The Yellowhead Brief

Social Policy

Place Names Brief Image

Reclaiming Indigenous Place Names

Indigenous peoples in Canada are working to restore their place names and revitalize their languages after colonial policies and law sought to eradicate them. This brief offers several examples of Indigenous nations who are actively reclaiming jurisdiction to their lands, and provide recommendations for how federal and provincial/territorial governments can help to undo some of these past harms and injustices.

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Stan Williams Image Golf Course

The Current State of Indian Gaming in Alberta: Are First Nations Subsidizing the Province?

Since the establishment of Alberta’s First Nations Gaming Policy in 2001, Indian Gaming in the province has been a much discussed topic. To date, a majority of the discussions and questions revolve around the way revenue generated on-reserve through gaming is distributed. This is an important conversation, and one that requires a renewed debate on how the revenue is shared. This Brief considers the current formula, highlights some inequities, and hopefully opens the space for more critical questions.

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Stan Willams Image, One tree bowing

How Canada’s proposed Indigenous Languages Act fails to deliver

Bill C-91 is headed for third reading in Parliament, with time to still amend and improve it. This brief provides a critical analysis of the Bill, highlighting issues that need to be addressed including its problematic funding model and how it outlines general objectives without any corresponding positive obligations on the Government.

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Stan Williams Image: Playing in the streets in winter

Education and Crown Paternalism: Reviewing the New On-reserve Education Funding Model

Leslee White-Eye provides a critical analysis of the ‘new’ approach to funding First Nations schooling on-reserve, the Interim Funding Approach (IFA). The brief explicates why this approach remains rooted in colonial ‘Indian’ federal education policies and offers the requirements for a strong First Nation led model of education.

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