Four hikers walk west, from the village of Val Marie in southern Saskatchewan, along a historical trail once used by Indigenous tribes and settlers. Giving Canadians the ‘right to roam’ might be a small step toward answering the calls of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
James R. Page
A right-to-roam movement has never developed in Canada the way it has in the U.K. Here’s how it could benefit Canadian society as a whole, including reconciliation efforts with the Indigenous.
A Reconciliation Pole is raised at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C., in April 2017. The 17-metre red cedar pole tells the story of the time before, during and after the Indian residential school system. Thousands of copper nails representing thousands of Indigenous children who died in Canada’s residential schools were hammered into the pole by survivors, affected families, school children and others.
(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Calls to “indigenize” universities must start with listening - to Indigenous scholars and nations. And real reparation will be painful for settlers, for it will be unsettling.
The Scream, by Kent Monkman (2016), is part of a traveling exhibition this year on colonized Canada: Shame And Prejudice: A Story Of Resilience.
Kent Monkman
A leading Indigenous academic says too many Canadians take ugly pleasure in being ignorant about Indigenous issues. It’s time for some straight talk about Settlers with Opinions.
