Framing Land Governance Issues in Indigenous and Settler Media within Canada

This comparative study examines how the framing of Indigenous land governance issues—such as resource extraction activities on Indigenous territory and treaty negotiation—in Indigenous media differs from that in corporate news. Methods of Critical Discourse Analysis were applied to 66 news texts published in 2018 in large corporate newspapers, such as the National Post, and small Indigenous news outlets, such as Eagle Feather News. Researchers found that Indigenous media connected land governance issues to contemporary issues, such as racism and control over child welfare, as well as historical colonialism and Indigenous-Settler relations, while corporate news generally excluded any discussion of these contextual factors. While the main news frame in the Indigenous press was Indigenous people were not consulted, the dominant frame in corporate news was Indigenous peoples have already been adequately consulted. Corporate news discourse valorized Indigenous traditional territory solely based on its presumed “economic value.” By contrast, Indigenous publications offered a counternarrative, one that positioned land and the rest of the natural environment as something that has absolute value, and as indivisible from all living things, including people.

The Centrality of Education for Indigenous Income Mobility in Canada

In this article, we employ a multinomial logistic regression model to determine which factors predict middle- and upper income class belonging among Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. We examine the impact of identity, education, occupation, and urbanization on income status. The positive impact of higher education is captured by the model; however, post-secondary education has a greater impact on some Indigenous groups than others. We present interaction terms between education and identity to show that investment in higher education is crucial to Indigenous people’s income attainment; however, some identity groups benefit more than others.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Invoking the Famine and Pestilence Clause to be Paired with the Medicine Chest Clause from the Numbered Treaties

Treaty-based strategies are required to address the unique needs of Indigenous communities in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. A treaty-based approach should recognize provisions within the Numbered Treaties, including the Famine and Pestilence Clause and Medicine Chest Clause, agreed to during the signing of Treaty 6 in 1876. The Famine and Pestilence Clause established the Crown’s obligation to aid Indigenous Peoples within Treaty 6 Territory in the event of calamities such as locust raids, storms, starvation, and disease. The Medicine Chest Clause instituted the means through which the Crown would provide medical care for Indigenous Peoples within the jurisdiction. The Government of Canada has a legal obligation to invoke the Famine and Pestilence Clause and Medicine Chest Clause in a strategy to address the spread of COVID-19 in Indigenous communities.

Community Journey of Change Through Relational Determinants of Health

This article describes a model that maps Indigenous communities’ journeys from the cycle of violence arising from colonization to the circle of wellness through relational determinants of health. This model emerged from learning with Indigenous communities participating in research on violence prevention programming with the Canadian Red Cross. Indigenous communities have shown us that they are returning to a place of thriving by restoring relationality with land, culture, ceremony, and language. Therefore, the relational determinants of health comprise the foundational relationships that contribute to wellness. The Community Journey of Change model represents actions that communities can undertake in moving to wellness. The model has implications for policies, programs, and services for Indigenous communities as they begin to restore health and wellness.

Indigenous Governance Systems and Democracy in Ethiopia: Yejoka Qicha System of the Gurage People

Indigenous governance systems within the Eastern African nation of Ethiopia are often dismissed by Western political elites as undemocratic. We assessed the nature of and level of democracy in Indigenous governance systems in Ethiopia by focusing on the Yejoka Qicha of the Gurage people. We found that, while the Yejoka Qicha system includes democratic elements that can support national efforts to consolidate democracy, it also marginalizes some groups, such as women, from political and economic benefits. As such, we recommend the implementation of policies that eliminate the oppressive aspects of the Yejoka Qicha system, while also recognizing the role that these Indigenous governance systems can have in promoting democracy within Ethiopia.

"I Used to be Scared to Even Like Stand Beside Somebody Who Had It": HIV Risk Behaviours and Perceptions among Indigenous People Who Use Drugs

Objectives: In Canada, and elsewhere, Indigenous people who use illicit drugs and/or alcohol (WUID/A) experience a disproportionate burden of HIV-related harm. This study examined HIV risk perceptions and behaviours among Indigenous people WUID/A living in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) and the policies and practices that shape inequities and vulnerabilities for them in HIV testing and treatment. Further, we aimed to situate the vulnerabilities of Indigenous people WUID/A in HIV care within the context of wider structural inequality and generate recommendations for culturally relevant and safe HIV treatment options. Methods: This research employed an Indigenous-led community-based participatory approach using talking circles to explore experiences of Indigenous people living with HIV. Under the participatory research framework, community researchers led the study design, data collection, and analysis. Talking circles elicited participants’ experiences of HIV knowledge, testing, and treatment, and were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data were coded line-by-line and codes were organized into themes. Results: Five key themes were identified via the talking circles: evolving HIV risk perceptions (e.g., HIV knowledge and testing, and “intentional exposure”); research as an avenue for HIV testing; HIV treatment and discussions about grief and loss; HIV-related stigma and discrimination; and the importance of culturally-relevant and safe HIV treatment options for Indigenous people WUID/A. Discussion: Our work reveals that Indigenous people WUID/A do not have adequate access to HIV knowledge and education, often limiting their ability to access HIV testing and supports. Participant stories revealed both internalized and community stigma and discrimination, which at times compromised connection with participants' home communities. Further, our findings point to a failure in the public health system to deliver accessible HIV information to Indigenous Peoples, hence, many participants have solely relied on participation in community-based research studies in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) for HIV education and knowledge. There is an urgent need for accessible, culturally safe, and community-based education and treatment options for Indigenous people WUID/A within HIV care.

"Is Water a Human Right?": Priming Water as a Human Right Increases Support for Government Action

Many First Nations homes in Canada do not have adequate water services. This issue is unlikely to be resolved without public pressure on the government. Thus, we investigated one strategy to increase non-Indigenous Canadians’ support for government action: framing water as a human right. Informed by a partnership with Indigenous community members and multidisciplinary collaborators, we conducted seven experiments that sampled non-Indigenous Canadian community members (N = 584) and university undergraduates (N = 274). Overall, framing water as a human right increased public support, relative to control conditions. Further, the human rights frame indirectly increased support for government action through increases in perceived suffering (physical and financial) and empathy. We discuss policy implications and end with a call for action.

Historical Roots of Social Assistance: An Inadequate Response to the Colonial Destruction of Mi’kmaw Livelihood in Nova Scotia

Social assistance and related programs are an important part of life in the 13 Mi’kmaq communities of Nova Scotia. Given the substantive importance of social assistance and related programs in Mi’kmaq communities, it is surprising how little research has been conducted on the subject. This research aims to understand the origins of economic dependence and the related emergence of social assistance among the Mi’kmaq in Nova Scotia. We identify key historical periods and processes that have shaped the current policy landscape. A defining characteristic of social policy on reserve has been the fact that First Nations themselves have had very little say in how programs such as social assistance are designed and delivered. There is hope that a more self-determined and holistic approach may emerge.

San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training as an Educational Intervention: Promoting Anti-Racism and Equity in Health Systems, Policies, and Practices

The San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training Program is an Indigenous-led, policy-driven, and systems-level educational intervention to foster health equity and mitigate the effects of systemic racism experienced by Indigenous people in health and other sectors. Currently, San’yas is being scaled-up across Canada. This article focuses on the following: (a) the pedagogical underpinnings of San’yas grounded in transformational learning principles and Indigenous knowledges; (b) the scope, reach, and scale-up of San’yas as an explicit anti-racism educational intervention; (c) its unique program delivery approaches; and (d) program evaluation trends. We discuss the insights gained from implementing San’yas over the past decade, which will be relevant for leaders and policy-makers concerned with implementing anti-racism educational interventions as part of broader system transformation.

Indigenous Trauma Intervention Research in Canada: A Narrative Literature Review

Contemporary Indigenous mental health research is beginning to address colonization, contextualizing Indigenous health within a history of colonial relationships and inadequate mental health responses. In practice, however, dominant counselling models for mental health in Canada have neglected Indigenous perspectives and there is a paucity of research regarding interventions that address psychological trauma with Indigenous populations. We identified 11 Canadian studies that employed culturally appropriate trauma interventions within Indigenous communities. We discuss the findings in relation to the study participants, outcomes reported, and research design. Recommendations are provided to address the need for evidence-based trauma interventions that have efficacy for Indigenous people in Canada to address Indigenous historical trauma.