Please visit the University of Waterloo's Office of Indigenous Relations for the latest initiatives.

News for Faculty

Friday, November 8, 2019

Waterloo alum integrates healthcare models to meet the needs of Indigenous peoples

Cornelia (Nel) Wieman on wooded path

For Applied Health Sciences alumnus Cornelia (Nel) Wieman (MSc Kinesiology ’91), there is no question that Canada's healthcare system results in Indigenous peoples being poorly served and discriminated against. A desire to transform the system by intregrating culturally appropriate approaches for Indigenous peoples has been a focus of Wieman’s career as Canada’s first female Indigenous psychiatrist.

Friday, October 4, 2019

Jesse Thistle shares Métis micro histories at Indigenous Speakers Series

illustration of Jesse Thistle and thistle imagery

On September 18 the 2019-20 Indigenous Speakers Series opened with Jesse Thistle, a Métis-Cree-Scot from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. His bestselling memoir, From the Ashes (Simon and Schuster Canada), chronicles his life on the streets and how he overcame trauma and addiction to discover the truth about who he is. His scholarship is focused on intergenerational and historic trauma of the Métis people, and also reflects on his own past struggles with homelessness.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Doctoral student redresses historical stereotypes

Lucy Vorobej in library

As an activist and historian vocal on Indigenous rights, History PhD student Lucy Vorobej works to raise consciousness of how historical negative stereotypes and injustices were created and how they can be redressed within Canadian society. Lucy co-leads a website centred on missing and murdered Indigenous women. Her goal? Diving into the history from the 1970s to the 2000s and assessing how missing and murdered Indigenous women’s narratives were misreported and misstated to understand how different stereotypes of Indigenous women formed.

Monday, June 17, 2019

Voice for truth receives honorary doctorate at Waterloo convocation

Waterloo Chancellor shaking hands with Lee Maracle at convocation ceremony

Si'Yam Lee Maracle’s unflinching look at life on Turtle Island under settler colonialism has propelled a generation of storytellers. In a recent interview with the CBC, the author of path-breaking books such as Bobbi- Lee: Indian Rebel, and Ravensong talked of the bigotry she faced trying to tell Indigenous stories as a young woman growing up in 1970s Vancouver.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Author David A. Robertson speaks about truth and representation

illustration of David Robertson with Indigenous imagery

The Indigenous Speakers Series presented award-winning graphic novelist and writer David A. Robertson on Wednesday, March 13. He spoke about how he uses his work to educate and entertain, and how reconcilation begins with conversations, with asking questions, listening and learning. “We need to do better. I'm using the word 'we' here because we are in this together. Reconciliation is an all hands on deck thing."