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Elders & Speakers

Elders

Elder Myrna KicknoswayBoozhoo  Aanii Sago Tansi

My Shognoshi Nozwin is Myrna Kicknosway. I’m a Bodawatomi/Odawa Anishinaabe Kwe of the Loon Clan.  I originate from these lands and waters that are part of Bkejiwanong Territories. I reside at Walpole Island upstream from Detroit/Windsor on the St. Clair River. I’m a mother, Grandmother and great Grandmother.

My back ground and skills have led me to work professionally and voluntarily in the fields of Education, Counselling, Economic/ Employment Planning, Federal Corrections, Environment Activism and Community Development.

My Life Journey, my personal learning and healing are providing me with an ever expanding appreciation/gratefulness for who I am, and the knowledge and wisdom of the ancestors who walked on this creation before me. Helping others is my life purpose opening endless possibilities/ opportunities for resiliency, compassion, joy and forgiveness.

I acknowledge all those men and women, many of whom have passed into that beautiful Spirit realm, who have helped me on my journey. This journey has lead me towards recognition of the inter connectedness of all Humans, the significance of culture, language, traditions and all those elements that help sustain life here, this place I call my mother.

Elder Kicknosway will deliver the opeing address at 8:30am and offer the closing prayer at 4:45pm.

Elder Albert MarshallAlbert Marshall, Moose Clan is an Elder of the Mi’kmaw Nation of Unama’ki (Cape Breton Island), Nova Scotia. He is the ‘designated voice’ on environmental issues serving as the Elder Advisor with the Unama’ki Instittue of Natural Resources (UINR) since 1999. He is a fluent speaker of the Mi’kmaw language, and a passionate advocate of Mi’kmaq culture, healing, and reconciliation. In 2009, Albert and his wife Murdena were awarded honorary doctorates from Cape Breton University for their efforts promoting and preserving Mi’kmaw culture and language. Albert is a proponent of cross-cultural understanding and Etuaptmumk: Two-Eyed Seeing – the idea that combining multiple cultural perspectives will result in clearer focus and better comprehension. He believes that Two-Eyed Seeing is the requisite guiding principle in collaborative/transdisciplinary/transcultural work and integrative science. As collaborative developers and stewards of the Integrative Science program at Cape Breton University, Elders Albert and Murdena spent the better part of two decades working with students, faculty, and researchers encouraging Etuaptmumk awareness.

Albert co-authored Walking Together with Louise Zimanyi. Walking Together, a book dedicated to the children  explains the idea of etuaptmumk (Mi'kmaw for "two-eyed seeing.") Marshall describes it as viewing the environment through human eyes while having the ability to see things from another's perspective — including plants or animals or other aspects of nature.

Marshall is currently using that Two Eyed Seeing framework to help create a Grade 12 environmental studies course. "With my two eyes I see everything from my Aboriginal lens and this is what governs how I should coexist in this wonderful creation of ours," he said."In order to do that, we have to invoke the other lens and constantly seek other perspectives to learn, since we are very much immersed in this multinational make-up of this country." Marshall said another Mi'kmaw principle known as netukulimk is used to help reinforce the actions of two-eyed seeing. Netukulimk sees all living things as being connected and is meant to create an understanding of how a person should live their life on earth.

Elder Marshall will deliver the keynote address Two-Eyed Seeing at 9:00am.

Keynote Speakers

Dr. Kathleen AbsolonKathy Absolon (Minogiizhigokwe – Shining Day Woman) is Anishinaabe kwe who is a community helper, knowledge seeker, knowledge carrier, educator, re-searcher and writer. Kathy is a member of Flying Post First Nation Treaty 9. At the age of 61, Kathy carries truth stories about both a rich cultural history and Canada’s colonial history. Her lifetime of work in decolonial stories and Indigenous education has been informed by her land-based philosophy. Currently, Kathy is a Professor in the Indigenous Field of Study, Masters of Social Work Program in the Faculty of Social Work and the Director of the Centre for Indigegogy at Wilfrid Laurier University. She spent the first 20 years of her life living in the bush in a place called Cranberry Lake.  The land, she says, taught her so much about life and she continues to reflect and draw on her land based teachings.  Her passion for wellness among her peoples and the restoration of Indigenous knowledge in Creation has been one of the driving forces in her life work as an Indigenous wholistic practitioner in child welfare, Native mental heath, youth justice, education, and community work.  Over the last 35 years, her academic and cultural work has been in restoring, reclaiming, re-righting Indigenous history, knowledge, cultural worldviews and making the invisible visible.  She promotes this through Indigenous research methodologies and published “Kaandossiwin, How we come to know” (2011) and in her recently published 2nd edition May 2022 release date (Fernwood Publishing) of Kaandossiwin How We Come to Know. Indigenous re-Search.  She has authored book chapters, journal articles, multi-media projects and other works in wholistic practice, social inclusion, reconciliation, community healing and wellness and Indigenous knowledge.

Dr. Absolon will deliver the keynote address on Indigenous Ways of Coming to Know at 12:30pm.

Dr. Marie BattisteDr. Marie Battiste is L’nu Mi’kmaq, a member of the Potlotek First Nation, and a member of the Aroostook Band of Micmacs in Maine. After 28 years teaching at University of Saskatchewan, she retired as Professor Emerita and has returned to service in her home territory as Special Advisor to the Vice President Academic, Provost and to the Dean of Unama’ki College on Decolonizing the Academy at Cape Breton University.

A graduate of Harvard and Stanford Universities, her passion, research and scholarly work in decolonizing education, cognitive justice through balancing diverse knowledge systems and languages, and protecting Indigenous knowledges have earned her five honorary degrees, an appointment as Officer to the Order of Canada, an elected Fellow in the Royal Society of Canada, five honorary degrees internationally at universities, and multiple awards for her scholarly work and advocacy in Indigenous decolonial education.

She has published widely, notably Decolonizing Education: Nourishing the Learning Spiri (2013), co-authored with J. Youngblood Henderson on Protecting Indigenous Knowledge and Heritage: A Global Challenge (2000), and edited several collections, including Visioning Mi’kmaw Humanities: Indigenizing the Academy (CBU Press, 2016);  Living Treaties: Narrating Mi’kmaw Treaty Relations (CBU Press, 2016); Reclaiming Indigenous Voice and Vision (UBC Press, 2000) and First Nations Education in Canada: The Circle Unfolds (UBC Press, 1995). She also has published widely in journals and with over 70 chapters in books and multiple reports. An international speaker and educator, Marie continues to be a frequent conference keynote speaker, workshop presenter, and consultant on a wide range of topics involving Indigenous education, decolonization, reconciliation and Indigenization of the academy.

She and her husband J.Y. (Sakej) Henderson are parents to Jaime Battiste; a Member of Parliament for the Sydney Victoria riding; Mariah Battiste, an award winning entrepreneur of Sundaylace Creations; and Annie Battiste reconciliation consultant and educator, and grandparents to Jacoby, a prize-winning Kojua and Pow Wow dancer.

Dr. Battiste will deliver the keynote address on Decolonizing the Academy: Indigenous Knowledge and Research at 3:15pm.

Presenters

Dr. Russell EvansDr. Russell Evans is an Assistant Professor of Accounting in the Odette School of Business. 

Russell's Indigenous heritage has roots in both Temagami First Nation (Bear Island) and Matachewan First Nation, and he identifies as both Anishnaabe and European.

His research focuses on the financial accountability relationship between Indigenous communities and their various stakeholders, including membership and the Government of Canada. His educational background includes a diploma in Electrical Engineering Technology, a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education and Kinesiology, an MBA specializing in Managerial Accounting, a Master's degree in Behavioural Accounting, and a PhD in Behavioural and Social Accounting from Queen’s University.

He has a number of years of work experience in various companies and industries including Suncor Energy, Syncrude Canada, Canada Revenue Agency, CIBC, Stelco Inc., U.S. Steel, Brock University, and Queen’s University. He is a former Board Treasurer for both the Indigenous Professional Association of Canada (APAC), the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT), and Matachewan First Nation Limited Partnership (MFNLP). Russell also stays involved in various accounting organizations including the Canadian Academic Accounting Association (CAAA) and Certified Professional Accountants (CPA) Canada.

Russell’s current projects include research work on Indigenous governance, consulting on Indigenous business plans and grants, as well as various initiatives to decolonize post-secondary education in Canada. He is also completing the requirements to become a Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager (CAFM) with the Aboriginal Financial Officer's Association (AFOA) in Ottawa.

Dr. Beverly JacobsDr. Beverley Jacobs, CM, LLB, LLM, PhD, of the Mohawk Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Bear Clan, is recently appointed as Senior Advisor to the President on Indigenous Relations and Outreach at the University of Windsor and she practices law part-time at her home community of Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.  Her research focuses on Indigenous Legal Orders, Indigenous Wholistic Health, Indigenous Research Methodologies, and Decolonization of Eurocentric Law. Beverley has obtained a Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of Windsor in 1994, a Master of Law Degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2000 and a PhD from the University of Calgary in 2018.  Dr. Jacobs is a former President of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (elected 2004 to 2009).

Dr. Jacobs is also appointed as Indigenous Human Rights Monitor with the Mohawk Institute Residential School Survivors’ Secretariat which was established in 2021 to organize and support efforts to uncover, document and share the truth about what happened at the Mohawk Institute during its 136 years of operation.  Dr. Jacobs is also a consultant/researcher/writer/public speaker.  Her work centres around ending gendered colonial violence against Indigenous people and restoring Indigenous laws, beliefs, values, and traditions. A prolific scholar, her published work has earned her numerous awards; her research combined with her advocacy has translated into national and international recognition. 

Dr. Jacobs received the Laura Legge Award from the Law Society of Ontario in 2021 and she was inducted as a Member of the Order of Canada in 2018.  She received two awards from Mohawk College in 2018:  Alumni of Distinction Award and Distinguished Fellow – Adjunct Professor.  In her first year of teaching at the Faculty of Law, University of Windsor in 2017, she received an Office of Human Rights, Equity & Accessibility, Human Rights and Social Justice Award.  In 2016, she received a Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law from the Governments of France and Germany for her human rights fight for the issues relating to missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada.  In 2008, she also received a Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Person’s Case, an Esquao Award from the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women and a Canadian Voice of Women of Peace Award from the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative and Civilian Peace Service Canada. 

Jaimie KechegoJaimie Kechego, Learning Specialist, Indigenization Jaimie Kechego is Anishnaabwekwe from Deshkaan Ziibing (the Chippewa of the Thames First Nation reserve) located near London, Ontario. Jaimie’s academic experience began at the University of Windsor as she pursued her Bachelor of Arts degree. Her professional experience with the University of Windsor began at Turtle Island as the Student Representative for the Aboriginal Education Committee. After graduating from the University of Windsor, she secured a position with the Greater Essex County District School Board as the First Nation, Metis and Inuit secondary school counsellor for eight years. Jaimie went back to the University of Windsor to pursue her Bachelor of Education in 2014 and graduated in 2015. Recently, Jaimie completed her requirements for a Master’s degree in the Field of Educational Leadership focused in Aboriginal Education at Western University.

Dr. Rebecca MajorDr. Rebecca Major is a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario, as is her mother and maternal grandmother, both of whom hold/held Métis membership. She is a descendant of the Northwest fur trade and spent most of her life in her modern community of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Learning from community has been decades-long work and where Dr. Major finds enjoyment and commits much of her time. Dr. Major’s father’s family identifies and is recognized as Mi’kmaw from New Brunswick and her father and his knowledge was also a strong presence in her upbringing.

Dr. Rebecca Major holds a PhD from the University of Saskatchewan in Indigenous Public Policy from the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. Dr. Major’s Master’s degree is from the University of Saskatchewan in Indigenous Studies (formally the Department of Native Studies) in Indigenous land claims with a specialization in Specific Land Claims. Her undergraduate degree was a double honour’s degree in History and Indigenous Studies from the University of Saskatchewan. Additionally, Dr. Major holds a specialization in Indigenous Governance and Politics from the Political Studies Department at the University of Saskatchewan.

Aside from her academic work and experience, Dr. Major spent a couple of years working as a policy analyst for the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan in the departments of Environment and Intergovernmental Affairs, as well as spent one summer as the manager of Intergovernmental Affairs. Following this time, Dr. Major returned to teaching in post-secondary at NORTEP in La Ronge, SK for the University of Saskatchewan, and returned to complete a PhD. During her time as a PhD student and candidate, Dr. Major served as Métis local president in the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan followed by a successful election as the Area Representative for Western Region IIA (Saskatoon Region) for the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, sitting that the provincial and national tables.

In 2018, Dr. Major relocated from Saskatchewan to the Windsor area. Since arriving she’s been involved in the creation of the Indigenous Studies minor and worked in various ways in the local community. Currently Dr. Major holds two SSHRC grants, one to explore Indigenous women’s impact in politics and another for advancing ideas in EDID and Indigenization.

Russell NahdeeRussell Nahdee is from the Walpole Island First Nation and currently lives in the City of Windsor where he worked as the Coordinator of the Aboriginal Education Centre-Turtle Island at the University of Windsor for over 20 years and is involved with several Aboriginal research projects, community boards, and planning committees. He is an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Windsor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology and has experience teaching at both college and university levels. Research activities include projects with Indigenous communities emphasizing working with Indigenous people and the cross-cultural sharing of Indigenous research. He is a former committee member of the Faculty of Arts Humanities and Social Science, Indigenous Scholars Group and is the previous Co-Chair of the Council of Ontario Universities Reference Group on Aboriginal Education (COU-RGAE). He currently works as the Indigenous Learning Specialist at the Office of Open Learning, University of Windsor.

Stephanie PangowishI am from the Six Nations of Grand River Territory and Wikiwemikoong Unceded Territory, but I currently reside in Toronto, Ontario. My educational background is General Arts and Liberal Studies certificate, Law Clerk Diploma, Paralegal Diploma all from Seneca College, a Sociology (Major) and Multicultural and Indigenous Studies (Minor) Honours Undergraduate Degree from York University, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Windsor.

Before attending law school, I worked as a Tenants Right Advocate and an Aboriginal Criminal Court Worker for Aboriginal Legal Services in Toronto, Ontario. I initially chose Windsor Law for my Juris Doctor degree because I witnessed the Windsor Law alumni in the courtroom and was impressed by their thinking outside the box in criminal court matters. I chose to stay with Windsor Law for my LLM because of the fantastic Indigenous professors and that I would be able to ask for their guidance and support.

My thesis is researching the impacts of colonization on the traditional authority of Haudenosaunee women. This is an important topic because Indigenous people have lived with the assumed Canadian sovereignty over Indigenous people. The assumed sovereignty has contributed to violence against Indigenous women, Indigenous women's mental and physical health issues, and Indigenous women's ability to participate in their communities and families.

I hope that my thesis allows other Indigenous students to reference material wrote by another Indigenous student that understands the struggle of navigating our daily colonial systems. After completing my LLM, I plan to article and get called to the Ontario Bar. I want to apply for a Ph.D. program and continue on to be a professor. My favourite thing about Windsor Law is the constant support for the on-going issues that face Indigenous people across Turtle Island (Canada).

Dr. Cynthia StirbysDr. Cynthia Niioo-bineh-seh-kwe Stirbys, PhD (UOttawa), is Lithuanian and Saulteaux-Cree from Treaty 4, Saskatchewan. Having a background in Indigenous health, Dr. Stirbys has worked in areas including: social determinants of health, governance, policy regarding mental health and addictions, gender-based analysis and research ethics. She has worked with IRS Survivors and descendants of survivors in community and in her research. Currently, Dr. Stirbys is a professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Windsor.

Dr. Valerie WabooseDr. Valarie Waboose graduated from Windsor Law in 1993 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1995. Since this time she has practiced and worked in many different places. From 1996 to 2002 she worked as In-House Legal Counsel to the Walpole Island First Nation (Bkejwanong Territory). While working full-time for the Walpole Island Chief and Council she completed her Life Skills Coach Training. 

In addition to a LL.B, she also completed an LL.M in Alternative Dispute Resolution at York University/Osgoode Hall Law School (1999).  In 2002 she moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts and attended the Program on Negotiation for 1 year. Upon returning home she set up a consultant business specializing in policy development, strategic planning, program planning and evaluation, pre-employment training and life skills coaching.  Later in 2005, she returned to school to complete her Ph. D.  In 2016, she graduated from Trent University with a Doctorate in Philosophy. Her Ph. D. dissertation is entitled:  Re-Living the Residential School Experience, An Anishinabe Kwe’s Examination of the Compensation Processes for Residential School Survivors.

In December of 2015 she was successful in a competition for a tenure-track position in the Faculty of Law that commenced on July 1st, 2016. Valarie is delighted to be working at the law school in which she graduated and hopes to see many Indigenous students pass through the doors of Windsor Law while she is here.

Valarie’s teaching philosophy revolves around Indigenous Knowledge and Indigenous Legal Traditions. As a member of the Midewiwin Society her Indigenous Knowledge is interwoven with her pedagogical teaching methodologies utilized within a classroom setting. As an Anishinabe Kwe she believes in sharing her knowledge with non-Indigenous students so that they can better serve the clients when they enter the legal profession.

In the past three years Valarie has been invited to speak at a variety of functions:

2014 – Canadian Indigenous Studies National Association Conference, Montreal, Quebec

Spoke on excerpts from her dissertation:  “Re-Living the Residential School Experience, An Anishinabe Kwe’s Examination of the Compensation Processes for Residential School Survivors.”

2015 – Reconciliation Day, Walpole Island First Nation

Spoke on excerpts from her dissertation:  “Re-Living the Residential School Experience, An Anishinabe Kwe’s Examination of the Compensation Processes for Residential School Survivors.”

2016 – Windsor, Ontario

Child Welfare

2016    - Indigenous Justice Gathering, Niagara Falls, Ontario

Child Welfare

Moderator

Kat PasquachKat Pasquach is Cree and Turtle Clan with her family originating from the James Bay area. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Windsor earning her a Bachelor of Commerce, Honours Business Administration. She is currently the Aboriginal Outreach and Retention Coordinator working in Turtle Island, Aboriginal Education Centre at the University of Windsor. Her role on campus is to provide support services to Indigenous students on campus and to build connections with Indigenous youth across the region.