3 min read

Lower Income - #4 of 8 Key Issues for Indigenous Peoples in Canada

Indigenous Canadians earn about 70 cents for every dollar made by non-Indigenous Canadians, according to Canada's income data. This is a very...

5 min read

Indigenous Title and the Doctrine of Discovery

Indigenous Peoples believe they have held title to their traditional lands or territories from the moment their Creators placed them on that land...

3 min read

Christopher Columbus and the Doctrine of Discovery - 5 Things to Know

The Doctrine of Discovery was used by European monarchies, beginning in the mid-fifteenth century, as a means of legitimizing the colonization of...

Trevor Snider: Commemorating a Reconciliation Ally

We first met Trevor, Supervisor of Donations Processing for Covenant House Vancouver, when he attended one of our Training Weeks. Trevor took the...

2 min read

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

On June 21, 2021, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) received Royal Assent and immediately came into...

4 min read

Inadequate Housing and Crowded Living Conditions - #3 of 8 Key Issues

Indigenous People face the worst housing outcomes in the country. Hon. Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations [1] To understand the...

2 min read

Free Prior Informed Consent and Duty to Consult

Looking back Back in 2014, when we published this blog post, Canada was wrestling with the notion of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and the...

2 min read

11 Community Outreach Tips for Indigenous Recruitment - #2 of Community Series

This is the second part of our series on best outreach practices for the recruitment of Indigenous Peoples. In the first part, Community Engagement...

5 min read

Lower Education - #2 of 8 Key Issues for Indigenous Peoples in Canada

Education is considered a human right in Canada. Yet, while Canada has one of the world's highest levels of educational attainment, the graduation...

3 min read

8 First Nation Reserve FAQs  - #1 of 2 First Nation Reserves Series

A First Nation reserve is a tract of land set aside under the Indian Act and treaty agreements for the exclusive use of an Indian band (First...

5 min read

Poorer Health - #1 of 8 Key Issues for Indigenous Peoples in Canada

In 2015, we published an article outlining the eight key issues of primary concern for Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Since then, the article has been...

3 min read

8 Key Issues for Indigenous Peoples in Canada

Eight of the key issues of most significant concern for Indigenous Peoples in Canada are complex and inexorably intertwined - so much so that...

2 min read

8 Things You Need to Know About On-Reserve Housing Issues

Did you know that adequate housing was recognized in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Did you know almost one in six Indigenous people...

3 min read

A Snapshot of On-Reserve Clean Water Issues

Photo: Pixabay In Canada, access to clean drinking water is considered a given. A given, I suspect, that is frequently taken for granted by those...

3 min read

Tommy George Prince Military Medal and Silver Star Recipient

The story of Thomas "Tommy" George Prince, Canada’s most decorated Indigenous soldier, is inspiring and tragic. It also underscores the inequality...

4 min read

Honouring the 'Free' in Free, Prior and Informed Consent

In 2007, the UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Six of the 46 Articles that make up the...

2 min read

Free, Prior, and Informed Consent and Eight Key Dates for the Indigenous Peoples in Canada

The road to adoption of the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDec) has been a rocky one for Canada. Canada did...

4 min read

Why We Need to Stay the Course on Reconciliation

“The report of my death was an exaggeration.” Mark Twain Is reconciliation dead? Our trainers and staff frequently are asked this question, and...

2 min read

Why We Shouldn’t Say "Bury the Hatchet"

Photo: Pexels Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its report and 94 Calls to Action, we have seen significant...

2 min read

Responses From Some Indigenous Leaders on the Historic Papal Apology

For many survivors of residential schools and their families, the Papal apology was all they hoped to hear, for others it did not go far enough. Here...

4 min read

Timeline of the Papal Apology to Residential School Survivors

On April 1, 2022, I held my breath as I am sure thousands of other Indigenous Peoples did while listening to Pope Francis publicly address the...

3 min read

International Decade of Indigenous Languages

By Bronte Phillips The United Nations has declared 2022-2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. Many Indigenous languages across...

3 min read

National Indigenous Peoples Day 2022

2 min read

Nawalakw - Cultural Survival in Action

Indigenous Corporate Training Donates $40,000 to Nawalakw Culture Camps Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. had the recent honour of speaking with ...

4 min read

Resilient, Strong and Indigenous

By Bronte Phillips Changing their last names after marriage and sharing their bodies with their unborn children are two ways in which many women and...

3 min read

Become a Mentor to Indigenous Youth as a Part of Your Reconciliation Journey

If you want to be an ally to the Indigenous community, becoming a mentor at Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA) is a great opportunity. The...

2 min read

How Can You Politely Correct Someone Without Causing Guilt or Reaction?

By Bronte Phillips Maybe you have recently taken one of our courses surrounding Indigenous Awareness and learned new facts about the history of...

3 min read

How Family Day and Indigenous Reconciliation Go Together

As Family Day in a number of provinces across Canada approaches in February, it is important to remember the importance of family of all kinds,...

2 min read

Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. donates $10,000 to Covenant House

In December of 2021, the winds of generosity rushed through the mountains and streams of British Columbia. Indigenous Corporate Training, the...

2 min read

Scientific and Indigenous Perspectives

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3 min read

14 Facts You May Not Know About Contributions of Indigenous Veterans

Did you know November 8 is Indigenous Veterans Day? If you are new to the knowledge of the significant contributions of Indigenous veterans during...

2 min read

Indigenous Veterans: Equals on the Battlefields, but Not at Home

Sergeant Tommy Prince (right), 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, with his brother, Private Morris Prince at an investiture at Buckingham Palace...

2 min read

The First Thanksgiving in North America Was Not Held by Europeans

The descendants of European settlers are brought up believing that it was their ancestors who celebrated the first thanksgiving after surviving the...

2 min read

Reflections on the National Day of Truth & Reconciliation

It is vital that the commitment to Truth and Reconciliation does not fade just a few weeks after the first National Day.

2 min read

National Day of Truth & Reconciliation, September 30

Orange is the New Symbol of Truth & Reconciliation The recent discoveries of 215 unmarked graves at a former Residential School near Kamloops,...

2 min read

215 - A poem by Bradley Crawford

Written in response to the 215 unmarked graves discovered in BC in May 2021.

3 min read

10 Things You Can Do: Kamloops Indian Residential School

Photo: Shutterstock Trigger Warning: This article includes information about Residential School experiences In May 2021, the remains of 215 young...

2 min read

Hereditary Chiefs vs. Elected Chiefs: What’s the difference (and why it’s important)

Sign from Wet'suwet'en protests. Photo: Jason Hargove, Flickr The Wetʼsuwetʼen protests in 2019 and 2020 were widely reported on and sparked...

1 min read

First Nation Name Dropping - Good Idea or Bad Idea?

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2 min read

11 Things You Should Know About Indigenous Oral Traditions

"Storyteller" by Dale Stonechild. Photo: Daryl Mitchell, flickr Oral traditions retain the history of Indigenous Peoples by passing cultural...

1 min read

What is the Moccasin Identifier?

Guest contributor: Moccasin Identifier Team Initiated, designed, and led by Carolyn King and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the ...

2 min read

Canadian Indigenous Code Talkers Remain Unacknowledged

The ability to send encrypted, unintelligible messages is crucial for keeping the wraps on military campaigns. The Germans, in the 1920s, developed...

3 min read

Indigenous War Heroes - More Than a Few Good Men

When we think of Indigenous war heroes Tommy George Prince immediately and justifiably jumps to mind. But, there are many other Indigenous heroes who...

3 min read

What’s the Difference Between Historic and Modern Treaties?

Signing of the Treaty at Windigo, Ontario, 1930. Photo: Canada. Dept. of Indian Affairs and Northern Development / Library and Archives Canada /...

2 min read

First Nation Protocol on Treaty Lands

"Hetux" by Connie Watts, an artist of of Nuu-chah-nulth, Gitxsan and Kwakwaka'wakw ancestry. Photo: Quinn Dombrowski, Flickr In this little...

2 min read

7 First Nation Facts You Should Know

Here are seven First Nation facts plus one fun fact to add to your storehouse of knowledge. 1) Number of Nations There are over 634 recognized First...

2 min read

Reconciling Thanksgiving

“...Reconciliation is about establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in this...

2 min read

Why Cultural Appropriation is Disrespectful

Photo: Pixabay Randomly plucking “popularized” images of a marginalized culture for entertainment or profit without respect for or an...

2 min read

This Hallowe’en Don’t Promote Cultural Appropriation

Definition: Cultural appropriation is the adoption of elements of one culture by members of a different cultural group, specifically the use by ...

4 min read

The UN Declaration and Consent-Based Consultation

Photo: Shutterstock “The Government will move forward to introduce legislation to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of...

4 min read

Reconciliation Isn’t Dead. Here Are 94 Reasons Why

Photo: Jo Ross This year, 2020, has seen some difficult moments in Indigenous relations in this country. But, I don’t think it has been so dire...

3 min read

Back to School Then and Now

This article includes a video of a conversation I had with my father Chief Robert Joseph O.C, O.B.C, about his first day at residential school and...

3 min read

What is Orange Shirt Day?

As of September 30th, 2022, this article had been viewed by 128,000+ people who wanted to learn about Orange Shirt Day. Thank you for your interest...

3 min read

The Day I Met Joe Gosnell

First and foremost, on behalf of myself and my father, Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, O.B.C., O.C, I want to give my condolences to the Gosnell family and...

3 min read

ABC of Indigenous Awareness

Photo: Pixabay We have over 700 articles on our blog so decided to see if we could put the blog to the test by having an article that applied to...

3 min read

The Impact of COVID-19 on Indigenous Cultural Continuity

Photo: Flickr The COVID-19 pandemic could be the single greatest threat in this generation to the continuity of Indigenous cultures and the...

4 min read

Meaningful Consultation: Happy Days or Project Delays

Recent events in Canada have shown that resource development projects can face extensive resistance with the affected Indigenous communities if...

6 min read

The Red Paper: A Counter-Punch to the White Paper

Photo: Shutterstock There have been watershed moments in the history of Canada in which Indigenous leaders, outside of the courts, have stood up...

7 min read

Celebrate 21 Indigenous Athletes for National Indigenous Peoples Day

Photo: Unsplash Indigenous athletes often face tremendous difficulties beyond the rigours of training for their sport. They are frequently from...

1 min read

A Brief Timeline of the History of Indigenous Relations in Canada

National Indigenous Peoples History Month is a time to acknowledge the history of Indigenous relations and Indigenous Peoples in Canada....

3 min read

Frank Calder: The Man Who Moved the Mountain

Photo: Shutterstock This is another installment in our series on the people behind the transformational court cases that affect Indigenous...

2 min read

6 Steps to Create an Inclusive Environment for Indigenous Workers

One of the challenges to retaining Indigenous employees is that many work sites are not inclusive environments. Creating a working environment that...

3 min read

11 Ways to Virtually Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day

In National Indigenous Peoples Day: 10 Ways to Celebrate we have suggestions for celebrating this important day. Most of the suggestions involve...

2 min read

What is the Seventh Generation Principle?

The Seventh Generation Principle is based on an ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois)* philosophy that the decisions we make today should result in a...

5 min read

The Choctaw and the Irish Have an Enduring Bond of Gratitude

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many stories have emerged about the amazing selflessness of the front line workers, about patients who against all odds...

5 min read

Dr. Bonnie Henry, Elders, Reconciliation, and COVID-19

Photo: Flickr When Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the death of an Elder from Alert Bay, I was struck by her compassion, her understanding of the...

2 min read

What is an Indigenous Medicine Wheel?

The circle, being primary, influences how we as Aboriginal peoples view the world. In the process of how life evolves, how the natural world grows...

2 min read

Indigenous Relations in the Time of COVID-19

Photo: Unsplash The world is a challenging and rapidly changing place right now and all indications suggest that it will remain as such for quite...

2 min read

Suggestions for Helping Vulnerable and Remote Indigenous Communities

Amidst all the dire news about the trajectory of global and local COVID-19 case numbers and mortality, hoarding of necessities, and fights in grocery...

6 min read

Indigenous Peoples and COVID-19

Photo: Unsplash We are in uncharted waters these days as countries around the world scramble to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. While we are...

3 min read

Skills Based Indigenous Relations Training Essential to Reconciliation

Photo: Unsplash As providers of a suite of Indigenous relations training, we are frequently asked if we offer “blanket exercises.” The short...

Vancouver Board of Trade Intercultural Presentation by Bob Joseph

In case you wondered what I (Bob Joseph) do for a living, here is a 45 minute video of my "Intercultural Presentation" delivered at the Vancouver...

4 min read

Using The Inuit Perspective to Successfully Lead a School

Guest author:April A. StricklandLooking for an adventure five years ago, I travelled to a small Inuit community in Nunavut. I quickly discovered...

2 min read

Myth: Indigenous Cultures Were Primitive at Time of Contact

A widely held belief about Indigenous Peoples is that they were primitive cultures living in primitive conditions at the time of the arrival of...

2 min read

Recession Proof Your Career With Indigenous Relations Training

Photo: Unsplash In an earlier article, we took a look at why companies should protect their Aboriginal relations strategy in a recession. In this...

6 min read

Commercial Racial Profiling and Indigenous Peoples

Photo: Pexels As an Indigenous relations trainer, I strive to maintain a positive attitude that we are making progress on reconciliation. There...

1 min read

Indigenous Peoples are all the same, right?

A frequent misconception is that Indigenous Peoples are all the same in Canada but there is a clear diversity amongst Indigenous Peoples. Linguists...

2 min read

A Brief Look at Indigenous Star Names

Photo: Shutterstock As the clock runs out on the United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages we wanted to take a look at the...

2 min read

8 Basic Barriers to Indigenous Employment - #1 of 3

In this article, we look at the barriers - some tangible, some not - that maintain the status quo of exorbitant rates of unemployment amongst...

2 min read

Indigenous Elder Definition

In this article, we provide the definition of Indigenous Elder and answer some specific questions people ask us in our Working Effectively with...

1 min read

Respecting the Cultural Diversity of Indigenous Peoples

Anishinaabe, Métis, Coastal Salish, Cree, Cherokee. We have nothing much in common. We’re all aboriginal and we have the drum. That’s about it. ...

2 min read

Weaving Reconciliation into Your Meetings

Photo: Unsplash Land acknowledgements are increasingly present at the beginning of meetings in board rooms, lectures, classrooms, entertainment...

13 min read

The UN Declaration and Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in BC

During the 2019 federal election, the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (the Declaration) was included in four (absent from the...

3 min read

First Nation Elder Protocol

Photo: Shutterstock The following First Nation Elder protocol question popped up in our inbox and we are really grateful for the opportunity to...

5 min read

6 Suggestions for Effective Negotiations with Indigenous Communities

Photo: Unsplash Effective negotiations with Indigenous communities require your team to have a deep understanding of the community with which you...

3 min read

Indigenous Knowledge and the Question of Copyright

Indigenous Peoples around the world are increasingly concerned about protecting their Indigenous knowledge (IK) and traditional cultural expressions...

2 min read

First Nation Election Facts

Photo: Flickr Prior to the introduction of the Indian Act in 1876, communities were self-governing and leadership was designated according to...

3 min read

Indigenous Culturally Modified Trees

2 min read

14 Indigenous Procurement Best Practices Suggestions

Photo: Unsplash The minds and hearts of most Canadians are opening to the severity of colonial practices that helped shape this country and how...

4 min read

First Nation Protocol on Traditional Territory

Photo: Pexels It can be customary between one First Nation and another to acknowledge the host Nation Peoples and their traditional territory at...

3 min read

Why an Indigenous Advisory Committee Is Good for Your Organization

Photo: Unsplash Advisory committees can be invaluable to the success of a business, organization, or social enterprise. But not all advisory...

3 min read

Reconciliation and Mosaic Forest Management Corp.

Photo: Shutterstock When a company takes the reconciliation initiative to provide our Indigenous Awareness training to the majority of their...

4 min read

Why Calgary needs an Indigenous Gathering Place

By Lee Stevens, Indigenous Gathering Place Society of Calgary It started with one question posed by Chief Robert Joseph at the Reconciliation Canada

2 min read

National Indigenous Peoples Day: 10 Ways to Celebrate

Photo: Shutterstock Every June 21st, thousands of Indigenous Peoples celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD). This is a special day to...

4 min read

National Indigenous History Month - Why It’s Important

June is National Indigenous History Month - a time for all Canadians - Indigenous, non-Indigenous and newcomers - to reflect upon and learn the...

3 min read

Indigenous Self-Government Clarification

Longhouse at UBC Museum of Anthropology. Photo: Thomas Quine, Flickr “Indigenous self-government” is a term that carries some misunderstanding....

5 min read

Four common barriers to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

In 2015, when the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) released its six-volume report on residential schools it brought the details,...

3 min read

Indigenous language immersion

Indigenous languages the world over are in jeopardy. So much so that the United Nations declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages...

3 min read

3 elements for developing reconciliation strategies for businesses

"Reconciliation is not an Aboriginal problem — it is a Canadian problem. It involves all of us." Senator Murray Sinclair If Canada is going to heal...

3 min read

Indigenous Fire Management and Traditional Knowledge

For the last few summers news reports were dominated by coverage of raging, massive, out-of-control wildfires. The fires devastated some communities,...

4 min read

Resource Revenue Sharing is Not a New Idea

Photo: Shutterstock Canada is renowned for the wealth and diversity of its natural resources and has long relied on royalties from extractive...

4 min read

Making science relevant to Indigenous students

“If only we could understand how students make sense of their natural world, we could design a science curriculum so that science makes sense to all...

3 min read

The Evolution of Indigenous Relations in the City of Kamloops

Opening of the Xget'tem' Trail. Photo: Jessica Wallace and Kamloops This Week Tammy Robertson, External Relations Manager for the City of...

3 min read

The Role of Indigenous Games in Culture

Agility, strength, balance, reflexes, hand-eye coordination, accuracy, strategy, intuition, and patience. These are skills Indigenous hunters and...

4 min read

Why Is It Important to Protect & Revitalize Indigenous Languages?

Of the most spoken languages in the world, English is third after Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. But English is the most commonly spoken second...

3 min read

What is the Nation Rebuilding Program?

In January 2019, a situation arose in northern BC that brought to the public’s attention the fact that some Indigenous communities have two forms of...

4 min read

Indigenous Cultural Tourism Protocol

A traditional big house built in 1953 by Kwakwaka'wakw Chief Mungo Martin. Victoria, BC, Canada. Photo: Shutterstock Cultural tourism is one of...

3 min read

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - The Date Debate

Photo: Shutterstock In August 2018, the federal government announced it would declare a federal statutory holiday to mark the legacy of the...

11 min read

Insight on 10 Myths About Indigenous Peoples

The definition of “myth”, according to the Oxford Canadian Dictionary, is “a widely held but false notion.” When it comes to the topic of Indigenous...

2 min read

Appreciating or appropriating Indigenous culture?

A reader recently asked us a question about talking sticks.  We changed the question up a little so as to preserve the confidentiality of the...

2 min read

Edwin Victor Cook - Indigenous war hero

Contributed by: Wedlidi Speck Edwin Cook was born in Alert Bay, the home of the Namgis First Nations in 1897. He was the fifth of 16 children born to...

3 min read

What are the Elements of an Effective Indigenous Joint Venture?

Canada’s historical reputation is of a country where living conditions were good, and there were ample economic opportunities - a “land of milk and...

4 min read

Let’s Not Make Reconciliation A Political Football

Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing. George Orwell, 1984

4 min read

Things to Know When Selecting Your Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action Trainer

Working Effectively With Indigenous Peoples® - In-Person Training It has been over three years (June 2, 2015) now since the Truth and...

5 min read

Meaningful Consultation with Indigenous Peoples

The announcement on August 30, 2018, that the Federal Court of Appeal had quashed the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion due, in part, to faulty...

6 min read

Forest Fires and Indigenous Communities

The severity and impact of forest fires dominate the headlines every summer. In 2016, the Fort McMurray, Alberta, wildfire invoked the largest mass...

3 min read

Some Indigenous Protocol Examples

Photo: Shutterstock We are at an interesting juncture in Canada in terms of Indigenous relations. On the one hand, there is an awakening and...

2 min read

What Reconciliation Is And What It Is Not

For a very long time, mainstream Canadians were unaware of the horrors and conditions that 150,000 Indigenous children endured in the Indian...

4 min read

6 Guidelines for Projects involving Traditional Indigenous Knowledge

Traditional Indigenous knowledge (TK) and traditional resources have been managed by Indigenous communities since time immemorial. The arrival of...

3 min read

Reactive vs Proactive Racial Bias Training

Photo: Shutterstock I was recently included in a conversation on CBC’s The Current about the efficacy of anti-bias training. The host, Anna Maria...

3 min read

Why Continuity of Indigenous Cultural Identity Is Critical

We all belong to some form of culture and identify with that culture to varying degrees. Our understanding of our own cultural identity begins at...

4 min read

Rise of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge in Environmental Assessments

Photo: Shutterstock There are more and more articles in the news about the value of Indigenous traditional knowledge being taken into account in...

3 min read

The Indian Act and Bestseller in the same sentence

I want to reflect on how the social and political landscape of Canada is changing. It may not be as fast as some of us would like, or as...

7 min read

9 Terms to Avoid in Communications with Indigenous Peoples

Language has the power to respect and honour, or, hurt and offend and that is particularly true when working across cultures. Within that frame of...

3 min read

Debunking Misconceptions About First Nation Totem Poles

Photo: Shutterstock There’s lots of lore and misconceptions about First Nation totem poles. In this article, we address six of the more common...

3 min read

What Does Indigenous Knowledge Mean? A Compilation of Attributes.

What does Indigenous knowledge (IK) mean? That’s a big question because “there are approximately 370 million Indigenous people in the world,...

4 min read

What are Gladue Reports?

Kingston Penitentiary, Kingston, Canada, Photo: Unsplash Indigenous people account for less than five percent of the Canadian population, yet...

2 min read

Resources for Teachers of Aboriginal Students

Photo: Shutterstock Fern Perkins coordinates the Métis Education Enhancement Program for the Métis Nation of Greater Victoria and has taught...

3 min read

Working with Indigenous Communities: Year of the Northern Dog Campaign

Photo: Unsplash The abundance of dogs in both non-Indigenous and Indigenous communities in northern Canada is an escalating animal welfare issue....

3 min read

Canada’s Complicated History with First Nation Totem Poles

Alert Bay, B.C, 1920. Photo: Jack R. Wrathall / Library and Archives Canada / PA-095510 Canada has a complicated history with the totem pole....

3 min read

Communications with Indigenous leaders - Letter Writing Tips

Photo: Unsplash When communicating cross-culturally there are certain sensitivities around the language used in the letter and expectations...

4 min read

What is Indigenous Identity?

By Bob Joseph Photo: Unsplash We identify ourselves in many ways - by gender, generation, ethnicity, culture, religion, profession/employment,...

2 min read

The Indian Act vs Self-Determination

Photo: Shutterstock In recent decades there has been significant pressure to address historical Indian Act issues. That pressure has been imposed...

3 min read

3 Rs of an Effective Indigenous Pre- Engagement Strategy

The foundation of meaningful engagement with an Indigenous community is trust. Earning that trust will take time, consistency, and transparency. The...

3 min read

The Ongoing Impact of the Indian Act on Indigenous Peoples' Health

In nearly every country with an Indigenous population, and that includes some of the wealthiest countries in the world, there are disparities between...

4 min read

A Look at Indigenous Relations in Canada for 2018 and Beyond

Photo: Shutterstock In 2017, Canada marked 150 years since its confederation. Whether to celebrate or not to celebrate was debated and discussed...

3 min read

Why Canada Needs Indigenous Economic Reconciliation

Photo: Unsplash "Trade and specialization were common to First Nations in Canada and throughout the Americas in the pre- and early contact...

3 min read

Definition of Smudging to Indigenous Protocol - Our Top 10 articles in 2017

In 2017, we had just over 816,000 visitors to our blog Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples® looking for information on a wide variety of...

2 min read

Shoebox Campaign Is an Opportunity to Connect With Indigenous Students

Photo: I Love First Peoples Sometimes it’s the simplest gestures that have the greatest impact. The Shoebox Campaign is one such example. If you...

2 min read

7 Not So Secret Advantages of First Nations Radio

By Juanita Muwanga Photo: Shutterstock Gimaa radio CHYF 88.9, which broadcasts from M'chigeeng First Nation, started as a dream of the late Carl...

4 min read

ayisīnowak: A Communications Guide a cross-cultural collaboration

When the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report was published in 2015 it revealed the reality of residential schools, the damage the...

2 min read

The Final Solution - Which Government Used the Term First?

 “The final solution”

2 min read

Why Are Indigenous Leaders Called Chiefs?

Photo: Shutterstock Definition: Chief (n.) c. 1300, "head, leader, captain; the principal or most important part of anything;" from Old French...

2 min read

The Role of the Indigenous Employment Coordinator

Photo: Pixabay "...there is a growing number of IBAs signed between industry and Aboriginal communities that include a clear target for a number...

2 min read

First Nation Projects: Lack of equity? Not a Problem

Did you know that many, if not most, large projects undertaken in Canada are being done by proponents without any effect on their own balance sheet?...

2 min read

What does traditional consensus decision making mean?

"The art of consensus decision making is dying. We are greatly concerned that Aboriginal people are increasingly equating ‘democracy’ with the act...

3 min read

Indigenous Issues Articles: Is It Time for Specific Headlines?

Photo: Pexels “Although daily newspapers have covered Indigenous issues extensively, news organizations are being called upon to reach a higher...

3 min read

Some Resources to Help You With Indigenous Protocol

Photo: Shutterstock On October 1, 2017, as I listened to Jagmeet Singh make his acceptance speech as the newly crowned leader of the National...

1 min read

Two Examples of Indigenous Education Programs

Photo: Unsplash The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) Report and Calls to action in 2015 brought some hard facts about...

2 min read

The Importance of Indigenous Radio

By Olivia Marie Golosky When we think of the radio landscape in Canada, especially in the mainstream context, the Canadian Broadcasting Company...

2 min read

7 Tips on Building Relationships with Indigenous Peoples

Photo: Shutterstock The quality of your relationship with an Indigenous community will be measured by the effort invested and the integrity of...

2 min read

What Does Indigenous Connectivity Mean?

Photo: Unsplash The worldview of many Indigenous Peoples includes the principle of connectivity - that everything in the universe is connected....

2 min read

Tips for Purchasing Authentic Indigenous Art

In Why Buying Authentic Indigenous Art is Important I talked about the cultural and economic impact knock-off art has on Indigenous artists and...

3 min read

Why Buying Authentic Indigenous Art is Important

A newsletter reader sent us a message asking if we would write something about appropriated art. The topic of cultural appropriation is increasingly...

2 min read

Investing Effectively for Indigenous Peoples

Here's an article from a family relative who recently started Ki'mola Indigenous Capital a business that creates community wealth by investing...

3 min read

Indigenous Relations at the Victoria International Airport

Airports - we all travel through them but how often do we actually ponder the Indigenous relations aspect of the operation? These transportation hubs...

2 min read

Request for Indigenous Advisors for Citizen Advisory Committees

Photo: Unsplash I recently received an email from Nicole Gareau, Presidente Comité Régional de Direction, CCC, who had read the article on...

2 min read

Indigenous Trade Networks Thrived Long Before the Arrival of Europeans

Dene man in a birch bark canoe, Northwest Territories, 1928. Photo: J. F. Moran / Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds /...

2 min read

Survey Results Show Strong Support for Indigenous Entrepreneurs

The Songhees Food Trucks feature West Coast cuisine & traditional Indigenous flavours. There has been a massive jump in Indigenous-owned and...

4 min read

The Duty to Consult Just Keeps on Evolving

“The jurisprudence of this Court supports the view that the duty to consult and accommodate is part of a process of fair dealing and reconciliation...

3 min read

Indigenous Peoples, Reconciliation and Canada 150

Photo: Unsplash June is National Aboriginal History Month, and this year, the day after National Aboriginal History Month ends activities for...

9 min read

National Indigenous Peoples Day  21+ Important Indigenous People to Celebrate

To celebrate National Aboriginal Day on June 21 we have compiled a list of 21+ important Indigenous people from all walks of life. It is a random...

4 min read

A Brief Look at Indian Hospitals in Canada

Dene children in hospital. Photo: John Lewis Robinson / Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds / Library and Archives Canada /...

4 min read

11 Challenges for Indigenous Businesses

Photo: Unsplash All entrepreneurs face some challenges but not all entrepreneurs face the same challenges. Indigenous entrepreneurs face some...

2 min read

Indigenous Racial Profiling by Retailers

Recently, in the media, there has been a discussion of racial profiling of Indigenous and other consumers. In this article we talk about the...

2 min read

4 Phases of Indigenous Engagement

Photo: Shutterstock Indigenous engagement for your proposed project is so much more than 'getting to yes.' Your organization needs to understand...

3 min read

What You Need to Know About Indigenous Language Revitalisation

By Amanda Pereira & Jillian Morgan, wintranslation Photo: wintranslation Indigenous languages are struggling to survive. With the number of...

3 min read

The Impact of Smallpox on First Nations on the West Coast

Photo: Shutterstock “The Bostonian Robert Kemp, on the brig Otter just north of the Queen Charlotte Islands in December 1810, reported that "the...

4 min read

A Tribute to the Late Chief Beau Dick

Chief Beau Dick, or Gigame’ ‘Walas Gwa’yam, was born on November 23, 1955, and passed away, far too soon, on March 27, 2017. He was a world-renowned...

2 min read

A Brief Definition of Decolonization and Indigenization

DecolonizationDecolonization once viewed as the formal process of handing over the instruments of government, is now recognized as a long-term...

2 min read

3 Things to Know about Alberta Carbon Tax Exemptions and First Nations

Photo: Pexels "Carbon tax is a form of pollution tax. It levies a fee on the production, distribution or use of fossil fuels based on how much...

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Aboriginal Lateral Violence in the Workplace

Photo: Pexels When working closely with an Aboriginal community there are many factors and layers of complexities to be considered, some of which...

4 min read

Was There an Upside to Residential Schools?   Answer: No

Students and staff at St. Paul's Indian Industrial School, Middlechurch, Manitoba, ca. 1901. Photo: Library and Archives Canada / PA-182251 "I...

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Developing Your Indigenous Procurement Strategy

"A central finding of this research is that Aboriginal procurement is not the same as traditional supply chain management. Procurement from...

6 min read

Reflections in 2017 on the 1967 Centennial Speech of Chief Dan George

By Bob Joseph Photo: Too Tall Paul, Flickr As Canadians from coast to coast to coast prepare to mark Canada’s 150th birthday on July 1, 2017, I...

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A Definition of Smudging

Sacred smoke created from burning medicinal or sacred plants is an aspect of many cultures and religions the world over. In North America, it is a...

3 min read

Building Indigenous Community Capacity and the Duty to Consult

Photo: Shutterstock While the duty to consult is a hard-fought-for, constitutionally recognized component of resource project development, in...

1 min read

Reconciliation and Indigenous Libraries in Schools

Education for reconciliation We call upon the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada to maintain an annual commitment to Aboriginal education...

3 min read

Why Pre-engagement Research of Indigenous Communities is Important

There are many reasons for researching an Indigenous community but for the purposes of this article we are talking about research in terms of a...

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What Is Indigenous Procurement?

Photo: Shutterstock Simply put, Indigenous procurement is the act of purchasing goods and/or services from an Indigenous-owned business. For...

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Reconciliation and Donating to Indigenous Organizations

December is typically a month in which many Canadians look for ways to provide some financial assistance to not-for-profit organizations that help...

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Why Are There Stereotypes About Indigenous Peoples?

Photo: Shutterstock Following every training session we ask learners if they would kindly take the time to fill in a survey about the training....

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6 Tips on Meeting With Indigenous Leaders

PM Justin Trudeau and Chief Cadmus Delorme and dancers in Cowessess First Nation, Sask., July 6, 2021. Photo: Flickr If you are planning to...

5 min read

A Look at First Nations Prohibition of Alcohol

Photo: Shutterstock The Indian Act Prohibited the sale of alcohol to First Nations (1884 - 1985) “Every one who by himself, his clerk, servant...

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The Constitution Express and Its Role in Entrenching Aboriginal Rights

Photo: Shutterstock "I would rather pass onto my grandchildren the legitimacy of the struggle than to leave them with a settlement they can't...

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Harry Daniels: The Man Who Put Métis in the Constitution

Photo: Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. "Harry Daniels will share with Louis Riel the honor of having introduced the rights of the Métis...

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Eskimo Identification Tags Replaced Traditional Names

Photo: J. C. Jackson / Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds / Library and Archives Canada / a102695-v6 "In Inuit...

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Why Should You Learn to Pronounce Indigenous Names

Photo: Brandon O'Connor, Flickr It’s becoming more commonplace for formal meetings to begin with an acknowledgement of the traditional or treaty...

3 min read

Indian Act and Enfranchisement of Indigenous Peoples

Photo: Shutterstock Enfranchisement of any First Nation admitted to university (1880 amendment) 99.(1) Any Indian who may be admitted to the...

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Compilation of Resources for Indigenous Consultation

Photo: Shutterstock When first starting work on a project that may intersect with one or more Indigenous communities there is a mountain of...

2 min read

Value of Engaging With Indigenous Communities via Social Media

Photo: Unsplash Early, respectful, transparent and consistent communication with Indigenous communities is the foundation of any good engagement...

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Aboriginal Rights, Title and the Duty to Consult - A Primer

Photo: Shutterstock “The doctrine of Aboriginal rights exists… because of one simple fact: when Europeans arrived in North America, Aboriginal...

5 min read

Indigenous Cultural Competency Trainer Criteria

Working Effectively With Indigenous Peoples® - In-Person Training The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls-to-Action (CTAs) are...

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Snapshot of Indian Act Denial of Status for Indigenous Women

Plains Indigenous woman on horseback, Walter Lake, Alberta, 1920-1930. Photo: Archives / Collections and Fonds - 4589638 “When an Indian woman...

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Indigenous vs. Aboriginal

Photo: Unsplash Indigenous vs. Aboriginal - what does it mean for business? We received this timely question from an on-site client and ...

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26 Ways to Derail Your Indigenous Community Meeting

Hosting frequent community meetings to share information and milestones is an important part of your relationship building and maintenance with the...

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Indigenous Peoples Terminology: Guidelines for Usage

We’ve talked about the definition of Indigenous Peoples and the constitutional significance of Indigenous or Aboriginal. In this article, we drill...

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What is the Definition of Indigenous Peoples?

Photo: Unsplash We’ve talked about the constitutional implications of Indigenous or Aboriginal so now want to tackle the definition of Indigenous...

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10 Quotes John A. MacDonald Made About First Nations

July 1 is Canada Day, a day during which many Canadians celebrate the achievements of the founding fathers of this country. Sir John Alexander...