An Ontario Superior Court of Justice judge has ruled on the question of what should happen to the historical records created by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that examined the Indian Residential Schools. The Chief Adjudicator for the Independent Assessment Process, which looked at … [Read more...]
Researching Aboriginal Law
Aboriginal law is a diverse and complex topic, which encompasses issues such as land claims, hunting and fishing rights, residential school settlements and self-government, among others. This article outlines some of the key legal documents, useful Internet sites, databases and other resources … [Read more...]
Aboriginal Children and Child Welfare Policies
Although nearly everyone has heard the term, “Residential Schools,” it would appear that few really have a proper comprehension of the cruel realities and shame of Canada’s collective history. With its origins in “civilizing the ‘petits sauvages’” [1] for the purpose of serving as wives and mothers … [Read more...]
Indian Residential Schools: A Chronology
This chronology was compiled to convey, by historic milestones, how the Indian Residential School system came to be, how it embodied attitudes of its time, how critics were dismissed, and how, finally, the deep harm it did to many members of generations of Indian children was exposed in the course … [Read more...]
What’s happening with Truth and Reconciliation in Canada?
At the end of March 2014, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada held its last national gathering in Edmonton, Alberta. It now has one more year to finish poring through mountains of documents and to compile its report. It seems an apt time to pull together some online resources that can … [Read more...]
Vulnerable Youth in Canada’s North
Any discussion of “vulnerable youth” must begin by defining the scope and meaning of that term. In this article, I include those persons under the age of 18 years who are particularly vulnerable to neglect, and/or harm of various sorts. Sometimes this is a result of poverty alone, and parental … [Read more...]