Congress 2021 blog edition
By Anurika Onyenso, Third Year General Management Major, University of Alberta, Augustana Campus.
In the first of Congress 2021’s Big Thinking series, titled “Yáázǫ Kéorat’ı̨ (We see the daylight),” member of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative The Honorable Ethel Blondin-Andrew shed light on how clean water, good jobs, and active participation in diverse local economies through Indigenous-led conservation are effective pathways to healthy futures for both the land and its inhabitants.
Blondin-Andrew, the first Indigenous woman elected to Parliament and recipient of the 2019 Maclean’s “Lifetime Achievement Award”, started her presentation by offering a rare glimpse into her life as a child.
She described her grandmother, a healer and one of her parental figures in her childhood, as a fearless and strong matriarch who transcended gender lines and taught her the gifts of giving, receiving and serving. This built a critical foundation for her as she adopted these lessons into all aspects of her life and interactions. Despite the strong influence residential schools had in the past, Blondin-Andrew, remained unfazed and held on to her culture and language. She would later flee Grollier Hall and earn her education degree at the University of Alberta years after.
In her Big Thinking segment, Blondin-Andrew criticized the disruptive and violent past Canadian government policies that sought to eradicate the Indigenous way of life. In line with the Government of Canada’s commitment for reconciliation with Indigenous people, Indigenous Protective Concern Areas (IPCAs) and guardian programs have been created. IPCAs are foundations for local Indigenous communities. They include lands and waters where Indigenous governments have the primary role in protecting and conserving ecosystems through Indigenous laws, governments and knowledge systems.
Also, as part of the 2017 budget, the Government of Canada fueled the guardian programs to not only supply Indigenous people with jobs, but also a greater opportunity to exercise control of their traditional lands. These programs also provide protections for Indigenous languages, Indigenous cultures, and the resources to stem the tide of suicide sweeping these communities.
Blondin-Andrew let the audience know how, for young Indigenous people, seeing people they know working in well-paying jobs that centre around Indigenous cultures and lands where they do not have to leave their communities and families is life-changing, and is just a small step in the heavy load of rebuilding and healing still needed.
She ended her inspiring segment by stating simply, “we are an oral traditionary people, we look to the earth, the land and the animals Indigenous to that area, therefore, we all have to care about the earth and we all have to care about each other.”
Also, in attendance with her in the panel were Ted Hewitt, President of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and Mike DeGagné, Board Chair-Elect, Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Special thanks to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for sponsoring this Big Thinking session. The Big Thinking series is sponsored by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Universities Canada, and the Canada Foundation for Innovation.