliament? As you can see in this updated ‘Who’s Who’ of Aboriginal politicians in Canada’s Parliament, the numbers have risen slightly, but the biggest gains have been within the Conservative ranks. Read on! The House of Commons Made up of [...] . . . → Read More: UPDATED: An Aboriginal Who’s Who of Canadian Politics

Manitowapow: A Preview

Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:41:32 +0000

My family holds reunions at the St. Peter’s church virtually every summer, just north of Selkirk and on the banks of the Red River in southern Manitoba. Growing up, I never knew why we did, nor cared really; the homemade pie was far more of a concern. Last summer, we held races, a candy scramble, and [...] . . . → Read More: Manitowapow: A Preview

How to Apologise

Penny Cadrain — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:53:19 +0000

Truth and Reconciliation apology of another colour from University of Manitoba vice-chancellor. . . . → Read More: How to Apologise