bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digital Divides and the 'First Mile': Framing First Nations Broadband Development in Canada
Authors: McMahon Rob , O'Donnell Susan , Smith Richard , Walmark Brian , Beaton Brian , Simmonds Jason
Published: August 2015

Across Canada, rural and remote First Nations face a significant 'digital divide'. As self-determining autonomous nations in Canada, these communities are building broadband systems to deliver public services to their members and residents. To address this challenge, First Nations are working towards a variety of innovative, locally driven broadband development initiatives. This paper contributes a theoretical discussion that frames our understanding of these initiatives by drawing on the paradigm of the 'First Mile' (Paisley & Richardson, 1998). We argue that broadband development policy in Canada must be re-framed to address the specific needs of First Nations. The First Mile position foregrounds community-based involvement, control, and ownership: a consideration we suggest has particular resonance for First Nations. This is because it holds potential to move beyond the historical context of paternalistic, colonial-derived development policies, in the context of broadband systems development. We argue First Nations broadband projects offer on-the-ground examples of a First Mile approach, and call for more research in this area.
Conservancies in British Columbia, Canada: Bringing Together Protected Areas and First Nations' Interests
Authors: Turner Katherine L , Bitonti Christopher P.H.
Published: August 2015

The new protected area (PA) designation of Conservancy in British Columbia, Canada marks a positive shift in government policy concerning PAs and the role of First Nations in provincial land and resource management and conservation. We present a review of the Conservancy designation within a legal and political ecology context, and assess some of the related opportunities and challenges presented by this new designation. Our data were gathered through document, literature and legal reviews, complemented by field research observations and personal communications with key informants from the Gitga'at First Nation.
Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Settling the Past?
Authors: Stanton Kim
Published: August 2015

The Indian Residential Schools (IRS) system has been referred to as “Canada's greatest national shame”. The IRS system is now the subject of the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Unlike other truth commissions that have been created due to regime change, where a majority of citizens sought a truth-seeking process, Canada’s TRC arose as a result of protracted litigation by survivors of the IRS system against the government and churches that ran the schools. This article reviews the genesis of TRC in a legal settlement agreement, along with some of the challenges this origin entails.
The Three R’s of Seeking Transitional Justice: Reparation, Responsibility, and Reframing in Canada and Argentina
Authors: Bonner Michelle , James Matt
Published: August 2015

In Canada an officially mandated truth commission inquiring into the forced assimilation and abuse of Indigenous children in state-organized and funded residential schools raises profound and in many ways quite novel questions about transitional justice concerning Indigenous peoples in advanced capitalist societies. This article compares the Canadian case with that of a quintessential transitional justice pioneer: Argentina. Focusing on the efforts of justice-seekers in each country, it reveals similarities in their respective pursuits of what the article identifies as three important transitional justice goals: reparation, responsibility and reframing. However, the article also finds a crucial difference between the two cases. This difference is that justice seekers in Argentina have placed a heavy emphasis on social and political accountability, a goal that, in various ways, has received much less attention in the Canadian case. We conclude that this absence raises broader issues about transitional justice processes in countries marked by ongoing legacies of anti-Indigenous colonialism—issues that Canadians from the settler society, in particular, must begin urgently to address.
Introductory Essay: Traditional Knowledge, Spirituality and Lands
Authors: Fonda Marc
Published: August 2015

In times like ours, when people are inundated with notions of consumerist identities, culture is often seen mainly as a resource to be tapped into for economic development. This certainly is true of blatant consumerist culture produced by such economic behemoths as Hollywood, but it is a narrow view on the importance and functions of culture. The objective of this issue of the International Indigenous Policy Journal is to demonstrate the radical importance of culture and spirituality in not only defining a people and their society but also in affecting their well-being and how these things are all interrelated.
Eco-Cosmologies and Biodiversity Conservation: Continuity and Change among the Karbis of Assam
Authors: Sarma Ujjal Kumar , Barpujari Indrani
Published: August 2015

Eco-cosmologies of indigenous communities which regard the world of humans and the world of nature as closely related to each other, and rites and rituals based on such belief systems are important for the conservation of nature. The objective of this paper is to examine how the culture, particularly the cosmologies and religious beliefs of a indigenous tribal group-the Karbis living near Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India have insinuations for the conservation of natural resources. Based on fieldwork conducted in two Karbi villages, one still adhering to the traditional religion with a deep seated reverence for nature and all life forms, and the other which has converted to a new religion, the paper throws light on the changes and challenges to the indigenous ecological ethos in the present context.
Traditional Indigenous Approaches to Healing and the modern welfare of Traditional Knowledge, Spirituality and Lands: A critical reflection on practices and policies taken from the Canadian Indigenous Example
Authors: Robbins Julian A , Dewar Jonathan
Published: August 2015

Traditional Indigenous Approaches to Healing and the modern welfare of Traditional Knowledge, Spirituality and Lands: A critical reflection on practices and policies taken from the Canadian Indigenous Example
In order for traditional knowledge to be maintained and to develop, it has to be practiced. Traditional healing provides a vehicle for this to occur. In Canada, the spiritual revitalization of Indigenous communities and individuals often involves the use numerous components of traditional healing. These elements are reflected most clearly at the grassroots level, however, current Indigenous programs delivered by Indigenous and governmental agencies have made some accommodating efforts as well. Perhaps most importantly, traditional knowledge and Indigenous spirituality hinges on the maintenance and renewal of relationships to the land. Indigenous land bases and the environment as a whole remain vitally important to the practice of traditional healing.
A focus on Indigenous healing, when discussing Indigenous knowledge systems and spirituality, is paramount today due to the large scale suppression of Indigenous cultural expressions during the process of colonization. With respect to policy, there appears to be a historical progression of perception or attitude towards Indigenous traditional healing in Canada from one of disfavour to one favour. There are nevertheless continuing challenges for traditional healing. Mainstream perceptions and subsequent policy implementations sometimes still reflect attitudes that were formulated during the decline of traditional healing practice during colonization processes.
As a consequence the ability for particular communities to maintain and use their specific understandings of Indigenous knowledge continues encounter obstacles.
Indigenous Knowledge systems are living entities and not relics of the past. Today, these knowledge systems are still greatly being applied to help Indigenous communities and Indigenous people recover from intergenerational pain and suffering endured during the colonization process. Future policy development and implementation should aim to support Indigenous peoples and communities when they decide to learn about, maintain and build upon the knowledge amassed by their ancestors.
Conservation Controversy: Sparrow, Marshall, and the Mi’kmaq of Esgenoôpetitj
Authors: King Sarah J
Published: August 2015

This paper explores the interplay between the Sparrow and Marshall decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada, and the sovereigntist and traditionalist convictions of the Mi’kmaq of the Esgenoôpetitj/Burnt Church First Nation, as expressed in the conservationist language of the Draft for the Esgenoopotitj First Nations (EFN) Fishery Act (Fisheries Policy). With the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Sparrow, conservation became an important justification available to the Canadian government to support its regulatory infringement on aboriginal and treaty rights. Ten years later, in Marshall, the Court recognized the treaty rights of the Mi’kmaq to a limited commercial fishery. The EFN Fishery Act, written to govern the controversial post-Marshall fishery in Esgenoôpetitj (also known as the Burnt Church First Nation) demonstrates that for the Mi’kmaq, scientific management, traditional knowledge, sovereignty and spirituality are understood in a holistic philosophy. The focus placed on conservation by the courts, and the management-focused approach taken by the government at Esgenoôpetitj have led to government policy which treats conservation simply as a resource access and management problem. Conservation, which the Court deems “uncontroversial” in Sparrow, is a politically loaded ideal in post-Marshall Burnt Church.
Managing the Sacred Lands of Native America
Authors: Ornelas Roxanne T.
Published: August 2015

This research paper is a review of ten years of sacred lands management and policy in the United States. The author reports from the unique position of having been involved in national and international meetings with communities of indigenous peoples and intergovernmental stakeholders during this time. Discussion includes an historical overview of such topics as environmental justice and the 2001 Native American Sacred Lands Forum, one of the first national meetings in the United States to specifically address the sacred lands of Native Americans. Further discussion draws attention to the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007 as a gateway to better sacred lands management and policy for Native Americans in the future.
Returning to Netukulimk: Mi’kmaq cultural and spiritual connections with resource stewardship and self-governance
Authors: Prosper Kerry , McMillan L. Jane , Davis Anthony A. , Moffitt Morgan
Published: August 2015

Recent global initiatives such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples have brought the issues facing and needs of indigenous peoples to the forefront of international attention. While underscoring respect for traditional practices, these initiatives have yet to appreciate fully the extent to which indigenous peoples’ practices engage ways of being, living and believing that encompass a holistic understanding of the relations between humans and all facets of their ecosystem. The Mi’kmaq, the indigenous people of Maritime Canada, capture and express their holistic understanding through the concept of Netukulimk. In this essay we review core attributes of Netukulimk. We also review key moments in the colonialization assault on Netukulimk as a primary means for subordinating and marginalizing the Mi’kmaq. We close the essay with an overview and discussion of recent developments wherein the Mi’kmaq are working to revitalize the place of Netukulimk in treaty-based rights and Mi’kmaq law-ways, particularly within self-governance and resource stewardship initiatives. The Mi’kmaq experiences provide insights regarding the challenges and requirements for achieving respect for traditional practices as key to affirming the rights of indigenous peoples.
The Importance of Belief Systems in Traditional Ecological Knowledge Initiatives
Authors: Reo Nicholas J
Published: August 2015

Resource managers are increasingly engaging with tribes and first nations and looking for methods to incorporate their perspectives, priorities and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into public land and resource management. Many initiatives that engage tribes and their TEK holders only seek tribal input, such as biological data, that is most easily integrated into existing management structures. Increasing attention on tribal belief systems would provide a more holistic understanding that could benefit TEK-related initiatives. Such a shift could reduce misunderstandings about tribal natural resource perspectives and lead to insights valuable for society at large.
Ensuring Equitable Distribution Of Land In Ghana: Spirituality Or Policy? A Case Study From The Forest-Savanna Agroecological Zone Of Ghana
Authors: Awuah-Nyamekye Samuel , Sarfo-Mensah Paul
Published: August 2015

This article explores the pent-up question of equitable distribution of land in Ghana using the Forest-Savanna Agroecological Zone as a case study. It focuses on the dichotomy of policy versus indigenous spirituality in contemporary distribution of land in Ghana. After independence several attempts have been made to restructure land title holding in Ghana by way of land registration. The effectiveness of these attempts is also examined. The paper concludes that Ghana needs pragmatic steps (policies) to confront the challenges of land distribution. And in taking these pragmatic policies, the religio-cultural underpinnings (the people`s worldview) of land issues in Ghana should be factored into the policy that will result. Anything short of this will make the implementation of any land policy in Ghana ineffective.
Sense of Belonging in the Urban School Environments of Aboriginal Youth
Authors: Richmond Chantelle AM , Smith Dawn , The Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health *
Published: August 2015

It is well established that educational attainment and social support are critical social determinants of health among Aboriginal Canadians. Still, the gap in educational attainment with non-Aboriginal Canadians continues to grow, and little is known about the role of social support as a health determinant among Aboriginal youth. In collaboration with The Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health (Ottawa, Canada), we undertook focus groups with urban Aboriginal youth at-risk to examine perceptions of their urban school environments, including access to social support. Data were analyzed using a general inductive approach. Results indicate that youths’ perceived level of trust is key to the uptake of social support and vital to fostering sense of belonging. Youth identified social support as both structural and functional; the former being a symbol of the ‘potential to help’ and the latter representing ‘actual help.’ The unique challenges endured in the home environments of Aboriginal youth at-risk means that teachers and staff must be prepared to provide forms of support that are responsive to these realities. Part of the solution will come from implementing measures of cultural safety that support the resources needed for Aboriginal youth at-risk to experience sense of belonging, thereby making urban schools places where youth will achieve their educational goals.
Regionalization as an Opportunity for Meaningful Indigenous Participation in Healthcare: Comparing Canada and New Zealand
Authors: Lavoie Josée G , Boulton Amohia Frances , Gervais Laverne
Published: August 2015

In Canada and New Zealand, policies support Indigenous participation in the planning and delivery of community-based primary health services. However, these services represent only a fraction of the health services accessed by Indigenous peoples. In New Zealand, legislation enacted in 2000 introduced mechanisms to ensure that Māori have a voice in the decisions made by health boards. In Canada, neither policies nor legislation currently ensure that Aboriginal communities are represented in provincial health systems or regional health boards. The New Zealand experience shows that adding mechanisms of participation to legislation and policies creates opportunities for Māori and health boards to engage in discussions about how to best allocate resources to reduce disparities between Māori and non-Māori health outcomes. In Canada, this dialogue may not occur. Requiring that such mechanisms be created in all Canadian jurisdictions would establish meeting places for dialogue, and assist in closing policy and access gaps that remain.
Mãori Customary Law: A Relational Approach to Justice
Authors: Vieille Stephanie
Published: August 2015

This research paper examines the philosophy of justice embodied in tikanga Mãori, the Mãori traditional mechanism and approach to doing justice. Based on several months of fieldwork in New Zealand, this study contends that the Mãori approach to justice adopts a holistic and relational lens, which requires that justice be seen in the context of relationships and crimes dealt with in terms of the relationships they have affected. As a result, justice must be carried out within the community and the process owned by community members. Further discussion draws attention to the response of Mãori communities to the New Zealand government’s attempt to accommodate their traditions and warns against the global tendency to render traditional Indigenous approaches to justice ahistorical through their representation as restorative justice mechanisms.
Pilot of Te Tomokanga: A Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Evaluation Tool for an Indigenous Population
Authors: McClintock Kahu , Mellsop Graham , Moeke-Maxwell Tess , Frampton Chris
Published: August 2015

Background
The acceptability of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Indigenous peoples is little studied. There has been a lack of evaluation tools able to take account of the more holistic approach to the attainment of mental health that characterises Māori, the Indigenous population of Aotearoa (New Zealand). This study aimed to develop such an instrument and establish some of its psychometric properties. Then, to use the measure to establish whānau (family or caregiver) views on desirable CAMHS characteristics.
Method
A self-administered survey, Te Tomokanga, was developed by modifying a North American questionnaire, the Youth Services Survey for Families (YSS-F). The intent of the tool was to record whānau experiences and views on service acceptability.
The Te Tomokanga survey is unique in that it incorporates questions designed to examine CAMHS delivery in light of the Whare Tapa Whā[1], a Māori comprehensive model of health with a focus on whānau involvement and culturally responsive services. This mail or telephone survey was completed by a cohort of 168 Māori whānau. Their children had been referred to one of the three types of CAMHS, mainstream, bicultural, and kaupapa Māori[2], of the District Health Board (DHBs) in the Midland health region, Aotearoa. The Midland health region is an area with a large Māori population with high levels of social deprivation.
Results
The Te Tomokanga instrument was shown to have a similar factor structure to the North American questionnaire from which it had been derived. It identified issues relevant to Māori whānau satisfaction with CAMHS. The work supports the concept that Māori desire therapeutic methods consistent with the Whare Tapa Whā, such as whānau involvement and the importance of recognising culture and spirituality.
The participants were generally positive about the services they received from the three different CAMHS types, which shows good acceptability of CAMHS for Māori. Results found satisfaction with CAMHS was related to whānau involvement and culturally delivered services.
Conclusion
The Te Tomokanga instrument should prove useful in Aotearoa or other similar cultural settings. It is a means of determining the cultural acceptability or improving CAMHS delivery for Indigenous populations.
[1] The Whare Tapa Whā framework relies on a Māori worldview of health, a holistic approach advocating a balance between the four dimensions of the Taha Whānau (family), the Taha Tinana (physical), the Taha Hinengaro (cognitive or intellectual) and the Taha Wairua (spiritual). It is believed if one aspect is in distress then it impacts on the others causing tension and increased risk of poor health. Optimal health requires balance between all four dimensions.
[2] Kaupapa Māori mental health services provide Māori dedicated clinical and cultural workforce for Māori service users.
Locating a Theoretical Framework for the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Charles Taylor or Nancy Fraser?
Authors: Petoukhov Konstantin S.
Published: August 2015

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada was established to uncover and acknowledge the injustices that took place in Indian residential schools and, in doing so, to pave the way to reconciliation. However, the TRC does not define reconciliation or how we would know it when (and if) we get there, thus stirring a debate about what it could mean. This article examines two theories that may potentially be relevant to the TRC’s work: Charles Taylor’s theory of recognition and Nancy Fraser’s tripartite theory of justice. The goal is to discover what each theory contributes to our understanding of the harms that Indigenous peoples suffered in residential schools, as well as in the broader colonial project, and how to address these harms appropriately.
Developing Oil and Gas Resources On or Near Indigenous Lands in Canada: An Overview of Laws, Treaties, Regulations and Agreements
Authors: Wright Laura , White Jerry P.
Published: August 2015

The development of resources on and near Indigenous territories has many potential benefits including employment creation, wealth sharing, and improved service delivery. However, the development of oil and gas resources can also lead to economic inequality, displacement, loss of traditional lifestyles, and significant environmental damage. This paper is a review of the how oil and gas development on Indigenous lands and traditional territories has been regulated in Canada to balance these benefits and risks. Some of the legislation discussed include the Indian Oil and Gas Act, the First Nations Oil and Gas and Moneys Management Act, the Umbrella Final Agreement in the Canadian North, as well as unregulated impact benefit agreements between First Nations and industry. These regimes and others are examined in terms of their provisions for environmental protection and meaningful Aboriginal consultation, and is intended to inform discussions on how to improve the policy approach to resource development.
The Far North Act (2010) Consultative Process: A New Beginning or the Reinforcement of an Unacceptable Relationship in Northern Ontario, Canada?
Authors: Gardner Holly L. , Tsuji Stephen R. J. , McCarthy Daniel D. , Whitelaw Graham S. , Tsuji Leonard J.S.
Published: August 2015

In northern Ontario, Canada, there have been two “negotiated” documents that required consultation between First Nations and the federated government of the land: Treaty No. 9 signed in 1905-1906 (Dominion of Canada, with the concurrence of the Province of Ontario) and Ontario’s Far North Act (2010). Treaty No. 9 has defined the relationship between First Nations and Canada; while, the Far North Act will define the relationship with Ontario. This article evaluated whether the Far North Act marked a new beginning or the reinforcement of an unacceptable relationship, using primary and secondary data analyses. Analyses revealed that the passing of the Far North Act was not a new beginning, but the continuation of an unacceptable relationship.
Editor in Chief Commentary: Water - Recognizing the Indigenous Perspective
Authors: White Jerry P.
Published: August 2015

Indigenous peoples have, since time immemorial, understood that water is central to the cycles of life. Yet, as many of the articles in this special issue on water in Indigenous communities point out, Indigenous peoples have real problems accessing safe water. Why?
Indigenous peoples have always cared for the water and followed practices that, depending on their geography, varied by season to protect and conserve fresh safe water. They have celebrated it as witnessed by the ceremony and language used. Colonial practices have disrupted the care and knowledge passing in Indigenous communities.
Cost-effective technology exists to deliver safe water to Indigenous communities. The issue is that utilization of technology and environmental sustainability rest on the social determinants of safe water. From a policy perspective, this means we have to look outside of Western technological solutions and come to listen to the other ‘story’ - the one that emanates from Indigenous Traditional Knowledge.
Traditional Knowledge: Considerations for Protecting Water in Ontario
Authors: McGregor Deborah
Published: August 2015

In Canada, the water crisis increasingly felt around the world is being experienced primarily in small, usually Indigenous, communities. At the heart of this issue lies an ongoing struggle to have Indigenous voices heard in the decision-making processes that affect their lives, lands, and waters. As part of ancient systems of Traditional Knowledge (TK), Indigenous people bear the knowledge and the responsibility to care for the waters upon which they depend for survival. A series of internationally developed documents has supported Indigenous peoples’ calls for increased recognition of the importance of TK in resolving environmental crises, including those involving water. Ontario provincial and Canadian federal governments have been developing legislative and regulatory documents to help fend off further water-related catastrophes within their jurisdictions. Despite such efforts, a number of barriers to the successful and appropriate involvement of TK in water management remain. Based on years of community-based and policy-related research with First Nations people involved in water-related undertakings, this article highlights progress made to date, and provides Indigenous viewpoints on what further steps need to be taken. Key among these steps are the need to restore and maintain Indigenous access to traditional territories and ways of life, and the requirement for mutually respectful collaboration between TK and Western science.
Guest Editors' Introduction
Authors: Shrubsole Daniel , Murphy Laura
Published: August 2015

We are very pleased to present the International Indigenous Policy Journal’s special edition on Water and Indigenous Peoples. The idea behind the special edition was to address the complications and nuances of the relationship between Indigenous peoples and water. While not exhaustive of all the issues regarding Indigenous peoples and water, we have been mindful to include in this edition papers that address many of the key indicators of unsafe drinking water on Indigenous reserve communities.
We feel that this edition successfully interrogates why many reserves are still out of reach of safe drinking water, and we hope that the insights offered open up further dialogue and possibilities for meaningful and useful policy in the future.
Water and Indigenous Peoples: Canada’s Paradox
Authors: White Jerry P. , Murphy Laura , Spence Nicholas
Published: August 2015

The condition of water safety and quality on reserve has been a growing concern in Canada. Despite a substantial amount of funding allocated toward improving water infrastructure on reserve, an alarming proportion of communities face boil and drinking water advisories. To understand why this paradox and problem persists, this article will work through the issues and nuances that have created unsafe drinking water on reserve, proposed remedies, and policy implications. To do so, the role of the Government of Canada is reviewed first because reserve land is under federal jurisdiction. Following this, the article will discuss the standpoints of the Assembly of First Nations and other Indigenous groups on the water crisis, and will draw upon focus groups within First Nations that we conducted. To contextualize the water issue on reserve in Canada, a comparison with the United States is then drawn.
One of the main themes of this paper with regard to the issue of safe drinking water on reserve is how the legacy of colonization has limited community capacity. This theme is then discussed in depth by comparing Indigenous to non-Indigenous communities, looking to the social determinants of water quality, and possibilities and limitations of building sustainable development allowing for safe drinking water on reserve. To understand what processes consistently intervene in the way of sustainability of safe water in Indigenous communities, regulatory frameworks are examined, funding mechanisms are reviewed, and Aboriginal governance is discussed along with the direction that policy should take.
Water Ethics for First Nations and Biodiversity in Western Canada
Authors: Matsui Kenichi
Published: August 2015

The increasing division of academic disciplines and bureaucracy has led to the compartmentalization of knowledge on water security, biodiversity, Indigenous rights, and traditional ecological knowledge policy. The attempt to re-establish links among these issues in academic studies can shed light on integrated water governance and the establishment of water ethics. In order to facilitate this effort, this paper discusses three propositions: (1) the establishment of strong legal and ethical frameworks is needed; (2) policymakers and scientists alike need to recognize links between biodiversity and water security; and (3) they need to improve cross-cultural understanding and communication in using the traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples and local people. This article examines these issues in Western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) because this region has invited cross-cultural and inter-jurisdictional conflicts since the twentieth century.
Contested Territories: Water Rights and the Struggles over Indigenous Livelihoods
Authors: Boelens Rutgerd , Duarte Bibiana , Manosalvas Rossana , Mena Patricio , Roa Avendaño Tatinana , Vera Juana
Published: August 2015

This paper examines the threats to Indigenous water rights and territories in the Andean countries. It analyzes how water and water rights are embedded in Indigenous territories, and how powerful actors and intervention projects tend to undermine local societies and indigenous livelihoods by developing large-scale water infrastructure. Three cases illustrate the encroachment process. In Colombia, the Embera Katio people’s water territory is colonized by a large-scale hydropower development project. In Ecuador, large-scale drinking water development for megacities aims the water belonging to the Oyacachi community’s indigenous highland territory. In Peru, communal water rights of the Colca Valley indigenous peasantry are under threat because of large-scale irrigation development. As the cases show, Indigenous peoples and communities actively contest the undermining and subordination of their water and territorial rights through a myriad of multi-scalar livelihood defense strategies. The challenges that indigenous peoples face to defend their water-based livelihoods are, however, enormous and growing every day.
Modernising Water: Articulating Custom in Water Governance in Australia and East Timor
Authors: Jackson Sue E , Palmer Lisa R
Published: August 2015

The modernisation of water governance, which can entail resource commoditisation and privatisation, requires the reformation of water allocation institutions. In many parts of the world, such transformations have empowered statutory systems to dominate or marginalise parallel, extant customary systems of water governance. The water policy and management frameworks of Australia and East Timor (Timor-Leste) are at different stages of a modernisation trajectory; yet, both have extant systems of customary governance and so lend themselves to a comparative analysis. This paper describes the institutions and negotiating arenas through which indigenous peoples of these two countries seek to define, increase or influence their access to water, and the legitimacy of their water related values, ethics, and practices. Institutional transformations are compared alongside local efforts to create space for the co-existence of custom while improving the economic standing of Indigenous and local populations and the environmental quality of their territories.
Multi-Barrier Protection of Drinking Water Systems in Ontario: A Comparison of First Nation and Non-First Nation Communities
Authors: Walters Dan , Spence Nicholas , Kuikman Kayli , Singh Budhendra
Published: August 2015

In some way or another, all levels of government in Canada and First Nations share responsibility to implement multi-barrier protection of drinking water. The goal is to protect water from source to tap to minimize risk so that people have access to adequate and safe drinking water. The federal government has committed to assist First Nations achieve comparable levels of service standards available to non-First Nation communities. However, several recent reports on the status of drinking water services standards in First Nations indicate that people in these communities often experience greater health risks than those living off reserves. Using the federal drinking water risk evaluation guidelines, the capacities of First Nations and non-First Nations in Ontario to implement multi-barrier protection of their drinking water systems are compared. The Risk Level Evaluation Guidelines for Water and Wastewater Treatment in First Nation Communities rank drinking water systems as low, medium, or high risk based on information about source water, system design, system operation, reporting, and operator expertise. The risk evaluation scores for First Nations drinking water systems were obtained from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. A survey based on the federal Risk Level Evaluation Guidelines was sent to non-First Nation communities throughout Ontario with 54 communities responding. The capacity among First Nations was variable throughout the province, whereas all of the municipalities were in the low risk category, even small and northern non-First Nation community water systems. It is clear that the financial and technological capacity issues should be addressed regardless of the legislative and regulatory regime that is established. The current governance and management structure does not appear to be significantly reducing the gap in service standards despite financial investment. Exploring social or other underlying determinants of risk may provide alternative solutions to the ongoing water crisis in many First Nations.
Revisiting the Debate on Intellectual Property Rights and Traditional Knowledge of Biodiversity: Accommodating Local Realities and Perspectives
Authors: Sarma Ujjal Kumar , Barpujari Indrani
Published: August 2015

The international and national debates and developments on the applicability of an intellectual property rights regime for protecting traditional knowledge associated with biodiversity is over a decade old. Nevertheless, this continues to be an area fraught with difficulties for many reasons, such as inherent mismatch between the nature of intellectual property rights regimes and that of traditional knowledge, lack of an effective international framework, and alleged lack of will on the part of developed countries. The paper argues that the possible non-inclusion of traditional knowledge holders in the process and the lack of their practical capacity is another key reason for non-effectiveness of existing or envisaged legal instruments. It takes the position that a major lacuna of this discourse is that it is not strongly positioned in the local economic, political, and social contexts in which local and Indigenous communities find themselves today. Using a field-based case study of an Indigenous scheduled tribe, the Karbis in the northeastern state of Assam, the paper makes the case for discarding commonly held, often non-realistic ‘assumptions’ about local and Indigenous communities and accommodation of their realities and perspectives in enacting ‘rights based’ law and policy on these issues.
Reflecting on the State of the IIPJ and the Condition of Indigenous Peoples Around the World
Authors: White Jerry P.
Published: August 2015

As we come to the end of 2012, it is natural for the IIPJ contributors, readers, staff, and volunteers to reflect on the work of the Journal and on the reason we all contributed to that work. The year has been, by any standards, a real success. Yet, when we look worldwide, there is still much work to be done. Take, for example, the continuing gap in well-being; it is clear that there are some common problems across the more developed countries. Where efforts to create real partnerships between Indigenous peoples and governments have started, we hope they push forward. Where they have not, then they must start. May this upcoming year, 2013, be a year we look back on with pride for the accomplishments that occur.
Redistribution and Recognition: Assessing Alternative Frameworks for Aboriginal Policy in Canada
Authors: Maciel Robert , Vine Timothy E.M.
Published: August 2015

In this paper, we argue that government approaches to addressing the claims of Aboriginal peoples in Canada are insufficient. Historically, these approaches have focused on redistribution. At the same time, these approaches have all but ignored recognition. We argue that a more holistic approach that addresses both redistribution and recognition is necessary. Further, we attempt to show that our approach is consistent with the tenets of liberalism. By conceiving of Aboriginal politics as such, the state may be better able to address claims. We begin by providing a theoretical overview of redistribution and recognition, respectively. Then, we proceed to show how redistribution and recognition must work together in an adequate account of justice with respect to Aboriginal peoples in Canada. Finally, we offer a conception of Aboriginal politics that fulfills this desideratum, and integrates the principle of recognition and redistribution in a way that is within the bounds of liberalism.
A Critical Appraisal of Responses to Māori Offending
Authors: Tauri Juan Marcellus , Webb Robert
Published: August 2015

This article critically analyses the role that criminological theory and specific policy formulations of culture play in New Zealand's state response to Māori crime. We begin by charting policy responses to the "Māori problem" during the 1980s to the 2000s, with a particular focus on policies and interventions based on theorising that Māori offending is attributable to loss of cultural identity, through to the current preference for risk factor and criminogenic needs approaches. The second part of the article critiques strategies employed by administrative criminologists who, in partnership with the policy sector, attempt to elevate their own epistemological constructions of Indigenous reality in the policy development process over that of Indigenous knowledge and responses to social harm.
Introduction: Special Issue on Indigenous Early Parenthood
Authors: Castellano Marlene Brant
Published: August 2015

This introduction underscores many of the points raised and facts presented in the articles of this special edition of the International Indigenous Policy Journal on Indigenous Early Parenthood. It briefly mentions the interrelationship between economic deprivation and high fertility rates among Canada’s First Nations populations as well as the challenges and consequences of early parenting. While the authors may not make policy prescriptions, they emphasize the need for young parents and their children to receive the supports needed to help break the cycle of negative outcomes, which can be achieved through education, protection, and actualizing the value of ensuring that every child is a welcome and sacred gift.
Guest Editorial
Authors: Eni Rachel
Published: August 2015

The current Special Edition of the Journal explores teen pregnancy and parenthood in Canadian First Nation and urban Aboriginal communities. Our better understanding of the factors associated with teen pregnancy in Aboriginal communities is essential to making improvements in health and wellness and in fostering the involvement of youth in community economic and cultural development.
The Physical and Mental Health of Off-Reserve First Nations Children of Teen Mothers
Authors: Guèvremont Anne , Kohen Dafna
Published: August 2015

The teen birth rate for First Nations women is higher than the teen birth rate for non-Aboriginal women. While associations between physical and behavioural outcomes have been examined in non-Aboriginal children with teen mothers, fewer studies have focused on First Nations children of teen mothers. This study uses data from the 2006 Aboriginal Children’s Survey to compare physical and mental health outcomes of 2- to 5-year-old off-reserve First Nations children of teenage and older mothers. There were few differences in physical health outcomes between off-reserve First Nations children of teen mothers and older mothers with the exception of dental health. However, for all of the mental health outcomes examined, child prosocial behaviours, emotional symptoms, inattention-hyperactivity, and conduct problems, scores were poorer for off-reserve First Nations children of teen mothers. Although the differences in prosocial and emotional problems were attributable to socio-economic factors, differences in child inattention-hyperactivity and conduct problems were not. Future research would help our understanding of the differences in outcomes between off-reserve First Nations children of teen and older mothers.
Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood Perspectives of First Nation Women
Authors: Eni Rachel , Phillips-Beck Wanda
Published: August 2015

This paper summarizes a study that explored perspectives of Manitoba First Nation women on teenage pregnancy and parenthood. Data was derived through a qualitative methodology focusing on a life storytelling approach within a culturally informed framework and setting. The two main objectives of the study were to: (a) elucidate community perspectives on teenage pregnancy and parenting, and (b) understand their psychological, cultural, and socioeconomic causes and implications. The study was designed in consultation with staff and participants of the Manitoba First Nation Strengthening Families Maternal Child Health Program (SF-MCH). Through the storytelling technique, the women were able to practice or "work out" the unfolding of their personal relationships, past and present. Themes arose from the data that shed light upon women’s personal relationship experiences, meanings they ascribe to them, values, and aspirations for the future. The study included a participant engagement in policy development activity that had the women consider types of policies and programs to better support youth in First Nation communities.
The Potential Impacts of Religion and Spirituality on First Nation Teenage Fertility
Authors: Fonda Marc
Published: August 2015

After reviewing some American research on the impacts religion has on adolescent sexual decision making and teenage pregnancy, this article considered the few instances of Canadian research addressing this topic. With this contextual information in place, it then moves on to report on analysis comparing the 2001 Census figures on religions declared by Canadian First Nation communities to teen fertility rates and the Community Well-Being Index (CWB). It finds that First Nations teen fertility rates are related to relative socio-economic deprivation, but also that religion has impacts on sexual decision making at the individual level and those First Nations communities showing no major religious adherence have teenage fertility rates of up to 140 per 1000, as compared to those communities showing one major tradition whose fertility rates are closer to 109 per 1000 adolescent First Nation women.
Potential Barriers to Aboriginal Teenaged Mothers' Access to Maternal and Parental Benefits
Authors: Hull Jeremy
Published: August 2015

This chapter uses available data to examine the ways in which federal and provincial maternity, maternal, or parental benefits are likely to receive less income than others because of their lower income and parental leave programs may have a differential impact on Aboriginal teen mothers as compared to other Canadian parents. This is done through analysis of the employment and income characteristics of Aboriginal teen mothers in relation to the benefits and eligibility criteria for maternity and parental leave programs. It is concluded that Aboriginal teen mothers are less able to receive these benefits because they are less likely than others to meet the minimum requirements for hours of insured employment. In addition, those Aboriginal teens who meet the qualifying employment levels may be unable to take advantage of parental benefit options open to couples because they are more likely to be lone parents. It is also found that the Quebec Parental Income Plan is more generous and flexible than those in other provinces and its provisions would be especially beneficial to Aboriginal teen mothers. Recommendations for further research are provided.
“And Then I Got Pregnant”: Early Childbearing and the First Nations Life Course
Authors: Cooke Martin
Published: August 2015

One of the characteristics of the life courses of Aboriginal youth is a greater likelihood of becoming a parent at young ages, at least relative to other youth. Young parenthood is often portrayed negatively, in terms of the implications for later education and employment. However, these effects depend greatly on the context of childbearing, including the sources of available support. In this paper we make use of exploratory qualitative life course interview data with a sample of First Nations living in Canadian cities to investigate the circumstances around early childbearing, including sources of support and strategies for managing this transition, its meaning from the perspective of parents themselves, and the potential implications for their later lives.
Voices from the Land: Reflections on Teenaged Pregnancy in Aboriginal Communities Today - The Voices of Traditional Healers
Authors: Cardinal Delores , Cardinal Clifford , Waugh Earle , Baddour Darryn
Published: August 2015

While the precarious state of Aboriginal health is often noted, and several studies have detailed the issues raised by teenage pregnancy, the voices from traditional healers, many of whom have to deal with the youth are scarcely recorded. These reflections are in response to the conversation of select traditional practitioners at The Gathering, held in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, the University of Alberta, in October, 2010. They spent about one-and-a-half hours discussing the issue with health care professionals and physicians. This article reprises high points of that discussion along with additional material offered to support their contentions.