The Yellowhead Brief

The Indian Department

Stan Williams Image Person at the end of Pier

Straining a gnat but swallowing a camel: Policing First Nation fishers in northern Saskatchewan

Last month, the National Post ran a story titled, “Saskatchewan Launches 16-month undercover sting to catch First Nations man illegally selling $90 worth of fish. Seriously.” This brief contextualizes this instance within a larger context of power relations between government agenda and Indigenous peoples, accountability and surveillance.

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Stan Willams Image, One tree bowing

UPDATE | The 176 Million Dollar Question: Are the Promised Federal Education Funds for First Nations Actually Flowing?

This brief examines the status of the $2.6 billion in new funding promised by the federal government for First Nation education. Since publishing this brief, the Department of Indigenous Services Canada contacted Yellowhead, providing specific information with respect to expenditures in First Nations elementary and secondary education.

UPDATE | The 176 Million Dollar Question: Are the Promised Federal Education Funds for First Nations Actually Flowing? Read More »

This Is Indian Land - Stan Williams

Introducing Yellowhead Institute: Indigenous Strategies for Transformative Change

On October 23, 2018, Yellowhead Institute held an official launch event centred on the pending Indigenous Rights, Recognition and Implementation Framework legislation. Here, we share highlights from the event and panel discussion, where three key themes emerged regarding the framework: Regional Contexts, Exclusion of Women, Queer, Trans and Two-Spirit Perspectives and Treaties, Relationship and the Land.

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Stan Willams Image, One tree bowing

Ewert v Canada: Supreme Court of Canada decides that systemic racism doesn’t make you a riskier offender

From the very first encounter with police, contact with the criminal justice system for Indigenous people is loaded with disproportionate penalties. A recent Supreme Court of Canada decision of R v Ewert finally recognized the critical role played by Correctional Service Canada that may be unjustly keeping Indigenous peoples behind bars for longer, under far worse conditions than their non-Indigenous incarcerated counterparts.

Ewert v Canada: Supreme Court of Canada decides that systemic racism doesn’t make you a riskier offender Read More »

Stan Williams Image Golf Course

Better Late Than Never? Canada’s Reluctant Recognition of Métis Rights and Self-Government

While the emerging rights framework is certainly limited and based on the flawed presumption of Canadian sovereignty over Indigenous lands and peoples, this new channel of dialogue with the Crown for the Métis National Council, its five governing members, and the Métis Settlement General Council is itself a fairly profound development.

Better Late Than Never? Canada’s Reluctant Recognition of Métis Rights and Self-Government Read More »

Stan Williams Image: Playing in the streets in winter

On the Road to the New Reserve: Considering Canada’s Preferred Path to Land Restitution

Since 1987, Additions to Reserve Policy (ATR) has been Canada’s pathway for First Nations to create new reserves. Two years have passed since INAC finalized the most recent ATR policy. This brief reviews the impacts of changes and the challenges that still need to be addressed.

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