WELCOME TO HEART OF THE NATIONS
"We owe the [Indigenous] peoples a debt that is four centuries old. It is their turn to become full partners in developing an even greater Canada. And the reconciliation required may be less a matter of legal texts than of attitudes of the heart."
~Romeo LeBlanc, February 23, 1996
Purpose Statement
To see the fruit of true reconciliation, there must be awareness of the past, an acknowledgment of the harm that has been inflicted, atonement for the causes and action to change behaviour.
Heart of the Nations is dedicated to spreading the truth about past and present Indigenous injustices using critical theory while providing tangible opportunities to move forward with reconciliation on many levels
Building a society that is based on equality for all, requires an ongoing commitment by all participants, Heart of the Nations is dedicated to the administration of this process.
"We all inherited this, nobody today created Residential Schools, nobody today created the Indian Act, nobody today created the 60s Scoop, we all inherited it and we have to acknowledge that people are healing and people are hurting. Let's do something about it."
~ Chief Cadmus Delorme, Cowessess First Nation, 2021
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
~ Committed to Reconciliation ~
Born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, with a Master's Certificate in Public Policy Analysis (Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy) and a Bachelors's of Adult Education & Training (University of Regina). My concentrations were in Indigenous Studies, Psychology and Community Building. Firmly believing that knowledge is power, I have created an online space to empower the reader with truth and tangible ways to apply it. Only together can we move forward to build a better Canada, one of mutual respect for ALL that live here while understanding and accepting the sovereignty and rights of those that lived here first.
"Racist attitudes toward Indigenous peoples have been institutionally ingrained, but they can be undone. People are not naturally born to be racist-we teach them to be; we model that behaviour for them."
~ Justice Murray Sinclair, TRC, 2014
Building a society that is based on equality for all, requires an ongoing commitment by all participants. What does reconciliation mean to you and what can you do to advance it?
”The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”
~Albert Einstein
Land Acknowledgement
This website was created in Victoria, British Columbia, the land of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples, known today as the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations.
Why am I acknowledging what territory I'm on?
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As a settler in Canada, I am respectfully recognizing the original keepers of the land I am presently on
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Heart of the Nations acknowledgement is not an empty gesture but rather, one chosen to be given out of honour to the peoples who have inherent rights to this land, not just their 'designated' Reserve lands that currently exist. It is an offer of support to the Indigenous peoples who continue to claim what was originally agreed on all across Canada, a demonstration of allyship
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Acknowledging traditional territories shows recognition of and respect for Indigenous peoples, which is key to reconciliation
Find out what traditional territory you are presently enjoying life on and take some time to learn about the peoples that took care of the land you now enjoy.
To Everything,
there is a Season 2022
July 29 - 1st Muharram of Hijri 1444 AH
August 28 - The beginning of the month of Elul
Sept 10th - Harvest Moon
Sept 22nd - Autumn Equinox
September 26 - Rosh Hashanah
September 30 - National Truth & Reconciliation Day
October 4 - Yom Kippur
October 9-16 - Sukkot
Red Dress Day
May 5th is National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit people (MMIWG2S+) in Canada, also known as:
Its Time to End Domestic Violence
This demographic is not being monitored or actively surveyed for much-needed policy/law improvement.
Basic Human Rights begin with (physiological needs) food, water warmth and rest and end with (safety needs) security and safety. It is old news that these two basic levels are needed to have any hope of belonging or feeling loved by others. Without these two basic levels, hope is easily lost and humanity cannot move forward.
... if we weren't influenced by such an individualistic culture, all of the 'stuff' that goes on behind closed doors wouldn't be allowed for very long; people would notice. We have lost our social accountability and our sense of community. There doesn't seem to be much collective responsibility left.
Canadian society is failing due to selfish division; the vulnerable are being forgotten or ignored.
this year, over 400,000 people participated in the Moose Hide Campaign
a step in the right direction
download the guide and take it to your employer or school teacher to request participation in the 2023 campaign
Learn How Sexual Violence Against Indigenous Women was woven into the fabric of Canada's Colonial Beginnings
Access to Justice for Indigenous Adult
Victims of Sexual Assault
Patricia Barkaskas and Sarah Hunt
For the Department of Justice
October 2017
Barriers to justice
While barriers to accessing justice are significant and multiple for Indigenous peoples in Canada, this report highlights the following four pervasive issues that form substantially
barriers for justice for Indigenous adult survivors of sexual assault:
1) the colonial culture
of the Canadian justice system
2) racism
3) fear and mistrust
4) individualized
approaches to violent crime
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Indigenous artist & author spaces available
Click the button below to see an example of an artist's space - email if interested
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Every Child Matters Booties
by Laura Dieter
Order a pair today to display and support local Indigenous Artists
All Canadians have a commitment to reconciliation work
old settlers and newcomers to Canada
University Papers & Further Works
Today we have online access to a fair amount of Indigenous information and more Indigenous issues are being covered in the media. Before 2009 though, online information and media coverage were scarce. I am still ashamed to admit that it was in 2009, in Professor Asikinack's class, that I found out about Canada's shameful history. I was angry, horrified and ashamed, all at once. Needless to say, some of these papers were not written with grace in mind or with respect for Christopher Columbus, the media, the government, or the 'system'. I already toned down the papers once before originally posting them on my University's website in 2010 (their old wiki was taken down in 2015), but I did not want to lose that original feeling of injustice, so I have left them as is. Together as a Nation, we have come a long way since 2009, but there is still much more to learn and DO. I am still learning as I write new education pieces, just with a bit less attitude.
Indian Residential Schools were a crime and Canada’s criminal justice system could
not have cared less: the IRS criminal court cases
by: Thomas L McMahon
Download Report
PG13
Warning: These papers deal with topics that may cause resurfacing of past trauma experienced at residential schools. The Hope for Wellness Help Line is open 24/7 for counselling and crisis intervention for Indigenous peoples across Canada 1-855-242-3310
The above are a few of the proven cases. There were other stories though, I learned that some of the kids didn't get a very good education because they were out on neighbouring farms 'training as farm hands'. I found the following public article to give this perspective.
Child Slavery in Canada’s “Residential School” Prisons
At the same time that slavery was being banned throughout the British Empire, Canadian religious and political authorities embraced Indian residential schools which imposed a system of forced child labour.
By Richard Sanders
The schools, said Miller, “resembled a method of furnishing cheap, semiskilled labour to EuroCanadian homes more than it did a system of advanced training.” The facilities, he concluded, had an “unhealthy emphasis on extracting labour” and “had little, if anything, to do with vocational and trades instruction.” As sociologist Bernard Schissel of the University of Saskatchewan put it, residential schools were part of a “system of child and youth slavery under the guise of mandatory education.” This “forced schooling,” he said, “provided free child and youth labour for farms, industries, churches and households.” The “expressed intent” of Canada’s mainstream churches was not to educate but to “destroy a culture and rebuild ‘Indian’ kids as active participants in the industrial economy.”
Download Article
Oppressive Legislation & Reports
Then and Now
1869 Gradual
Enfranchisement Act
1876 Indian
Act
The Davin Report
1879
Ryerson Report
(Industrial Schools)
Indian Act
Read Online
1969 White Paper
Training Courses Available
If you have taken a good course and believe it should be on this page, please send an email with the course details and where it can be located.
Education Available
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CONTACT
Thanks for your interest in Heart of the Nations education.
For more information, to discuss the posted content, or to suggest additional resources, please feel free to connect
