Two Cents Blog
British Columbia leads with five-year-plan to implement UNDRIP
Hill Times April 25, 2022 In 2019, British Columbia legislated to review provincial laws to…
Remorse and reparations are what makes apologies real
Hill Times April 11, 2022 What makes a good apology? The senior leader needs to…
When will the Thunder Bay Police be held to account?
Hill Times March 28, 2022 A few years ago, I attended a memorial for a…
War, hate, propaganda … what’s next?
Hill Times March 14, 2022 Evidence is growing that Russia is perpetrating war crimes against…
Conservative party will do anything to get votes
Hill Times February 28, 2022 Are elected officials who cheered on the occupation a threat…
See something, say something, do something
Hill Times February 14, 2022 Nazi military names and colours worn openly on the street….
Leadership in an age of disinformation is impossible without respectful relationships
Hill Times January 31, 2022 Aggressive convoys, conflicts, and wars all share a similar foundation—a…
Instead of fining the unvaccinated, let’s fine the politicians who fan the flames
Hill Times January 17, 2022 Quebec Premier François Legault is forging a unique approach again:…
It’s not the first time a government tried to restrict what people can wear
Hill Times December 20, 2021 Elementary school teacher Fatemeh Anvari was forced out of her…
There is no doubt the RCMP is a failed institution
Hill Times, December 6, 2021 It must be nice to not to fear the national…
Pretendians in our midst
Hill Times November 8, 2021 Pretendian: Canadian of settler descent and values who claims to…
Legislate reconciliation, take it out of the whims of partisan politics
Hill Times October 25, 2021 When Germany was defeated in World War II, infrastructure was…
Might be time for Trudeau to bring on an Indigenous Elders’ Circle to provide advice
Hill Times October 11, 2021 On Sept. 29, the prime minister gave a particularly good…
What does it take to do real reconciliation?
Hill Times, September 29 2021 Six years after the release of the Truth and Reconciliation…
Don’t rush to raise the flag just yet
Hill Times September 20, 2021 It’s been four months since the news broke of 215…
Election or no, respect still missing in Canadian politics
Hill Times, September 6, 2021 Let’s have an election! Why, asked the people? No good…
Once again, Indigenous trauma falls off the radar
Hill Times, August 23 2021 If we have to do an election, then let’s talk…
The most vulnerable of our society are being left behind
Hill Times August 9, 2021 I had the misfortune of touring a long-term care facility…
Time to dismantle Indigenous Affairs, ban feds from Indigenous education and child welfare, prosecute church leaders
Hill Times July 26, 2021 What does accountability look like in the face of mass…
Simon’s appointment represents hope and change
Hill Times July 12, 2021 Mary Simon’s appointment represents the type of change required for…
This Canada Day is about remembering the thousands of children who demand to be heard
Hill Times June 28, 2021 Kamloops. Brandon. St. Anne’s. Marieval. And the list grows. The…
Why National Indigenous Day is important for all Canadians
Hill Times, June 14 2021 June 21 is National Indigenous Day, the summer solstice. Many…
Canada is in an identity crisis, and Canadians are appalled
Hill Times June 7, 2021 OTTAWA—Warning: this story contains distressing details. Following the announcement of…
Quebec is on the land of Indigenous Nations whether you like it or not
Hill Times May 31, 2021 Quebec Premier Legault wants to increase the use of French…
Time to address the age of #MeToo in First Nations organizations
Hill Times May 17, 2021 Once upon a time, not so long ago, First Nations…
Are apologies enough when a political leader refuses to represent some Canadians?
May 3, 2021 Are apologies enough when a political leader refuses to represent some Canadians? Just…
Open the black-box relationship between public health officers and politicians
Hill Times April 19, 2021 Did you know that about 140 countries had zero new…
A change is going to come
Hill Times April 5, 2021 Don’t talk about racism. It’s a sign that there may…
Status card list for First Nations is a hot mess
Hill Times March 22, 2021 I am status, card-carrying First Nations—the federal government calls me…
Indigenous Services Canada is not up to the task to fix drinking water on reserves
Hill Times March 8, 2021 “When it comes to the safety of drinking water, residents…
The fight about academic freedom in Canada is whitewashed
Hill Times February 22, 2021 Quebec Premier François Legault used social media on Facebook last…
Inequitable health outcomes for Indigenous peoples is the measure of racism in the system
Hill Times February 8, 2021 Institutional racism is strong in many sectors, but it’s life…
Canada should pass an order in council against systemic racism
Hill Times January 25, 2021 My family watched the inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden….
Will 2021 be any better than 2020?
Hill Times January 11, 2021 The first five days of 2021 seemed promising, until the…
A timely gift this season could be Canada taking a stand against racism
Hill Times December 14, 2020 The original intent of First Nations reserves was noted by…
When knowing a little about a lot goes wrong
Hill Times November 30, 2020 There was a day and age when the federal government…
Infrastructure gaps for Inuit are critical
Hill Times November 16, 2020 Did you know that infrastructure gaps for Inuit are critical?…
Leadership requires decisive action when the lives of citizens are at stake
Hill Times November 2, 2020 Canada has a value of finding the middle ground and…
The benefit of the doubt is rarely given to Indigenous Canadians
Hill Times October 19, 2020 If 200 First Nations had committed the actions seen on…
Failure and success in Indigenous health
Hill Times October 3, 2020 On Monday, Sept. 28, Joyce Echaquan from Atikamekw died in…
Throne Speech writers must reflect Indigenous views
Hill Times September 23, 2020 The OPP is arresting journalists, and Throne-Speech writers need to…
The case for an Indigenous Party in Canada
Hill Times September 7, 2020 What about a new political structure to bring about change—the…
Indigenous parliament could give stronger voice to Indigenous peoples
Hill Times, August 24, 2020 COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on the cracks in Canada’s…
Ottawa, we have a problem: reconciliation requires structural changes on the Hill
Hill Times August 10, 2020 In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released the 94…
Work of reconciliation and anti-racism held back by performative action
Hill Times July 27, 2020 It’s been five years into reconciliation and there’s been a…
Forty-nine days of racism in the news
Hill Times July 13, 2020 It’s been 49 days since George Floyd died. It has…
Systems are made up of people, systemic racism is based in people
Hill Times June 29, 2020 Racism is harmful. Racism simply says there is no room…
Speak out against racism, demand wholesale change in Canada’s police forces
Hill Times June 15, 2020 In the second quarter of 2020, racism and police brutality…
Why the word ‘Elder’ is more than just a word
Hill Times June 1, 2020 The Canadian Forces Health Services Group has stepped into the…
Women leaders are running this country, and we should keep it that way
Hill Times May 18, 2020 One really couldn’t say I’m a raging feminist, but I…
Canada’s justice system is in crisis, and it isn’t news
Hill Times May 5, 2020 On a snowy day in another life, I had the…
Why we need race-based data on COVID-19
Hill Times April 20 2020 With more than 30,000 Canadians tested or presumed to have…
The month we learned that mental health is everybody’s responsibility
Hill Times April 6 2020 In March of 2020, the world went into lockdown. We…
Stay safe
Hello IRG Clients, colleagues, and friends, We are all adjusting to a new way of…
What the coronavirus shutdown might mean for Indigenous policy
Hill Times March 23 2020 Anybody else waking up each morning, and dreading picking up…
Why we need more Indigenous heroes
Hill Times March 9 2020 On Friday, March 6, Canada’s largest celebration of Indigenous leadership…
We’re adding to the crisis in the relationship with Indigenous peoples
Hill Times February 24 2020 We are adding to the crisis in the relationship with…
We need to stop the epidemic of racist health care against Indigenous peoples
Hill Times February 10 2020 There is a pervasive stereotype in the health-care system that…
Correctional investigator’s scathing report illustrates Canada’s refusal to protect its own citizens
Hill Times January 27 2020 Last week the Office of the Correctional Investigator issued a…
Build understanding, build respect: how hard could it be?
Hill Times, January 13 2020 I teach about cultural competence and the lack of understanding…
Imagine a different future for Indigenous Canada
Hill Times December 16, 2019 I was going to write about the new federal cabinet….
Do we have a responsibility to do something about Thunder Bay?
Hill Times, December 2 2019 Credit R.LeMay A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity…
It’s a new day for Indigenous Rights in Canada
#Elxn43 report card: needs improvement for Indigenous inclusion
Let’s talk about a different model of governance
When is an apology good enough?
Hill Times September 23, 2019, Rose LeMay As most Canadians, I watched the brownface incident…
The myth and opportunity of the Indigenous vote
Hey Allies! Do the work.
As people gathered to mark and celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day this past June 21,…
Indigenous women and girls go missing every day in this country
On May 5, Canadians will wear red in memory of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous…
What is new is not new: Why we need diversity in mental health
By Lisa Zimmerman, Manager of Equity Programs At a training program last summer, I was…
Sponsor of the First Nations Health Managers Association
The IRG was the platinum sponsor of the 2018 conference of the First Nations Health…
Proud to support Tanya Talaga
With acknowledgement to Tanya Talaga. The Indigenous Reconciliation Group was honoured to support Anishnabe author…
Statues, history and commemorative intent
Recently in Canada and Scotland, there has been renewed debates about the presence of statues…
New Year, same old racism
As January comes to an end we find ourselves in the midst of strange days….
The “how to” of reconciliation
When the Truth and Reconciliation Commission started to communicate and share the truths of the…
Avoid the offensive costumes this Hallowe’en
As the leaves change colour and most people are stuffed with turkey, I am hopeful…
Collaboration not appropriation
When it comes to the world of fashion, there are countless examples of cultural appropriation…
Back to School
September is here and in cities across Canada many parents are picking up last minute…
What is reconciliation?
Based on a speech given by Rose LeMay, at the public launch of the IRG….
A new GG and a missed opportunity
By Destine Lord, IRG director and proud Canadian of Afro-Caribbean descent There is no doubt…
Reconciliation might be like spring after a long winter
Posted in the Two Cents Blog on April 7, 2017. It was a long winter…