Rose LeMay is Tlingit from the West Coast and the CEO of the Indigenous Reconciliation Group. She writes twice a month about Indigenous inclusion and reconciliation. In Tlingit worldview, the stories are the knowledge system, sometimes told through myth and sometimes contradicting the myths told by others. But always with at least some truth.
Mary Simon changed the world for Indigenous youth who for the first time saw ‘one of us’ take on such a role and succeed. No more airtime on languages. Instead, let’s highlight how this Governor General raised the profile of Indigenous success and contribution, and about mental health. And even though she will be leaving the job, reconciliation continues.
If a similar proportion of women in the city of Ottawa were missing or murdered over the past 20 years—let’s say 700—it would be a crisis. That’s close to the proportion compared to the overall Indigenous population. But Indigenous women?
Liberal Party members deserved a party. Convention speeches are always a bit of hyperbole. But don’t allow your celebration and a majority government get in the way of reconciliation. If you are truly allies for Indigenous Peoples, one of your jobs is to ensure the party demands that accurate history is reflected.
First Nations Elders and chiefs say the Earth is speaking to us, and it seems we have not heard the message. Climate change is already an existential threat to infrastructure, communities, and our sense of safety. Perhaps the federal government might reflect this in its budgets.
Disregard it if the federal government says, ‘No.’ It has never had a legal right over us to say who belongs and who doesn’t.
This is the Catholic Church’s version of the Epstein files. These records must not be destroyed. We must not allow a coverup of such magnitude. The parallels in these attempts to hide history and crimes against children are eery.
Highways 11 and 17 are dangerously outdated and this is a major project begging for support. The infrastructure of the east-west corridor is critical infrastructure. Imagine the support: First Nations, local communities in northern Ontario, ambulance drivers and trucking firms.
The risk of concurrent racism faced by Indigenous peoples in hospitals today is criminal. Regulatory colleges need to fix it immediately.
When former prime minister Jean Chrétien says we have to stop looking back at the problems in Canada instead of looking forward at the potential, his statement smacks of denial instead of a sense of history.
An easy win for the prime minister to show his commitment to Indigenous inclusion is to name an Indigenous individual to be our next Governor General. We have thousands of years of experience in diplomacy and relationship-building, and we need to be part of whatever comes next.
Every time a communication like this comes from our political right, it will be perceived as feeding the Donald Trump machine. It is taking a brick out of our own democracy.
Call me a dreamer, but this winter solstice season I’m practising hope that 2026 is the year Canada recognizes its strength and credibility as a democracy rests on reconciliation.
The Prime Minister’s Office is taking a decidedly corporate approach. Then it should make sure that the essential piece of corporate governance is included by being transparent with the board of directors. In this country, the board is made up of voters.
The Thomas King books are already boxed up to go. I’m left with sadness and anger that pretendians continue to take space and voice and harm us. But that’s what fraud is. I am also left with a renewed thankfulness for authentic authors like Tanya Talaga, Wab Kinew, Robert Joseph and Robin Wall Kimmerer.
In looking to fast-track amendments to Bill S-2, Senators were upholding the rights of First Nations women, and there is nothing racist about that—period.
Five federally operated regional treatment centres are ‘not fit for the purpose,’ and Ivan Zinger argues the Correctional Service of Canada should not even be in the mental health business, but should hand that to the experts. It’s hard to disagree with the logic.
