All Roads Lead to Turtle Island

Featured Keynote Speakers:

Cindy Blackstock: "First Nations Children v. the Federal Government"

A member of the Gitksan First Nation, Cindy has 25 years of social work experience in child protection and Indigenous children’s rights. As Director of the First Nations Children’s Action Research and Education Service (FNCARES) at the University of Alberta, her research interests are Indigenous theory and the identification and remediation of structural inequalities affecting First Nations children, youth and families.

Sarah Clarke:  "Throwing Sand into the Sandstorm: Fighting for Aboriginal Justice in an Unbalanced System"

Sarah Clarke is an associate with Hensel Barristers. Her practice is focused on serving First Nation clients and their members in matters related to Aboriginal and treaty rights, the duty to consult, election disputes, and child welfare disputes.

Cyndy Baskin

Cyndy Baskin is from the Mi'kmaq and Celtic Nations. She is an Associate Professor at Ryerson University. Her teaching and research interests involve working with Aboriginal communities - especially on how Aboriginal world views can inform social work education, Indigenous knowledges, spirituality in social work practice, anti-racist inclusive schooling, anti-oppressive theories and practices, and decolonizing research methodologies.