bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fenologia de uma espécie arbórea em ecótono Caatinga / Cerrado no sul do Piauí
Authors: Botrel Rejane Tavares , Brito Danúbia Rejane Silva , Sousa Waldeídes Castro , Souza Anderson Marcos , Holanda Alan Cauê
Published: September 2015

O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar a fenologia de uma população natural de Terminalia fagifolia Mart, localizada em ecótono entre os Biomas Cerrado e Caatinga, no município de Bom Jesus, sul do Estado do Piauí. Vinte indivíduos, com distância mínima de 20 metros entre si, foram marcados, utilizando GPS. Os dados fenológicos foram coletados durante um ano e as fenofases observadas foram brotação, desfolhamento, floração e frutificação. Para análise dos dados foram utilizados índices de atividade, intensidade e sincronia, além da correlação de Spearman que avaliou dados fenológicos em conjunto com variáveis ambientais. A análise fenológica indicou presença de todas as fenofases durante o período de estudos, sendo o desfolhamento observado continuamente, variando apenas em seu grau de intensidade. A população estudada apresentou sincronia perfeita entre os indivíduos nas fenofases desfolhamento e brotação. Quanto à correlação de Spearman, os resultados não indicaram correlações significativas entre fenofases e variáveis ambientais.

Phenology of tree species in Caatinga / Cerrado boundary in southern Piaui

Abstract: The aim this work was to characterize the phenology of Terminalia fagifolia Mart. in a Cerrado/Caatinga boundary , in Bom Jesus, Piauí, Brazil. Twenty individuals were marked using GPS. The phenological study was conducted for 1 year and were observed the phenophases sprouting, leaf loss, flowering and fruiting. For analysis of phenological data were used the index of activity, the synchronism index and correlation of Spearman. The phenological analysis indicated the presence of all phenophases during the study period, with defoliation observed continuously, varying only in their degree of intensity. The study population had a perfect synchrony between individuals to defoliation and sprouting. Regarding the Spearman correlation the results did not indicate significant correlations between phenophases and environmental variables.
The Sun Dance and the Gustafsen Lake Standoff: Healing Through Resistance and the Danger of Dismissing Religion
Authors: Shrubsole Nicholas D
Published: August 2015

The revitalization and renewal of traditional indigenous spiritual practices have produced new forms of indigenous religiosity rooted in experience, contact and combination. This paper examines the contemporary Sun Dance, a traditional healing ritual that seeks to address pain and sickness in indigenous communities through religious practice. For some Sun Dancers in both the United States and Canada who seek freedom for indigenous peoples through radical political activism, the Sun Dance has provided courage, validity and deeper meaning in their endeavours. However, when a highly politicized form of the ritual emerged in the non-traditional region of the British Columbia interior at Gustafsen Lake, it led the media, the state, and local elected First Nations leadership to dismiss the ritual as fraudulent. As demonstrated below, a failure to protect sacred sites and ceremonies and to understand the embodied spiritualities that accompany them can lead to violence between religious communities and the state.
Are they like us, yet? Some thoughts on why religious freedom remains elusive for Aboriginals in North America
Authors: Fonda Marc V.
Published: August 2015

It is well-documented that European culture differs from that of Aboriginal culture. Perhaps one of the most striking differences is in the relationships and attitudes each group has towards land. For Europeans the land is a commemorative gift of the creator there to be exploited for economic benefit; for Aboriginal peoples, the land is also a gift but one that a continuing extension of the creator’s immanence in which all things are related to one another. The one is an economic relation, the other a spiritual relation that denotes family. When two very different cultural systems encounter one another, there are bound to be clashes. Regardless, it is the overriding interests of the state that take precedence in countries where religious freedoms are constitutionally guaranteed – but such guarantees apply only insofar as the religions seeking freedom mirrors that of the dominate society. This paper explores these differences in relationships to land and how Aboriginal religious freedom suffers as a result, which has significant impacts on well-being and cultural continuity.
Square Peg, Round Hole: First Nations Drinking Water Infrastructure and Federal Policies, Programs, and Processes
Authors: McCullough Jason , Farahbakhsh Khosrow
Published: August 2015

Despite nearly a decade of targeted federal government efforts to provide potable water to First Nations communities in Canada, drinking water advisories and piped-water infrastructure gaps still persist. An in-depth understanding of technical practitioners’ perspectives and experiences with federal policies, programs, and processes (PPP) may provide unique insight into the challenges behind the issues. To meet this objective, we interviewed 16 First Nations technical staff within the geopolitical boundary of the province of Ontario. Results emphasize the role played by federal government-centric principles that shape policy, and the inflexible nature of the program execution format. This study provides a foundation for understanding the policy translation process and indicates action areas to create supportive policy for First Nations drinking water service provision.
Policing Aboriginal Protests and Confrontations: Some Policy Recommendations
Authors: Hedican Edward J.
Published: August 2015

This paper discusses the role of police forces in Aboriginal protests and confrontations. It takes as a case study the Report of the Ipperwash Inquiry, which was released on May 31, 2007. In 1995 Dudley George, a member of the Stoney Point First Nation, was shot by an Ontario Provincial Police officer during a protest at Ipperwash Provincial Park. Five recommendations are proposed in this paper to reduce the inherent tensions in such protests, focusing on methods of mediation and conflict resolution. In particular, it is proposed that during such protests a more extensive use be made of Aboriginal persons with training and skills in mediation and negotiations in order to improve communication between police and First Nations protesters. It is also evident that government officials need to become more actively involved in resolving land claims, especially before they become flashpoints for violence, and to remove such disputes from the realm of criminal activity to matters of civil litigation.
More Research Needed!
Authors: White Jerry P.
Published: August 2015

We feel it is important to identify research areas that are understudied. Certainly, the impact of economic development on or near Indigenous lands is one such area.
In this issue, we have three feature articles that approach the issue of economic development in terms of policies, impacts, and benefits.
What is clear is that we need a much better understanding of the benefits and perils that come with development. We also need better cooperation between governments, corporations, and Indigenous communities in order to develop effective legislation and fair land use and resource agreements.
IIPJ wishes to encourage those who have studied development issues to submit their work. We will shortly be announcing our intent to create an international database of quality research across a wide range of important subjects. The purpose will be to create an ever expanding, open-access source of research. This database may also contain examples of agreements and rigorous assessments of the projects in order to advance our understanding of the challenges that come with economic development.
Dealing with Culturally Sensitive Areas in Industrial Project Design
Authors: Ehrlich Alan
Published: August 2015

Potential cultural impacts from proposed industrial developments can affect culturally sensitive areas that are important to Aboriginal peoples. These cultural impacts are important for legal, political, and moral reasons and can have a major influence on project approval or rejection during environmental impact assessment. It is in the interest of developers to identify and consider potential impacts on culturally sensitive areas early in the project proposal process in order to design projects that minimize or avoid these impacts. A key strategy is to engage communities effectively in the process. Different types of mitigation measures, including off-site cultural mitigation, may be appropriate for different types of culturally sensitive areas, but avoidance may be the only option for certain non-negotiable areas.
Neighborhood Factors and Language Outcomes of First Nations Preschoolers Living Off Reserve: Findings from the Aboriginal Children's Survey
Authors: Findlay Leanne C. , Kohen Dafna E.
Published: August 2015

Language skills in the preschool period are an important indicator of early development and school readiness for children. However, little is known about the association between aspects of the neighborhood and language outcomes for First Nations children. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of neighborhood structural and organization features, as well as the mediation of these effects, on the language outcomes of First Nations children aged 2-5 living off reserve. Data from the Aboriginal Children’s Survey was examined. Both neighborhood structure and neighborhood organization were important for language outcomes. In addition, mediation effects were shown, suggesting that family-level as well as neighborhood structural variables are particularly important for the language outcomes of young First Nation children living off reserve.
Are We Seeking Pimatisiwin or Creating Pomewin? Implications for Water Policy
Authors: LaBoucane-Benson Patti , Gibson Ginger , Benson Allen , Miller Greg
Published: August 2015

The purpose of this discussion is to describe the worldview and sacred relationship of the Cree people in Alberta, as well as how colonial policy has created despair (pomewin) in Aboriginal communities and a state of disconnectedness from the water. It concludes with the presentation of a framework for the development of policies that seek to repair the relationship between Aboriginal people and mainstream society – with the potential to create the good life, broadly defined (pimatisiwin) for all Albertans (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal). This discussion is based upon the findings of a three-year research project entitled “The Sacred Relationship”. The goals of the project were three-fold: to describe the Aboriginal People of Alberta’s sacred relationship with water, to articulate the Indigenous science practices of Aboriginal people, and to find common ground between Western and Indigenous science.
Cost Implications of Hard Water on Health Hardware in Remote Indigenous Communities in the Central Desert Region of Australia
Authors: Browett Heather , Pearce Meryl , Willis Eileen M
Published: August 2015

The provision of services such as power, water, and housing for Indigenous people is seen as essential in the Australian Government’s "Closing the Gap" policy. While the cost of providing these services, in particular adequate water supplies, is significantly higher in remote areas, they are key contributors to improving the health of Indigenous peoples. In many remote areas, poor quality groundwater is the only supply available. Hard water results in the deterioration of health hardware, which refers to the facilities considered essential for maintaining health. This study examined the costs associated with water hardness in eight communities in the Northern Territory. Results show a correlation between water hardness and the cost of maintaining health hardware, and illustrates one aspect of additional resourcing required to maintain Indigenous health in remote locations.
“Is it Safe?” Risk Perception and Drinking Water in a Vulnerable Population
Authors: Spence Nicholas , Walters Dan
Published: August 2015

Access to safe drinking water is a pressing social policy issue globally. Despite the milestones reached in this area of Canadian public health, marginalized and vulnerable populations, including those founded on racialized identity, such as First Nations, continue to be plagued by accessibility issues. This work sheds new perspective on the issue, arguing for a research and policy focus that is inclusive of risk perception. A model of risk perception of drinking water is developed and tested for First Nations on reserve in Canada using the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey. It is shown that the analytical use of racialized identity advances understanding of risk perception and the environment (water). Moreover, a large degree of heterogeneity within the First Nation population across a number of social determinants of risk perception illustrates the shortcomings of framing the issue in a simplistic manner (First Nation population versus general population). Implications for risk research, including risk communication & management, and policy are provided.
Reconceptualizing Indigenous Parent Involvement in Early Educational Settings: Lessons from Native Hawaiian Preschool Families
Authors: Kaomea Julie
Published: August 2015

Indigenous families are often perceived by teachers and school administrators as disinterested and uninvolved in their children’s education. This article aims to complicate that longstanding stereotype. A detailed, qualitative case study of two Native Hawaiian preschool families reveals compelling counterstories of Indigenous parents who are deeply concerned about their children’s education, but are limited in their family-school involvement by a range of (post)colonial, social, psychological, and economic challenges that make it difficult for them to engage with schools in conventional ways. The study raises awareness of the skillful resolve with which Indigenous families employ their limited resources to support their children’s education. It challenges educators and policy makers to imagine creative possibilities for drawing Indigenous families into collaborative activity with contemporary schools.
Off Balance: Reflecting on the Economic Impacts of Pregnancy in Aboriginal Youth
Authors: Wuttunee Wanda
Published: August 2015

Many Aboriginal leaders are focused on holistic approaches to bring physical, mental, and spiritual health to their citizens, allowing them to participate fully in a community’s future. However, teen pregnancy brings specific challenges that need to be addressed if, indeed, children are the future of Aboriginal communities. This commentary looks at how the tools of community economic development (CED) can be applied to move young parents into positions from which they can participate in local economies. CED can be used to address contributing factors to teen pregnancies that are supportive of youth and appropriate to the community in question. Young parents need support to develop the necessary independence and resilience. This brings challenges to community leadership to take steps to encourage the development of healthy sexuality and lifestyles, and to provide the needed education, training, and other community supports. If youth are the future of Aboriginal communities, the cost of ignoring young parents and their children is much too high to ignore.
International Teen Reproductive Health and Development: The Canadian First Nations Context
Authors: Mann Michelle M.
Published: August 2015

Women’s well-being is dependent on access to reproductive health care. Around the world, however, many women do not have adequate access to this essential health service. Barriers to accessing reproductive health services are especially problematic for Canadian First Nations youth, especially those living in rural and remote communities. This article explores the unique challenges of and approaches to teen reproductive health and sustainable development internationally. The international context of reproductive health and sustainable development can inform and set the context for a discussion of Canadian First Nations teens’ reproductive health. Of special interest is how the United Nations and the international community approached sensitive issues and generated consensus among many different countries, cultures, religions, and customs.
First Nations Teenaged Female Lone Parent Families in Canada: Recognizing Family Diversity and the Importance of Networks of Care
Authors: Quinless Jacqueline M.
Published: August 2015

Using semi-custom data tabulations from the 2006 Census of Population, this article provides a brief statistical description of the socio-economic conditions of female First Nations teenaged lone parents aged 15 to 19 years in Canada. It examines existing formal and informal social and economic support systems available to First Nations lone mother families in multiple family households. These support systems where compared to First Nations lone mothers in single family households as a way to shed light on the varying degrees that informal networks of care may be available to First Nations lone mothers living on reserve, as compared to those living off reserve, who access varying degrees of support from extended family members for the care and nurturing of their children. Despite the dominant Westernized view of the negative impacts that teenaged lone parenting can have on women and their children, this article illustrates that there seems to be a culturally interrelated system, or “networks of care,” available to these women. Such networks of care often have been overlooked in research on lone parenting. There remains much diversity among Aboriginal lone parent families when one accounts for factors such as age of the parent, number of children, living on or off reserve, education, employment, and income. Therefore, the assumption that the social and economic disadvantage of becoming a teenaged lone parent will result in the same circumstances and place all teenaged lone parents at the same “disadvantage” is not necessarily accurate, at least in the First Nation context.
The Structure of Aboriginal Child Welfare in Canada
Authors: Sinha Vandna , Kozlowski Anna
Published: August 2015

Aboriginal children are currently overrepresented in out-of-home care in Canada; this extends a historical pattern of child removal that began with the residential school system. The overrepresentation of Aboriginal children persists despite legislative and structural changes intended to reduce the number of Aboriginal children in care. Several recent developments suggest potential for improvement in services for Aboriginal children and families in the near future. However, greater information about the structure of Aboriginal child welfare in Canada is needed to support program and policy development. We present a broad overview of the variation in Aboriginal child welfare legislation and standards, service delivery models, and funding formulas across Canadian provinces and territories. We draw on this review to suggest specific priorities for future research.
A Community-Based Leadership Development Program for First Nations Women: Revaluing and Honoring Women’s Strengths
Authors: Maranzan K. Amanda , Sabourin Alice , Simard-Chicago Christine
Published: August 2015

Over 400 First Nation women participated in leadership development workshops developed by First Nation women for First Nation women. We collected survey data and conducted focus groups and interviews with workshop participants to identify outcomes and determine barriers and resources to women in leadership. Outcomes of the workshop included increased perception of women as leaders, increased personal capacity, and encouragement to seek opportunities for formal and informal leadership positions. Family and home responsibility, community pressure, and lack of support were identified as barriers faced by women in leadership or considering leadership positions. This program represents an effort to empower women to participate in social, cultural, and political life within their communities and obtain equitable political representation.
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 and Associated Policy: Implications for Aboriginal Peoples
Authors: Kirchhoff Denis , Gardner Holly L. , Tsuji Leonard J. S.
Published: August 2015

Despite Canada’s positive reputation in international circles regarding environmental protection, there are recent signs that this is no longer warranted. Recent changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) clearly present governmental intentions to focus efforts on stimulating economic growth through more rapid resource exploitation at the expense of the environment. Moreover, when assessing the impact of CEAA 2012 on Aboriginal people, one must look beyond the Act itself and take into account other pieces of policy to see the true effects because there are a number of other governmental initiatives that further weaken Aboriginal peoples’ capacity to participate in the resource development review process for undertakings that affect their traditional lands. The result is the silencing of the people who are most affected by resource development.
Policy Research: Good or Bad?
Authors: White Jerry P.
Published: August 2015

Canada went through a tough discussion in July 2013 when it was revealed that between 1942 and 1952 unethical and harmful research was conducted on Aboriginal peoples, most of whom were children. Beyond simply condemning unethical research with Indigenous populations, we need to examine why this happened and understand what the implications and lessons are for "policy research" moving forward. Policy research is a powerful tool when conducted in the proper way. We must never lose sight of the reason we are engaged in the activity: to improve well-being through the improvement of understanding that leads to change. The research process must, itself, be part of the positive process.
Aboriginal Knowledge Infusion in Initial Teacher Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto
Authors: Mashford-Pringle Angela , Nardozi Angela G
Published: August 2015

Knowledge of the Aboriginal socio-political history in Canada has historically been excluded from public education. In Ontario, public school children learn about Aboriginal people at specific times in the curriculum. However, teachers frequently only teach the bare essentials about Aboriginal people in Canada because they do not have adequate knowledge or feel that they lack the ability to teach about this subject. The Ontario Institute of Studies in Education at the University of Toronto has implemented the Deepening Knowledge Project to provide teacher candidates with an increased awareness and knowledge about Aboriginal history, culture, and worldview for their future teaching careers. This article will provide insight into the project and the curriculum developed for working with teacher candidates.
Editors’ Commentary: The Challenges in Improving Indigenous Educational Attainment
Authors: White Jerry P. , Peters Julie
Published: August 2015

Education has been called the “new buffalo” for its potential to contribute to the economic, social, and political well-being of Indigenous peoples in Canada (Stonechild, 2006). Despite gains in education among Aboriginal peoples in Canada, there continues to be gaps in educational attainment. This editors' introduction explores some of the realities underlying educational trends among Indigenous peoples in order to set the stage for the articles in this special edition of the International Indigenous Policy Journal examining educational pathways among Indigenous learners.
Whānau Ora; He Whakaaro Ā Whānau: Māori Family Views of Family Wellbeing
Authors: Boulton Amohia F , Gifford Heather H.
Published: August 2015

This article presents the findings from two studies that investigated the concept of whānau ora (family wellbeing): One examined the nature of resilience for Māori whānau and how resilience relates to whānau ora; while the second investigated the impact of the Working for Families policy on Māori families’ perceptions of whānau ora. In each study, Māori were asked to define whānau ora for their family. The responses to the “whānau ora” definition question in each of the studies were separated out to derive a unique dataset of 46 whānau definitions of whānau ora. A secondary analysis of responses was undertaken specifically for this article and these were compared to the whānau ora outcome definition outlined in the Report of the Taskforce on Whānau-Centred Initiatives (Taskforce on Whānau-Centred Initiatives, 2010). The degree of concordance between the definitions of whānau ora expressed by Māori families and those espoused by the government’s Taskforce is outlined. The article discusses the variability in understandings around whānau ora and the implications of our analysis for social service delivery and social policy development.
Implementing the Policy of the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Authors: Ornelas Roxanne T.
Published: August 2015

On September 13, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly voted to adopt the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). This was an historic event as work on UNDRIP had been ongoing for 30 years before its passage. Today, UNDRIP provides a framework for addressing human rights protections for Indigenous peoples globally. This article examines the significance of UNDRIP as a public policy tool for developing national policy to support future resource and land management consultations that are based on free, prior, and informed consent.
Enacting Kaitiakitanga: Challenges and Complexities in the Governance and Ownership of Rongoā Research Information
Authors: Boulton Amohia , Hudson Maui , Ahuriri-Driscoll Annabel , Stewart Albert
Published: August 2015

This article explores the tensions one research team has faced in securing appropriate governance or stewardship (which we refer to as kaitiakitanga) of research data. Whilst ethical and regulatory frameworks exist which provide a minimum standard for researchers to meet when working with Māori, what our experience has highlighted is there is currently a “governance” gap in terms of who should hold stewardship of research data collected from Māori individuals or collectives. In the case of a project undertaken in the traditional healing space, the organisation best placed to fulfil this governance role receives no funding or support to take on such a responsibility; consequently by default, this role is being borne by the research team until such time as capacity can be built and adequate resourcing secured. In addition, we have realised that the tensions played out in this research project have implications for the broader issue of how we protect traditional knowledge in a modern intellectual property law context, and once again how we adequately support those, often community-based organisations, who work at the interface between Indigenous knowledge and the Western world.
Statistics for Community Governance: The Yawuru Indigenous Population Survey, Western Australia
Authors: Taylor John , Doran Bruce , Parriman Maria , Yu Eunice
Published: August 2015

This article presents a case study of an exercise in Aboriginal community governance in Australia. It sets out the background events that led the Yawuru Native Title Holders Aboriginal Corporation in the town of Broome on Australia’s northwest coast to secure information for its own needs as an act of self-determination and essential governance, and it presents some of the key findings from that exercise. As the Indigenous rights agenda shifts from the pursuit of restitution to the management and implementation of benefits, those with proprietary rights are finding it increasingly necessary to build internal capacity for post-native title governance and community planning, including in the area of information retrieval and application. As an incorporated land-holding group, the Yawuru people of Broome are amongst the first in Australia to move in this area of information gathering, certainly in terms of the degree of local control, participation, and conceptual thinking around the logistics and rationale for such an exercise. An innovative addition has been the incorporation of survey output data into a Geographic Information System to provide for spatial analysis and a decision support mechanism for local community planning. In launching and administering the "Knowing our Community" household survey in Broome, the Yawuru have set a precedent in the acquisition and application of demographic information for internal planning and community development in the post-native title determination era.
Barriers and Levers for the Implementation of OCAP™
Authors: First Nations Information Governance Centre *
Published: August 2015

This article discusses the obstacles to and supports for the implementation of the First Nations Principles of OCAP™, specifically in the context of data holdings within Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) and the Government of Canada. It cites three types of barriers (legal, knowledge and capacity, and institutional) that obstruct OCAP™ and examines how federal legislation such as the Privacy Act and Access to Information Act undermine these First Nations Principles. It continues by exploring supports available to help operationalize OCAP™, including legal, policy, knowledge and capacity-based levers. It concludes by outlining how ANNDC’s increased knowledge about OCAP™ could help support capacity building in First Nations communities.
Identifying Useful Approaches to the Governance of Indigenous Data
Authors: Bruhn Jodi
Published: August 2015

Questions of data governance occur in all contexts. Arguably, they become especially pressing for data concerning Indigenous people. Long-standing colonial relationships, experiences of vulnerability to decision-makers, claims of jurisdiction, and concerns about collective privacy become significant in considering how and by whom data concerning Indigenous people should be governed. Also significant is the on going need on the part of governments to access and use such data to plan, monitor, and account for programs involving Indigenous people.
This exploratory policy article seeks to inform efforts to improve the governance of data between governments and Indigenous organizations and communities – especially the federal government and First Nations in Canada. It describes a spectrum of models arising from the growing literature on data governance in the corporate and public sectors as well as overarching approaches articulated by Indigenous organizations. After outlining certain practical considerations in negotiating data sharing agreements, the article presents a selection of promising initiatives in indigenous data governance undertaken in Canada, the United States, and Australia.
Health Care as Commons: An Indigenous Approach to Universal Health Coverage
Authors: Wong Young Soon , Allotey Pascale , Reidpath Daniel D.
Published: August 2015

Modern health care systems of today are predominantly derived from Western models and are either state owned or under private ownership. Government, through their health policies, generally aim to facilitate access for the majority of the population through the design of their health systems. However, there are communities, such as Indigenous peoples, who do not necessarily fall under the formal protection of state systems. Throughout history, these societies have developed different ways to provide health care to its population. These health care systems are held and managed under different property regimes with their attendant advantages and disadvantages. This article investigates the gaps in health coverage among Indigenous peoples using the Malaysian Indigenous peoples as a case study. It conceptually examines a commons approach to health care systems through a study of the traditional health care system of indigenous peoples and suggests how such an approach can help close this gap in the remaining gaps of universal health coverage.
Structural Racism and Indigenous Health: What Indigenous Perspectives of Residential School and Boarding School Tell Us? A Case Study of Canada and Finland
Authors: Juutilainen Sandra A , Miller Ruby , Heikkilä Lydia , Rautio Arja
Published: August 2015

The objective of this study was to explore, as an example of structural racism, the effects of residential school and boarding school on the self-perceived health of Indigenous peoples’ in Canada and Finland. Structured interviews were conducted at Six Nations of the Grand River and Inari municipality. The individual and intergenerational negative effects included themes of vulnerability (language and cultural loss, fractured identity, and negative self-worth), and resilience (Indigenous identity, language and cultural renewal). Indigenous identity, culture, and language are intertwined and key determinants of health. Further studies about structural racism and a strong Indigenous identity as a protective factor may provide valuable insight into health disparities.
Indigenous Educational Attainment in Canada
Authors: Gordon Catherine E. , White Jerry P.
Published: August 2015

In this article, the educational attainment of Indigenous peoples of working age (25 to 64 years) in Canada is examined. This diverse population has typically had lower educational levels than the general population in Canada. Results indicate that, while on the positive side there are a greater number of highly educated Indigenous peoples, there is also a continuing gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Data also indicate that the proportion with less than high school education declined, which corresponds with a rise of those with a PSE; the reverse was true in 1996. Despite these gains, however, the large and increasing absolute numbers of those without a high school education is alarming. There are intra-Indigenous differences: First Nations with Indian Status and the Inuit are not doing as well as non-Status and Métis peoples. Comparisons between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations reveal that the documented gap in post-secondary educational attainment is at best stagnant. Out of the data analysis, and based on the history of educational policy, we comment on the current reform proposed by the Government of Canada, announced in February of 2014, and propose several policy recommendations to move educational attainment forward.
Intergenerational Patterns of Fertility Among Registered Indian Teenage Girls in Canada
Authors: Amorevieta-Gentil Marilyn , Daignault David , Robitaille Norbert , Guimond Eric , Senecal Sacha
Published: August 2015

In 2004, Registered Indian teenage girls aged 15 to 19 had a 94‰ fertility rate, 7 times the average Canadian rate for the same age group. Despite various general studies on the subject, there has been little interest in the past on the intergenerational character of teenage fertility. Analysis of data from the Indian Register of the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) reveals that, among Registered Indian teenage girls, the fertility of daughters of teenage mothers is systematically higher than for daughters of mothers aged 20 or older. While it is impossible to establish a direct link of causality, the results of this study demonstrate for the first time the intergenerational nature of teenage motherhood among Registered Indian girls.
The Strategic Power of Data: A Key Aspect of Sovereignty
Authors: Schultz Jennifer Lee , Rainie Stephanie Carroll
Published: August 2015

The lack of good data about U.S. American Indian and Alaska Native populations hinders tribes’ development activities, but it also highlights a space for sovereign action. In coming years, tribes will no doubt continue to advocate for better national data and at the same time increasingly implement their own “data agendas” by gathering high quality, culturally relevant information about their communities. With more meaningful data, tribal policymakers can make informed decisions about which policies and programs are right for the task at hand. Strategic data planning empowers tribes to tell their communities’ stories through their own data, and not that of others.
Oil Companies, Reindeer-Herding Communities, and Local Authorities: Rights to Land from the Perspective of Various Stakeholders
Authors: Tulaeva Svetlana
Published: August 2015

This article is devoted to the consideration of land disputes between oil companies and reindeer-herding communities. This research analyzes the legal framework within which the participants of conflict act, with particular reference to legal anthropology. Most of the focus is not so much on formal laws as on the way in which they are understood and interpreted by the participants in relations. It is shown that various groups are guided by different laws and regulations, determining for themselves their priority over others. Emphasis is placed on the role of custom and the way in which it influences the appeal of locals to the state legal system. Starting from the specificity of legal environment, this article explains the use by the participants of conflicts of various strategies to settle them.
Aboriginal Populations: Social Demographic and Epidemiological Perspectives
Authors: Kerr Don
Published: August 2015

This edited collection provides a valuable overview of Aboriginal demography, with a primary yet not exclusive emphasis upon Canadian research. It provides the reader with much insight not only into the major demographic, sociological, and health trends to characterize Aboriginal peoples, but also some of the most serious conceptual and methodological issues that hinder research of this nature. With additional contributions from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, as well as the circumpolar northern regions of Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia, this book also addresses how Aboriginal conditions in these countries may resemble or differ from those in Canada. For this reason, this edited collection is valuable to those who are interested in using demographic, socioeconomic, and epidemiological data as a basis for guiding policy, both in Canada and internationally. The contributions are by and large non-technical in nature and, for this reason, accessible to a wide readership.
Missing Pathways to Self-Governance: Aboriginal Health Policy in British Columbia
Authors: Lavoie Josée G , Browne Annette J. , Varcoe Colleen , Wong Sabrina , Fridkin Alycia , Littlejohn Doreen , Tu David
Published: August 2015

This article explores how current policy shifts in British Columbia, Canada highlight an important gap in Canadian self-government discussions to date. The analysis presented draws on insights gained from a larger study that explored the policy contexts influencing the evolving roles of two long-standing urban Aboriginal health centres in British Columbia. We apply a policy framework to analyze current discussions occurring in British Columbia and contrast these with Ontario, Canada and the New Zealand Māori health policy context. Our findings show that New Zealand and Ontario have mechanisms to engage both nation- or tribal-based and urban Indigenous communities in self-government discussions. These mechanisms contrast with the policies influencing discussions in the British Columbian context. We discuss policy implications relevant to other Indigenous policy contexts, jurisdictions, and groups.
Long Time Overdue: An Examination of the Destructive Impacts of Policy and Legislation on Pregnant and Parenting Aboriginal Women and their Children
Authors: Baskin Cyndy , Strike Carol , McPherson Bela
Published: August 2015

Today, in Canada, Aboriginal peoples continue to experience marginalization, over representation in the child welfare system, and a higher prevalence of poverty and substance misuse challenges. These experiences affect for Aboriginal women in particular because of the oppressive experiences of systemic racism and discrimination they face, including legislation such as the Indian Act and the Child and Family Services Act, which directly targets them. This article is based on a research project conducted in Toronto, Ontario that implemented Aboriginal research methodologies to explore ways to increase collaboration between Aboriginal families, treatment counsellors, and child welfare workers. One significant theme that emerged out of this project was the concept of time as related to policy and legislation that negatively impact Aboriginal pregnant and/or parenting women. In this analysis, we focus on the concept of time as connected to four policy areas that emerged from the findings: historical trauma caused by discriminatory legislation, the family court system, the bureaucracy of child welfare, and the need for further research and long-term solutions.
Canadian Drug Policy and the Reproduction of Indigenous Inequities
Authors: Marshall Shelley G.
Published: August 2015

Canada’s federal drug policy under the Harper government (2006 to present) is “tough on crime” and dismissive of public health and harm reduction approaches to problematic drug use. Drawing on insights from discourse and critical race theories, and Bacchi’s (2009) poststructural policy analysis framework, problematic representations in Canada’s federal drug policy discourse are examined through proposed and passed legislation, government documents, and parliamentary speaker notes. These problem representations are situated within their social, historical, and colonial context to demonstrate how this policy is poised to intersect with persistent racial inequalities that position Indigenous peoples for involvement with illicit substances and markets, and racialized discourses and practices within law and law enforcement that perpetuate Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system.
Problems of Defining and Validating Traditional Knowledge: A Historical Approach
Authors: Matsui Kenichi
Published: August 2015

The United Nations’ agencies and many scholars have regarded traditional knowledge as an alternative to science for the purposes of managing the environment. Many countries have adopted this line of approach and formulated some policy strategies. A number of scholars also have engaged in traditional knowledge research and published their works. Despite a large number of publications on traditional knowledge, there seems to be little consensus about the definition of what traditional knowledge is and how it can be useful for environmental management. This article first approaches this definition problem within a historical context in order to clarify the core issues surrounding the definition of traditional knowledge. It then discusses how traditional knowledge can be validated among parties with different interests so that traditional knowledge research and policy can be more effectively implemented in policy-making arenas.
Leashes and Lies: Navigating the Colonial Tensions of Institutional Ethics of Research Involving Indigenous Peoples in Canada
Authors: Stiegman Martha L , Castleden Heather
Published: August 2015

Ethical standards of conduct in research undertaken at Canadian universities involving humans has been guided by the three federal research funding agencies through the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (or TCPS for short) since 1998. The statement was revised for the first time in 2010 and is now commonly referred to as the TCPS2, which includes an entire chapter (Chapter 9) devoted to the subject of research involving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples of Canada. While the establishment of TCPS2 is an important initial step on the long road towards decolonizing Indigenous research within the academy, our frustrations—which echo those of many colleagues struggling to do research “in a good way” (see, for example, Ball & Janyst 2008; Bull, 2008; Guta et al., 2010) within this framework—highlight the urgent work that remains to be done if university-based researchers are to be enabled by establishment channels to do “ethical” research with Aboriginal peoples. In our (and others’) experience to date, we seem to have been able to do research in a good way, despite, not because of the TCPS2 (see Castleden et al., 2012). The disconnect between the stated goals of TCPS2, and the challenges researchers face when attempting to navigate how individual, rotating members of REBs interpret the TPCS2 and operate within this framework, begs the question: Wherein lies the disconnect? A number of scholars are currently researching this divide (see for example see Guta et al. 2010; Flicker & Worthington, 2011; and Guta et al., 2013). In this editorial, we offer an anecdote to illustrate our experience regarding some of these tensions and then offer reflections about what might need to change for the next iteration of the TCPS.
Improving Business Investment Confidence in Culture-Aligned Indigenous Economies in Remote Australian Communities: A Business Support Framework to Better Inform Government Programs
Authors: Fleming Ann E
Published: August 2015

There is significant evidence that culture-aligned economies are more effective in engaging remote-living Indigenous Australians in work long-term. Despite this evidence, governments remain resistant to investing substantially in these economies, with the result that low employment rates persist. This article argues that governmental systems of organisation are not designed to support non-mainstream economies and this position is unlikely to change. Similarly, the commercial sector lacks confidence that investing in culture-aligned economies will generate financial returns. This article presents a localised, pragmatic approach to Indigenous business support that works within existing systems of government, business and culture. Most unsuccessful programs fail to recognise the full suite of critical factors for sustained market engagement by both business and Indigenous people. This article reports on work to bring all critical factors together into a business support framework to inform the design and implementation of an aquaculture development program in a remote Indigenous Australian community.
Land sparing is crucial for urban ecosystem services
Authors: Stott Iain , Soga Masashi , Inger Richard , Gaston Kevin J
Published: September 2015

The world's cities must grow to accommodate an increasing urban population, and achieving this with minimal impact on ecosystem structures and functions is a major challenge. At opposite ends of a possible development spectrum are “land sharing” – extensive sprawling urbanization where built land and natural space are interspersed – and “land sparing” – intensive and extremely compact urbanization alongside separate, large, contiguous green space. Using case studies across urbanization gradients, we demonstrate that land sparing is crucial for sustaining a majority of ecosystem services. Conversely, some land sharing may also be necessary to ensure that people benefit from urban green space. Future urban development should carefully consider green space provision, to maximize the services provided by urban ecosystems. This can be achieved by optimizing distributions of development intensity across cities by means of top‐down, policy‐led approaches.