2014 Trudeau Summer Institute
Truth(s), Indigenous Peoples and Public Policy
Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa
Osoyoos, British Columbia
12-16 May 2014
Monday 12 May 2014
9 am – 12:30 pm: Induction of new Trudeau scholars
Morning (tentative): Trudeau scholars’ workshop: continuation from 2014 retreat
12:30 – 1:30 pm: Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 pm: First half of workshops on social media and how to write an op-ed, open to all
3:00 – 3:30 pm: Coffee break
3:30 – 5:00 pm: Second half of workshops on social media and how to write an op-ed, open to
all
5:30 pm: Registration opens
6 pm: Buffet dinner and cultural performance
Tuesday 13 May 2014
7:30 – 8:30 am: Breakfast
9 – 9:15 am: Opening of the Summer Institute
Okanagan welcome by Nk’Mip elder; opening words by Tim Brodhead
9:15 – 10:30 am: Reconciliation, Recognition and Resurgence: Understanding the postassimilation policy framework for Indigenous-state relations in Canada (panel)
Since the shelving of Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s White Paper on Indian Policy in 1969, Canada’s
official Aboriginal policy objective has shifted away from assimilation toward recognition and
reconciliation within a rights framework. By discussing the background considerations that
inform government policy initiatives and/or community action, these presenters will speak to the
tensions encountered when recognizing inherent Aboriginal rights within a liberal rights
framework.
MODERATOR: Mentor Jessica McDonald CONFIRMED
3 PANELISTS: 1. Jim Prentice
2. Stewart Phillip
3. Gordon Christie, Professor of Law, UBC http://aboriginal.ubc.ca/faculty/ ;
christie@law.ubc.ca
10:30 – 11:00 am: Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:45 am: Reconciliation, Recognition and Resurgence (breakout sessions)
In this part of the session, the participants will form three groups headed by the three panelists.
They will discuss the panelists’ comments in light of their own experiences before sharing their
insights with the larger assembly.
11:45 am – 1 pm: Lunch
1 pm – 2 pm: Indigenous Education as Canada’s Biggest Social Policy Challenge (Panel
Discussion)
What is the state of education in Indigenous communities in Canada today? Are curricula
bridging the divide between Western education and Indigenous knowledge? What solutions are
Indigenous communities finding for the shortage of teachers, insufficient funding, sometime low
parent involvement?
MODERATOR: Scholar Robyn Sneath, PhD education-Oxford University CONFIRMED
3 PANELISTS: * Deborah Jeffrey, Executive Director, First Nations Education Steering
Committee, Vancouver School Board CONFIRMED
*Mentor Mary Simon on Northern experience and campaign with parents
CONFIRMED
* Verna St-Denis, University of Saskatchewan (expert in Métis and Cree
education: http://www.usask.ca/education/people/stdenisv.htm) CONFIRMED
2:00 – 3:30 pm: Coffee Break and Breakout Sessions
In this part of the session, the participants will form three groups headed by the three panelists.
The panelists will answer their questions and the participants will discuss the issues.
6:00 pm: Dinner with keynote speaker: John Borrows CONFIRMED
Wednesday 14 May 2014
7:30 – 8:30 am: Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30 am: Indigenous Communities and Economic Development
Description
MODERATOR: Mentor Madeleine Redfern, former mayor of Iqaluit, who is negotiating fibreoptic line in Nunavut
3 PANELISTS: *Mentor Clarence Louie, chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band, on the Nk’Mip
experience
* Lewis Cardinal, Edmonton, who can speak to ways to break economic
dependency cycle in communities without a strong resource base: for example
from an urban community
* Caleb Behn (Dene), University of Victoria: how youth see economic
development, fracking, dangers and opportunities CONFIRMED
* Chris Henderson, developer of hydropower in Indigenous communities and
author of Aboriginal Power
10:30 – 11:00 am: Coffee
11:00 am – 12:30 pm: Remembering and Forgetting: The Role of Reconciliation
MODERATOR: Roberta Jamieson:
DUO:
* Mentor Chuck Strahl, former minister of Indian and Northern Affairs who
negotiated TRC with Fontaine CONFIRMED
*Phil Fontaine, former AFN chief who negotiated TRC with Strahl CONFIRMED
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Lunch
1 – 4 pm: Organized free-time activities in the area (visiting vineyards, horse-backing riding, art
trip, etc.)
6 pm: Gala dinner for the graduation of the 2010 Trudeau scholars, with speech by an author or
other creator on the creative process
Thursday 15 May 2014
7:30 – 8:30 am: Breakfast
9 – 10:30 am: Indigenous Law in Canada (Small Sessions)
The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes the right to
Indigenous legal authority. What is the status of Indigenous legal traditions in Canada today?
The moderator will introduce four experts on the question before inviting the assembly to divide
into four groups, each headed by one of the experts who will explain his or her experience before
taking part in a general discussion. The groups will then report to the assembly. Kent and Jean
MODERATOR: Trudeau Fellow Jean Leclair CONFIRMED
EXPERTS:
1. Scholar Johnny Mack (law-UVic) on reviving Nuu-chah-nulth legal traditions
fondationtrudeau.ca/en/community/johnny-mack CONFIRMED
2. Tracy Lindberg, Cree, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Traditional
Knowledge, Legal Orders and Laws, Uottawa and Uathabasca. Expert in
traditional Indigenous governments, Cree laws and the translation between
Canadian and Indigenous laws, Indigenous women and legal advocacy and
activism by and for Indigenous peoples. Spends much of her time working with
Spiritual Leaders, Elders and Indigenous community members recording and
translating laws. Maria’s suggestion CONFIRMED
3. Kahente Horn-Miller, Coordinator, Kahnawà:keLegislative Coordinating
Commission, Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke CONFIRMED
4. Val Napoleon, Law Foundation Professor of Aboriginal Justice and
Governance, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria CONFIRMED
10:30 – 11:00 am: Coffee
11:00 am – 12:30 pm: Indigenous Experiences Within Canadian Law
Many inquiries and courts have found that the Canadian justice system has failed Aboriginal
people and is in crisis as a result. This panel will examine the causes of those failures and explore
what must be done.
MODERATOR: Trudeau Fellow Kent Roach CONFIRMED
3 PANELISTS: 1. Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond CONFIRMED
2. Jonathan Rudin, Aboriginal Legal Association of Toronto WILLING BUT CAN
ONLY ARRIVE LATE WEDNESDAY – NEED ALTERNATE
3. Patti-Ann LaBoucane-Benson, 2004 scholar, Director of Research and
Evaluation, Native Counselling Services of Alberta, who has worked (among
other things) on restorative justice for the victims of domestic violence, a
rehabilitation program for sex offenders in Hollow Water First Nations
CONFIRMED
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Lunch
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm: Imagining the Future
As we deal with the ongoing impacts of colonialism in Canada, how do Indigenous and nonIndigenous actors build capacity and relationships in inter-generational and inter-cultural (international) contexts? What role can art, business, education, and creative processes play in
envisioning and building the future of Indigenous peoples within Canada, and how can these
processes and relationships be used to re-imagine Canada as a whole?
MODERATOR: Mentor Sandy Martin CONFIRMED
4 PANELISTS: 1. Jason Lewis, digital humanities at Concordia and 2014 fellowship nominee on
working with Khanawake youth to imagine the future CONFIRMED
2. Kyla Kakfwi, Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning (Dechinta Bush
University) CONFIRMED
3. Mark Podlasly, Nlaka’pamux First Nation, Harvard business grad
4. Christi Belcourt invited 7 March or (Zoe’s suggestion) Lisa Charleyboy, media
entrepreneur: http://urbannativemag.com/
3:00 – 3:30 pm: Coffee
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm: Forging a New Relationship
MODERATOR:
4 PANELISTS: * 2 Trudeau scholars
* 2 Native youth leaders: Caleb Behn CONFIRMED and Kayla Kakfwi CONFIRMED
5:00 pm – 5:15 pm: Closing of the Summer Institute
Closing address by Tim Brodhead
Friday 16 May 2014
7:30 – 8:30 am: Breakfast
Departure