The June newsletter can be found here.

Aboriginal Statistics at a Glance

The Aboriginal Statistics Program has released Aboriginal Statistics at a Glance (catalogue no. 89-645-X). This publication provides data users with a thematic guide to Aboriginal data at Statistics Canada. It includes data for the First Nations (North American Indian), Métis, and Inuit populations.

The article can be found  here.

Anishinaabe Pedagogy: Deconstructing the Notion of Aboriginal Education by Illuminating Local Anishinaabe Pedagogy

The interdisciplinary field of Aboriginal education continues to be a concern for a number of reasons, not the least of which is defining what the phrase “Aboriginal Education” means to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples, particularly those involved with teaching and learning. Moreover, in attempts to define Aboriginal education, there has been little attention paid to the distinction between the pedagogy of local First Nations’ cultures and the institutionalized field of "Aboriginal education”. This paper aims to look more closely at the concept of “Aboriginal education” by considering what contributes to how it is produced/ developed and consumed/ implemented at the local level. “Aboriginal education” is a modern socially constructed phenomenon that is shaped by Western and Aboriginal learning constructs. In order to reach a deeper understanding of what contributes to Aboriginal education, it is important to look beyond the paired concepts of “Aboriginal” and “education”; terminology that can overshadow contributions at local levels. As a resident of south-central Manitoba, I turn to the local Anishinaabe culture to examine what has been extracted from the life-ways of this cultural community that contributes to what is perceived and being taught as “Aboriginal perspectives” in Winnipeg schools. My intention is to contribute to an understanding of how local and distinct First Nations’ cultures contribute to “Aboriginal education” as a conceptually growing phenomenon in school systems. In so doing, I aim to contribute to the discussion of the meaning of “Aboriginal education” and to illuminate what I consider to be Anishinaabe pedagogy.

The article can be found here.

Respecting the Seventh Generation: A Voluntary Plan for Relocating Non-Viable Native Reserves.

Click here to read it.

An Analysis of Urban Food Security Initiatives in Winnipeg

A literature review about urban food security initiatives in Winnipeg.

The article can be found here.

Aboriginal People Living Off-Reserve and the Labour Market: Estimates from the Labour Force Survey, 2008-2009

While 2007 was a period of general strength in the labour market, in 2008, the labour market underwent a turning point. For the first 3 quarters of the year, employment continued to grow; however, by the 4th quarter, the downturn in the overall economy began to creep into the labour market and employment began to fall. The downturn did not affect all provinces equally though, with Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia experiencing the bulk of employment losses.

This paper will give an overview of the labour market outcomes of Aboriginal people, not just as a whole and by age group, but also when possible by the separate identity groups: North American Indians, Métis and Inuit. It will also distinguish labour market outcomes by province, highest level of educational attainment, and job characteristics (ex. industry of employment). Particular focus will be paid to the change in labour market outcomes before and during the economic downturn, comparing annual average data from 2008 and 2009.

The article can be found here.

Organizations

New links have been added to the 'organizations' page. Links can be found here.

Mortality of Métis and Registered Indian adults in Canada: An 11-year follow-up study

Little information has been published about the mortality of the Métis people of Canada. This study describes mortality patterns among Métis and Registered Indian adults, compared with the non-Aboriginal population.

The article can be found here.

True to Their Visions: An Account of Ten Successful Aboriginal Businesses

Successful Aboriginal businesses create wealth and jobs in Aboriginal communities and Canada at large. This report profiles ten successful First Nation, Inuit adn Metis businesses from across Canada and highlights common challenges and success factors. It provides an Aboriginal business guide and other resources that Aboriginal entrepreneurs can apply to their own businesses.

It also hightlights some of the advantages to partnering with Aboriginal businesses. The findings in the report are based on a comprehensive literature review and interviews conducted with our featured businesses and community members as well as other business leaders - both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal.

Check it out here.

Regina Learning Circle

The Regina circle first convened on June 17th, 2009 and they are up and running! Check here for notes.

A 'Learning Circle on Learning Circles' was held in Vancouver and it was a great success.

Notes will be put up here.