FNHmagazine Fall/Winter 2014

Dr. Cindy Blackstock, Advocate for

Aboriginal Children

Author Lee Maracle, 2014 Premier’s

Award Recipient

Making us Proud

In Memoriam: Beloved Student

Cynthia Bird 1963-2014

Indigenous Education at First Nations

House

magazinefirst nations house • university of toronto • fall/winter 2014

elcome to the 11th issue of FNH Magazine. In the first issue, in 2008, my opening remarks highlighted the

need for our communications to “grow up.” Our newsletter at the time, The Eagle’s Cry, fulfilled its purpose; how-ever we needed an advanced approach to speak about educational issues that impact the Indigenous community. This led to the creation of FNH Magazine. Our goal was basic, but direct. We wanted to illus-trate how Indigenous people – whether they were scholars, students, staff or alumni – were making positive contributions to the university and their own communities. This direction has never wavered.

Six years later, we are still growing and building upon all the great work that has taken place in the past 10 issues. We have made some changes in terms of the look and format, but the magazine will continue to share the stories of those who are involved in education. You will learn about their journeys, struggles and accomplishments.

This issue also has a special significance: it is dedicated to Cynthia Bird, a lovely and distinc-tive student who had a very positive influence on the lives of those in our community. Sadly, Cynthia passed away earlier in the year. She will be greatly missed, but she will not be forgotten. In her memory, there is a new section titled “Graduate Together,” a saying she often used

to encourage other students. She is the subject of the first one.I wish to acknowledge and thank those who were instrumental

in building the magazine to where it is today. Moving forward, I am very excited about where we are going tomorrow.

First Nations House Magazine Volume 2 • Issue 1

Fall/Winter 2014

AN ELDER’S STORY Andrew Wesley

A BRIGHT FUTURE New Grad Samantha Martin-Bird

PRESIDENT’S AWARD REcIPIENT Jaris Swidrovich

INDIGENOUS EDUcATION WEEK One of FNH’s main events

STO:LO WORD WARRIOR Lee Maracle

DEcONSTRUcTING DEcOLONIZATION Leanne Simpson

MAKING A DIFFERENcE Dr. Cindy Blackstock

LIFELONG LEARNING ADVOcATE Steven Koptie

ABORIGINAL LAW PROGRAM U of T Law sets a new standard

INDIGENOUS WRITERS’ GATHERING The largest gathering of its kind in Canada

GRADUATE TOGETHER Tribute to Cynthia Bird

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A New start (Kind of) by joNAthAN hAmIltoN-DIAbo

Fnh logo beadwork created by lindy kinoshameg. Lindy is a fourth-year student in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Physical Health & Education, and a graduate/coordinator of the university’s Summer Mentorship Program for high school students of Indigenous and African ancestry.

advisory council Lee Maracle, Susan Blight

director Jonathan Hamilton-Diabo

editor Anita Christoff

design Fresh Art & Design Inc.

cover PhotograPhy Jayson Gallup

“ All great beginnings start in the dark, when the moon greets you to a new day at midnight.” – shannon l. Alder

contributors Susan Blight, Anita Christoff, Daniel Heath Justice, Ruth Koleszar-Green, Lee Maracle, Christine Smith-McFarlane, Audrey Rochette

PhotograPhers Columpa Bobb, Jayson Gallup, Nadya Kwandibens, Ethan Horst Mitchell, Brent Wesley

Printer Colour Innovations

Published by First Nations House, University of Toronto, 563 Spadina Avenue, Toronto ON M5S 2J7.

To request your copy of fnh Magazine, or if you are interested in writing for us, contact us at: [email protected].

on the cover Dr. Cindy Blackstock in the Native Child & Family Services of Toronto’s Healing Garden. We thank NCFST Executive Director Kenn Richard for hosting this photo session.

on the back cover Bird Song: artwork appears courtesy of Métis artist Christi Belcourt, www.christibelcourt.com.

elder-in-ResidenceAndrew Wesley by AuDRey Rochette

irst Nations House Elder Andrew Wesley is an Omash-kago Cree who has spent many years studying the sacred tradi-

tional teachings of the Omushkaowuk. Andrew also has a Master’s in

Divinity from the University of Toronto and is an ordained Anglican Minister. He is available to speak with privately at First Nations House on Thursdays or by appointment.

A father of three and grandfather of one, Andrew is fluent in both Omushkego and English. He says he prefers to read the Bible in Omush-kego, because he feels that “the words belong to him” and that this brings him closer to the Divine and enhances his spiritual experience, allowing him to help others.

Andrew grew up in the James Bay area, following his family’s trap line, or “neeheeheshi,” as they called it, through many different First Nations communities during hunting season. This lifestyle gave Andrew exposure to a wide variety of First Nations cultures and practices, and he was taught traditional values and survival skills from an early age. Before he was seven, he knew how to skin a moose, snare a rabbit, and pluck a goose. He says the community Elders taught the Creation Story and the Grandfather Teachings. Visions and dreams were shared with the Elders, whose knowledge and insight would shape and guide younger people toward healthy decisions. This upbringing was essential to Andrew’s identity, and his heart has always remained with traditional ways.

One warm summer day in August, right before a hunt, Andrew’s life changed. He was told he had to go to a residential school. His recollec-tion of that day is spotty. The morning memory was vivid – the time of day, the boat ride, his arrival. Everything after that was dim. Over the next 11 years, Andrew was transferred to three different Anglican and Catholic resi-dential schools in the Moose Factory area, with his final stop St. Anne’s resi-dential school in Fort Albany. He says he has both painful and positive memo-ries from these years. Some of the skills he values from residential school are woodworking, farming, carpentry, and the beginnings of an education. He also learned how to build a log house.

Andrew has worked as an education counsellor, a community consultant for the Government of Ontario, a commu-nity development officer, and a human

resources officer for the Human Rights Commission. In these various capacities, Andrew was able to use his traditional knowledge to help others even though this was not the focus of his job. He says he has always believed that traditional teachings enable a person to become strong spiritually. Eventually, Andrew worked in an executive director position addressing First Nations health care needs. During this time, he was able to focus on traditional healing methods.

Now, at First Nations House, he offers traditional James Bay Cree teachings throughout the academic year in addition to counselling students. Come and say hi to him; he is there for you!

visit us online @ ISSUU.cOM/FNHMAGAZINE

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FIRST NATIONS HOUSE MAGAzINE 3

A bright FutureSamantha Martin-Bird by ANItA chRIstoFF

he future is looking bright for Samantha Martin-Bird, 21, who graduated from the University of Toronto in June 2014 with

an Honours BA (with Distinction) in Aboriginal Studies and Diaspora & Transnational Studies.

Samantha, whose father is from the Peguis First Nation and whose mother is of German/Swiss ancestry, chose her majors because she is really interested in people, and wanted to study different cultures. “So many people I know are from other places, and I wanted to learn about their history as well as my own. Sometimes Aboriginal people are regarded as minorities, but we’re not – our situation is unique.”

Fresh out of high school in a small town when she arrived at the University of Toronto, Samantha was a bit nervous about moving to a big city. It was her first time on her own. But she found First Nations House a “home away from home” and FNH librarian Jackie Esqui-maux-Hamlin “a mom away from home.”

“I loved being able to go to First Nations House whenever I needed to use the computers, hang out, attend events – and I especially loved chatting with Jackie. She helped me so much with research for my essays, provided spiritual guidance and support, and was just a great encouragement over the years.”

She also found a good church community. “It’s called Every Nation GTA, and it’s a multicultural non-denominational church that meets on campus and really values diversity in a church setting, which is very important to me.”

As well, she got involved with the Native Students’ Association, which “promotes Aboriginal social, political and cultural involve-ment at the University of Toronto,” and with an on-campus student club, “Power to Change,” a “multicultural group of Christian stu-dents who like to engage other university students in conversations

regarding matters of faith.” Her involve-ment in these groups led to interesting volunteer experiences. In May and June of 2013, she spent six weeks in Uganda at Makerere University, dialoguing with Ugandan students about faith and religion. In July and August of 2010 and 2011, she volunteered at Day Star Camp for First Nations children on Manitoulin Island and also completed a seven-week leader-ship course for running future day camps. And in the spring of 2010, she was in Ecuador, volunteering in orphanages.

Samantha’s faith has always been very important to her. She says it’s what’s helped her maintain peace through the challenges in her life, particularly her parents’ divorce when she was nine, her mother’s remarriage three years later, and then her stepfather’s drinking. (He has been sober for seven years now, and Samantha believes this is an answer to prayer. He told Samantha he was fine with her mentioning this in her story.)

At university, Samantha was happy to be able to combine her love for her Christian faith and her Aboriginal ancestry in her studies. In one DTS404 essay, she examined how current Bible translations into Aboriginal languages “no longer serve a colonial agenda, but function to improve both the life of the target language and the spiritual lives of

the language speakers.” In it, she asserts that “present-day Bible translations into Indigenous languages serve as a means of revital-izing Aboriginal languages and enriching the spiritual lives of both Christian and non-Christian individuals. One reason is that the more texts that are available in Aboriginal languages, the richer and more useful and supported it is.”

As of January 2015, Samantha will be at First Nations University in Regina, working on her B. Ed. Her plan is to teach in a First Nations setting either on- or off-reserve.

She found FNH a “home away from home” and FNH librarian Jackie Esquimaux-Hamlin “a mom away from home.”

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President’s Award RecipientJaris Swidrovich by chRIstINe smIth-mcFARlANe

aris Swidrovich graduated from the University of Toronto in June 2013 as the first Aboriginal Doctor of Pharmacy in Canada, and as the recipient of the 2012-2013 Presi-dent’s Award for Outstanding Native Student of the Year

in the Graduate Student Category. He is now back in his home town of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

as Clinical Coordinator of Pharmaceutical Services, with a clinical practice in Adult Internal Medicine at St. Paul’s Hospital.

A member of the Yellow Quill First Nation (a Saulteaux First Nation), Jaris says that pursuing higher education was a huge step for him. He had to leave behind his family and friends in Saskatoon, and he had never been away from them for two weeks before that.

“Also, the academic portion of my learning journey was demanding and even felt like too much at times, but I always persevered and got through it. And the very high cost of tuition alone, not to mention living expenses without an income, was a huge challenge and burden to me. I will be paying this off for quite some time.

“I believe that my journey can give inspiration to other youth because prior to my education I was not confident in myself, and felt like there were too many things that I could not or would not be able to do. However, with much hard work, determination, the support of my family and friends both near and far, as well as keeping myself physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally healthy – I got through it, just as I know anyone else can.

“Education has helped me grow both personally and profession-ally. I have a greater understanding of the world around me as well as a greater understanding of myself. The most obvious way my education has helped me is to allow me to achieve a rewarding career. I love my job and would not be able to work as a pharmacist without having completed that formal education.”

While Jaris believes that education is critically important, he knows that not all learning has to take place in the classroom. “Many of our Elders did not have the opportunity to obtain

university degrees, but they are forever wise, and I hope to one day possess that quality too.”

Jaris has many more goals he wants to achieve. They include one day owning his own inter-professional chronic disease management clinic, or at least working at one. He is a strong believer in inter-professional, comprehensive and holistic health care.

“I currently work in acute care (a hospital) but what I would love even more is to work in an outpatient setting where I can establish

and maintain relationships with my patients. I also want to continue to be a role model for other Aboriginal youth and continue to be actively involved in my community through volunteer work and other professional activities. This means keeping all dimensions of myself healthy, staying motivated, and always being optimistic. These things have helped me succeed in my studies and career – and hope-fully will continue to take me places!”

Jaris had this encouragement for other Aboriginal students: “Never lose sight of your goals. If you think you can’t, you won’t. If you think you can, you will. Stay healthy, stay positive and never forget to smile.”

“ Many Elders may not have university degrees, but they are forever wise, and I hope to one day possess that quality too.”

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he 2014 Indigenous Education Week was held from February 24th to 28th at the University of Toronto. Invited speakers were Maori scholar Dr. Linda Tuhi-wai Smith, writer Dr. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Belizean social anthropologist Dr. Filiberto Penados, traditional teacher and author Lee Maracle, Elder

Andrew Wesley, Professor in Geography Dr. Deb McGregor, and Associate Professor in Aboriginal Education Dr. Jean-Paul Restoule.

Long-time visitors to First Nations House will note the name change from Aboriginal Awareness Week to Indigenous Education Week. This change reflects a shift from promoting awareness to highlighting the contributions of Indigenous people and Indigenous knowledge to the academy. The name also embraces a global Indigenous commu-nity; despite the considerable diversity among Indigenous populations across the globe, we share a common interest in Indigenous rights and a commitment to living within our evolving cultural traditions.

The week of free, public events began with an afternoon book launch and reading of Leanne Betasamosake Simpson’s Islands of Decolonial Love. The First Nations House lounge was filled to capacity for the reading, and the event was lively with discussion and questions

for the author. In her debut collection of short stories, Leanne has crafted stories of contemporary Anishinaabeg confronting the chal-lenges of living and loving in the face of ongoing colonialism; the title Islands of Decolonial Love is a reference to Anishinaabeg resilience and resurgence. Anishinaabemowin is intermingled with English throughout the book, and Leanne spoke to the importance of the language and producing creative work that reflects our experiences as Indigenous people.

At another event, traditional teacher and author Lee Maracle delivered an incredible, revelatory teaching that connected and con-trasted Indigenous traditional knowledge to western science and mainstream medical practice. Indigenous traditional knowledge embodies wisdom gathered from direct, experiential observation and is communicated across generations for thousands of years. Among many other things, Lee shared how traditional medicines and cul-tural practices kept Indigenous people healthy, sometimes in very harsh environments, for millennia; ailments that western medicine has either failed to treat or merely concealed the symptoms for were avoided, cured, or controlled by Indigenous medicine, which centres on the symbiotic relationship between the people and the land.

left: Professor linda tuhiwai smith, traditional teacher lee maracle; centre: Professor Filiberto Penados, Professor deborah mcgregor; right: Professor Jean-Paul restoule, moderator carla robinson.

Indigenous Education WeekFirst Nations House event showcases knowledge and learning by susAN blIght

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FNH Elder-in-Residence Andrew Wesley, who is from the Omushkego Nation in Fort Albany near the western shore of James Bay, gave a two-part teaching on the history of the Omushkego Cree and Anishinaabeg peoples in Northern Ontario. The teaching encom-passed the time from before contact with European settlers – Andrew shared the story imparted through oral tradition of the first ships spotted at the mouth of the Albany river – to the resi-dential school era and beyond. One of the three original Hudson’s Bay posts was there, so Andrew was able to speak of the ways in which the community was impacted by the fur trade far beyond what you might learn from a history book. He also shared some remarkable traditional ecological knowl-edge that surprised and enlightened me. Did you know the strongest bows and arrows come from trees that have been hit by lightning? Andrew’s words – often focusing on the resilience and ingenuity of the Omushkegowak and Anishinaabeg – were an honour to hear.

There was also a public lecture featuring Dr. Linda Tuhiwai Smith

in conversation with Dr. Jean-Paul Restoule and moderated by jour-nalist Carla Robinson. Hundreds filled the OISE auditorium for the conversation, which was based thematically around decolonizing education. There were many questions around the ethics of research in Indigenous communities for Dr. Smith, who is the author of the

seminal book Decolonizing Methodologies. She also shared stories from Aotearoa, New Zealand about the development, learning and application of culturally grounded, safe, decolonized approaches to research.

The 2014 Indigenous Education Week was an unprecedented success; each event was well attended by a diverse group of

students, faculty and community members. The week raised the profile of First Nations House and increased the visibility of Indig-enous scholars, leaders and artists both within the U of T community and beyond. We have much to contribute and much to be proud of as Indigenous people and it is to the benefit of everyone that our knowledge – diverse, creative, and complex – be shared. Ph

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left: First nations house elder-in-residence andrew wesley gives a teaching. above: Professor leanne simpson speaks to a rapt audience.

“��It�is�to�the�benefit�of�everyone that Indigenous knowledge – diverse, creative, and complex – be shared. ”


Word Warrioro call Lee Maracle a writer is to be only partly correct. Certainly hers is one of the most recognizable names in Indigenous lit-erature. For decades she has been a powerful Indigenous advocate, and even now she continues to nurture and mentor emerging writers while maintaining an active presence

in the field. She’s a celebrated novelist, poet, essayist and playwright with dozens of published works to her credit; she is much in demand as a speaker, editor, and editorialist. But Lee is also a distinguished orator and a teacher of both academic and traditional knowledge. She is a performer, artist, and activist, a descendant of renowned leaders and speakers (Chief Dan George was her grandfather) and the mother of politically engaged artists in their own right. The title “writer” is too narrow, but other labels are equally inadequate: “Renaissance woman” is too Eurocentric, “Indigenous feminist” good for its politics but disengaged from her art. Perhaps “Sto:lo word warrior” comes closest to reflecting the range, depth, and interweaving of Lee’s many commitments and communities.

In the nearly 40 years since Bobbie Lee: Indian Rebel was published, Lee has been known as a forceful voice for Indigenous peoples in Canada. She is a woman who firmly, often fiercely, speaks her mind. Whether challenging the racism and classism within white feminist politics or the appropriation of Indigenous voices by non-Indigenous writers, Lee refuses to be silent in the face of oppression regardless of who is the bringer of harm. But she also calls for people to be the best of who they are. She might be able to rattle the roof with her longhouse voice, but she can also illuminate that space with her smile. While turning her critical eye outward, she also calls out the internal-ized abuses we inflict upon one another, but always insisting that we are capable of better. She believes in us, even when we don’t believe in ourselves. And she won’t let us give up without a fight.

It would be easy to over-emphasize the fierceness and under- appreciate the deep love in her work, but to do so would be a mistake. Her critique is firmly rooted in hope, in the insistence that Indigenous peoples can be empowered only through our own traditions and our own efforts, not by waiting on the uncertain generosity of the colonial powers. She insists that we have everything we need at hand, that the disfiguring colonial narratives of erasure and Indigenous deficiency are impositions, not our natural state of being. And one of the primary ways she explores these themes is through story. In “I Want to Write,” she reflects on the transforma-tive power of story: “If I wrote for a lifetime I could never re-tell all the stories that people have given me. [But] I shall try to grasp the essence of our lives and to help weave a new story. A story in which pain is not our way of life” (I Am Woman, p. 6).

These are the words of someone who has seen pain but isn’t defined by it, of a warrior with something worth fighting for. These are loving words that affirm the writer’s ability to “help weave a new story” – not alone, but in relationship with others committed to the transformational work of love.

Everyone who knows Lee’s writing has particular favourites. While I’ve read and taught her work for years, two texts are

particularly compelling to me: the essay collection I Am Woman: A Native Perspective on Sociology and Feminism (1988) and the young adult novel Will’s Garden (2002). Both books call for courage and compassion – for others, as well as for ourselves.

These are the defining characteristics of Lee’s art, and they are deeply, unabashedly rooted in a courageous love of the People. That love is realized through the power of story to return us to the best of who we are and where we are from.

So yes, to call Lee Maracle a writer is to be only partly correct. It’s true, but she’s so much more. She is a teacher, a leader, and, to so many of us, a friend. There can be no greater title than that.

for the PeopleA profile of Lee Maracle by DANIel heAth justIce

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in september 2014, lee was honoured with the ontario Premier’s “individual artist” award for excellence in the arts. she recently published a new book, entitled celia’s song.

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Word Warriorfor the People

A profile of Lee Maracle by DANIel heAth justIce

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Making

Love Decolonial

with Leanne Simpsonby chRIstINe smIth-mcFARlANe

ith her latest book, Islands of Decolonial Love, Leanne Simpson continues to blaze a path for others who want to write both academically and personally. The book was launched at First Nations House during Indigenous Education Week in February 2014.

Leanne, who is of Mississauga Nishnaabeg ancestry and is a member of Alderville First Nation (Rice Lake, Ontario), has worked for the past 15 years with Indigenous communities and organizations. She teaches at the Dechinta Centre for Research & Learning in Chief Drygeese Territory of Denendah, at Atha-basca University (Indigenous Studies), and at Trent University (in the PhD Program in Indigenous Studies).

When not teaching, Leanne is writing and living on the land because this is where she feels most at home. Finding balance between academia and personal writing is important to her.

“I need to live an interesting life to teach, and some of my courses are on the land, taking place with Elders, Indigenous students and within Indigenous ways of being and knowing. Education has opened doors for me because credentials drive the colonial world. But the education that has really helped me in my life has come from the land, through ceremonies, and through my relationships with Elders.

“It’s pretty natural for me to tell stories, to write fiction and poetry. I have to work harder to say something meaningful in the context of the academy – I’ve never felt that I fit into the university system or felt very supported in terms of my research, writing or artistic practices. So it helps that I have a very gentle,

very supportive community of writers around me that helped me make the switch from non-fiction and academic writing to fiction, which I find more challenging. It’s always a challenge to make enough emotional and creative space to write.”

Leanne has published over 30 scholarly articles and authored five books that draw upon her extensive knowledge of Indige-nous peoples. She has also written articles for Canadian magazines and newspapers. In 2012, she won Briarpatch magazine’s “Writ-ing from the Margins” short fiction competition. Recently, she was honoured with the inaugural RBC Taylor Emerging Writer Award for her non-fiction.

The title of her latest book, Islands of Decolonial Love, comes from the idea that although Indigenous communities were tre-mendously damaged by colonialism and are still being damaged by ongoing colonialism, Indigenous peoples maintain a tremen-

dous capacity to love anyway. “As Lee Maracle says, ‘We are not

tragic.’ Some of the damage gets played out in our intimate relationships, but we love anyway, and according to our own traditions – we love our land, our cul-tures, our languages, our families, friends, partners and lovers. That to me is a radical way of being in the world. I wanted to

focus on these tiny islands of decolonial love, these tiny moments in all of our lives where love, connection, hope and resistance win out over the disconnection of dispossession and erasure.”

Asked what message she would give emerging writers, Leanne said, “Protect the part of you that creates. Write. Nurture a com-munity of like-minded artists and writers around you who will support you. Do what you need to do in order to create, and believe in your own voice.”

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“ Do what you need to do in order to create, and believe in your own voice.”

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Justice for our childrenDr. Cindy Blackstock is a passionate advocate for Aboriginal people by ANItA chRIstoFF

indy Blackstock’s passion for achieving justice and equality for Aboriginal children and fami-lies is prodigious. As is her resume. She is the Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, an Asso-ciate Professor at the University of Alberta, the Founder of the First Nations Children’s Action

Research and Education Service, and an Expert Advisor to UNICEF on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. She has a PhD in Social Work from the University of Toronto (and graduated with the Adel Sedra Distinguished Graduate Award, which goes to only one doctoral student across all faculties). She holds fellowships with both the Ashoka Foundation and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. She is a recipient of a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, and last year was recognized as one of the 16 leading female activists by the Nobel Women’s Initiative. Oh, and she is the author of over 60 published reports and articles.

A member of the Gitksan Nation, Cindy has come a long way from “the bush” in British Columbia where she was born in 1964. Her father worked on ranger stations, so she and her sister, brother, and mother – who is of Austrian descent – moved around a lot, living in various stations. When she was six, her mother’s relative, a student at UBC, visited the family and told Cindy about a won-derful place she’d never heard of: university! Cindy decided right then and there that it was for her. “It costs a lot of money,” the relative said. As Cindy then earned money picking pine cones – about five dollars a gunnysack – she immediately began calculating how many pinecones she would have to pick to get herself there.

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And thousands of pinecones and several other jobs later, she did.Cindy became a social worker. She was deeply concerned about

the inordinate number of Aboriginal children in group homes (government care homes supervised by social workers), especially since these homes were usually not an improvement – they were simply not real homes or real families. Once, two Aboriginal girls were brought in and sent for showers. As they were taking too long, Cindy went to get them – only to find that they didn’t know how to turn off the water because they’d never seen run-ning water before.

“I found that there is a tendency to codify poverty as neglect, and that Aboriginal children make up the majority of kids in care not because their families don’t care about them – but because they didn’t have and couldn’t access the resources needed to care for them. Therefore, child welfare codifies discrimination and coloniza-tion as personal or family deficits instead of tackling the underlying problems. Parents are too often sent to family parenting courses when what they really need is housing without black mold – and running water, and assistance to deal with the multi-generational impacts of the residential schools.”

Wanting to correct this travesty, Cindy moved to policy work to identify problems and to determine whether changes could be recommended and implemented. In 1997, she joined forces with “unbelievably talented people who taught me so much and were so gracious” – leading experts in law, economists, social

workers – to study the problems and come up with solutions. The task force, which was overseen by government and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), came up with two evidence-based, feasible solutions the government could do. But the gov-ernment chose not to do them.

In 2007, the AFN and Cindy, as head of the Caring Society, jointly filed a human rights com-plaint against Canada, charging that First Nations children are discriminated against by inequitable child welfare services and consistent under-funding on reserves. They supported their claim with reports documenting the inequality between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children, including reports issued by the Auditor General of Canada and the Standing Committee of Public Accounts.

The federal government managed to delay the suit for years on the basis of legal technicalities, jurisdiction, and so forth, but hearings finally began at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in February 2013. Closing arguments were heard on October 24, 2014, and a decision is expected in the spring of 2015.

Cindy is optimistic about the impending deci-sion. She believes “the children will win, and when they do, the country will as well, because discrimination is not in anyone’s interests.” But then, she says, “It will really be the beginning,

because then it will be time for the implementation.” Cindy is also honoured to work with the family of Shannen

Koostachin on Shannen’s Dream – a movement for proper schools and equity in First Nations education. While the government recently announced new funding that would start after a contro-versial bill on First Nations education passes, Cindy notes that there “is no reason to delay any longer the much-needed funding for education and schools for First Nations children because of a piece of legislation. The government should immediately flow additional funds for First Nations education and then co-develop legislation and regulations with First Nations. Children only have one child-hood – they should not have to wait for equity and justice.”

Cindy is now pursuing a law degree on-line through the Loyola University in Chicago in addition to working at her jobs with the University of Alberta and the Caring Society. She is also mentoring people to carry on the fight.

“I am aware that this will be a multi-generational struggle. I once didn’t know how to do this. All the strategies I read about in books required lots and lots of money. I want to make sure that people don’t have to start the fight again with a blank slate, that they can build on what we are doing and have learned. I will do my part and then it will be time to pass the baton to the next generation of peaceful equality fighters.” you can follow and keep up to date on the work of the First Nations child and caring society of canada at www.fncaringsociety.com and on Facebook and twitter.

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“ Poverty is often codified as neglect; many Aboriginal children are in care not because their families don’t care about them, but because they didn’t have the resources needed to care for their children. ”

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Lifelong Learnersteven Koptie by Ruth KoleszAR-gReeN

teven Koptie is a strong believer in lifelong learning, and a prime example of a lifelong learner. He was 54 when he entered the Master’s Program in Adult Educa-tion at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at

the University of Toronto (OISE/UT). He now teaches at Con-federation College in Thunder Bay, where he relocated in July 2013 when his wife was appointed Vice-Provost of Aboriginal Initiatives at Lakehead University. And in September 2014, Steven entered Wilfrid Laurier University’s Aboriginal-Focused Master of Social Work Program. He expects to graduate with this second Master’s degree in the spring of 2016.

There was a time in Steven’s life when higher education was only a dream, one that did not seem attainable. Steven grew up in a family that worked for a travelling carnival, so the summers

and autumns of his childhood and youth – including the first few months of each school year – were spent travelling from town to town in southern Ontario with his parents and six siblings, setting up fairs and working at them.

Steven is the only one in his family who finished high school. He did not think even that was actually going to happen. As an Ongwehonwe kid growing up near Brantford in the 1970s, he did not find the off-reserve high schools to be the friend-liest of places.

Fortunately, there were two people who encouraged him and believed in him and his abilities. One of those people was a Grade 12 geography teacher who made the topic interesting and also took a genuine interest in Steven. The other was Steven’s mother. Although she and Steven’s father had no formal education, they were wise in life lessons. She knew that Steven had not only the potential but also the desire to suc-ceed, so she got him a math tutor to help him achieve the grades he needed for university.

The tutoring was successful. In September 1975, Steven started in a Bachelor of Social Science in Psychology Program at the University of Windsor. He says it was difficult, but he managed to obtain his degree.

Steven went on to work in many different Aboriginal communi-ties to help people address the intergenerational traumas that have resulted from the deeply racist reserve and residential school systems. He spent time doing research around land claims. He designed and delivered programming that supported cultural growth and safety. He worked with youth, adults, and Elders to assist in restoring bal-ance to individuals, families, communities, and nations.

After spending many years working with Aboriginal communi-ties, living life, and learning many hard lessons, Steven went back to school as a mature student to earn his Master’s degree. He says the struggles he faced during this time strengthened his belief that support is important and determination is key. He deeply appreci-ated the like-minded students he was able to engage with through SAGE (Supporting Aboriginal Graduate Enhancement) and the supportive faculty members across the university. He is particularly grateful for the invaluable academic writing assistance he received from First Nations House Traditional Teacher and renowned writer Lee Maracle, and for his professors and mentors at OISE including Jean-Paul Restoule, Suzanne Stewart, Roy Moodley, and the late Anne Goodman.

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“ He was 54 when he started at OISE on his Master’s degree.”


Aboriginal Law ProgramThe U of T Faculty of Law sets a new standard by chRIstINe smIth-mcFARlANe

he University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law offers an Aboriginal Law Program (ALP) that aims to provide Aboriginal students with a supportive environment, one that allows them to be part of a community while they study to obtain a world-class law degree.

“This year, we have 20 Aborig-inal students at the Faculty of Law,” said ALP Coordinator Promise Holmes Skinner. “While this is a good start, we would certainly like to see an increase in this number, along with a related increase of Aboriginal representation in the legal profession. This will lead to an increase in Aboriginal applicants, as students will become more apt to picture themselves in law school – which is one reason it’s important to self-identify. And regardless of the career path students choose, law school provides them with the tools to contribute back to the community. A JD (Juris Doctor) is a versatile degree that opens up so many doors.”

Promise, who is of Anishinaabe descent and is a graduate of the university’s faculty of law (2013), articled in Toronto and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2014 before taking on the role of ALP Coor-dinator. She develops and implements innovative and responsive initiatives meant to foster the success of current and prospective Aboriginal law students. She also provides support to students with respect to their courses and career paths, hosts outreach and recruitment events, connects the students with Aboriginal alumni for mentorship and career connections, and cultivates strategic relation-ships with external and internal organizations.

The ALP offers a wide range of classroom and experiential

learning opportunities to both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal law students who are interested in Aboriginal issues. In this way, the program advances awareness and promotes the interests of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.

Second-year law student Nicole Sylvester, who is a member of the Chippewas of Nawash and the 2014 recip-ient of the June Callwood Fellowship, said that her experience in ALP has been really positive.

“Though the program, I was able to work at the Human Rights Legal Support Centre, which provides a range of accessible legal and support services to those who have faced dis-crimination and do not always know their rights under the Code. I dedicated my time there to making sure the Code is more acces-sible to Aboriginal people, doing outreach presentations and initiatives, doing research on the jurisdiction question when it comes to human rights and Aboriginal people, and

working with Aboriginal clients on filing their applications.”Nicole is co-president of the Aboriginal Law Students’ Associa-

tion (ALSA), a close-knit group of students across all three years of law. Its members range from students who grew up in their home communities to those who knew about their Aboriginal identity but had little or no contact with their culture before coming to law school. The faculty assists the ALSA in setting its own cultural agenda. The ALSA helps determine speakers for the Aboriginal Law speaker series, hosts an annual fall feast where Aboriginal students cook for and feed the whole law school, and attends legal conferences with faculty funding.

“We work hard to provide students with the resources to

16 FALL 2014

build a community for them-selves through the Aboriginal Law Students’ Association,” said Professor Douglas Sanderson, an alumnus of the university’s faculty of law, where he now teaches property law. “To me, the most important thing about having a program of Aboriginal law is attracting Aboriginal stu-dents to study law, and having in place the supports and services to ensure those Aboriginal stu-dents graduate. My emphasis has never been on generating a lot of courses about Aboriginal law, though the faculty does offer an increasing number of Aboriginal law opportunities.”

A member of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Professor Sand-erson feels that the most inspiring thing he’s seen is students who had virtually no access to their culture before coming to law school being welcomed and taught by those who were raised in their Indigenous traditions. “The students are so great, so warm, and so willing to share and teach one another that law students often leave here feeling much closer to their traditions than when they arrived. We Indigenous people have to be proud of our cultures, and my hope is that the law school creates a place where that pride is expressed.”

In addition to the ALP and the ALSA, there is now an Elder-in-Residence Program. Since 2013, Six Nations Elder Cat Criger has hosted monthly cultural teachings, and has office hours at the Faculty for one-on-one or group student meetings. There is also an Academic Success Program (ASP) that Aboriginal students in all three years of the JD Program can participate in (it is a confidential program that allows students to ask questions and get help under-standing course materials from upper-year students). The ASP offers information sessions for first-year Aboriginal students on the “basics” of law school, including case reading, legal research and writing, and exam preparation. In addition to these specific supports, law students are always welcome at First Nations House. Ph

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left: Professor douglas sanderson discusses the two-row wampum. right: Promise holmes-skinner and nicole sylvester at Flavelle house.


he Indigenous Writers’ Gathering is a much-anticipated annual event for writers, students and community mem-bers alike. In the 2013-2014 school year, the Sixth Annual Indigenous Writers’ Gathering was held at First Nations

House on October 24 and 25. Attendees enjoyed a variety of events including a reception, panel discussions on various topics related to Indigenous art and writing, and a closing gala. Panel discus-sions were moderated by writer and journalist Jamaias DaCosta, and included “Narratives of Reconnection through Theatre and Poetry,” with Columpa Bobb and Giles Benaway; “Writing Indig-enous Stories for Multi-Media,” with Sterlin Harjo and Ryan McMahon; “Stories as Tools for Survival,” with Lee Maracle and Taiaiake Alfred; and “Nationhood, Sovereignty and the Importance of Place,” with Taiaike Alfred and David Treuer.

First Nations House Student Life Coordinator Susan Blight was one of the organizers of the event, which is the largest Indigenous writers’ gathering in Canada. “The gathering was a resounding success, and provided amazing opportunities for students and com-munity members to engage and network with established writers to enhance and encourage professional development year to year.”

First Nations House Traditional Teacher Lee Maracle, who was also one of the organizers, believes the gathering is an inspiration to a host of new writers.

“It encourages them to write, to meet other writers, and to hear about both the business and art of writing. As well, it creates a sense of community among existing writers, Indigenous readers and up-and-coming writers. It is also an opportunity for the community to honour those who have been writing for a long time and to welcome and honour those talented artists who are entering the writing profession.

“As we come out from under the shadow of the residential schools, and the shadow of the ‘Sixties’ Scoop’ and the fracturing of our communities, we need a venue to express our lives, our history and our hopes for the future, no matter what our chosen professions are.

“Literary artists tackle the impact of history on our people with word paintings, stories, poetry, theatre and comedy, in ways that are revealing of our heroism, our determination, our flexibility and our resilience. This creates a new sentiment among young people – a hopefulness – a feeling that we can do anything we set our mind to do. It also creates the feeling that we deserve a good life, an opportunity to create a new social world for ourselves.

“I recall my first writers’ conference that I attended, I remember thinking that I could do this. The authors I was listening to were no better than I and that was so powerful. My hope is that the attendees feel the same way.”

the 7th Annual Indigenous Writers’ gathering will be hosted by an independent committee, separate from the university of toronto and First Nations house. It is expected to be held in may 2015.

All My Books Are Readthe 6th Annual Indigenous Writers’ gathering at First Nations house by chRIstINe smIth-mcFARlANe

1. columpa bobb2. david treuer3. taiaiake alfred and ryan mcmahon talking with Fnh director Jonathan hamilton-diabo4. ryan mcmahon and sterlin harjo.

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Graduate TogetherIn Memoriam: Cynthia Bird By LEE MARACLE

raven by lisa boivin: i painted this picture for cynthia before she passed. in it, a raven is carrying a woman back to her father in the spirit world. cynthia was an amazing woman. she inspired all who were around her. her wise words will continue to be a source of encouragement for me.

ere at First Nations House, we are commit-ted to providing the support First Nations students need to succeed at the University of Toronto. We need so many academics among us if Indigenous people are to move forward into a future different from the past. We can create supports, financial and academic, but

we cannot conjure a student who is inspiring to the student body. We cannot conjure commitment and determination to complete studies. Students must come with that. And as we all know, some-times the commitment fades in the face of personal difficulty, sometimes the determination wanes in the face of tragedy.

As a traditional teacher, I do my best to hold up those stu-dents in times of trouble. However, when a student holds up their colleagues, encourages them, brings light and laughter and helps carry their load – that is magical. Cynthia Bird was such a student. She brought light, laughter, commitment, determination and encouragement to all her fellow students: “We’re going to graduate together” was her mantra to all First Nations students in her short time at the University of Toronto.

The most important thing in a student’s life is their studies; Cynthia knew this, she lived it and she encouraged others to do so too. Cynthia made attending school a joy for those around her. She made teaching a joy for me. She was with us for so short a time, lighting up the hallways and classrooms and First Nations House with her commitment and joy of learning – and then the light was out. The Creator took her home. Because of her commitment and her determination, many of her colleagues have determined to graduate for her, to stand on the podium with Cynthia in their hearts. She left behind a very big bundle for all of us to carry. I know many of us will pick up the burden of encouraging each other the way Cynthia did. Because we knew her, we will be better people for it. I am so grateful to have had her as my student and I know we will all miss her, but if each of us encourages one another, we will carry her through this life and she will watch over us. Graduate together.

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bird song: artwork appears courtesy of métis artist christi belcourt, www.christibelcourt.com.

FNHmagazine Fall/Winter 2014

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Transcript of FNHmagazine Fall/Winter 2014