Aboriginal Policy Research Conference, Canada

Specifically, Lahey noted that ‘there are a number of Aboriginal Peoples progresses which need to be documented and reproduced…we know more than we think we know, but we also need to be skeptical about what we know, challenge ourselves and be passionate about continuously learning’. He also noted the important role that international perspectives bring to expanding the discussion on Aboriginal issues.

Davenport, describing the diverse program offerings at Western University (eg. First Nations Studies Programme), called attention to the rewards that education can bring to Aboriginal students ‘Aboriginal elders and leaders have acknowledged for some time that ‘we have to keep our kids in school’. 

In an attempt to increase the participation of youth and students at this year’s event, Dinsdale noted that the NAFC reached out to the private sector through its fundraising efforts to bring around 30 Aboriginal students to the conference, and noted that this year’s event incorporated several student papers throughout the sessions.

The conference highlighted a number of comparative research studies being undertaken on Aboriginal issues, most notably in the broader areas of housing, social capital, and Aboriginal Policing Models (See box below for more details).

The conference also attracted many international delegates from over 10 countries, including Ms Elissavet Stamatopoulou, Chief, Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, who highlighted the recent work being done in direct consultation with Indigenous peoples on the development of global indicators which aim to capture the situation, aspirations, and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples worldwide. 

Regional consultation on Indigenous Peoples and Indicators of Well-Being

During the conference, the UN Permanent Forum and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada co-organized the first Regional consultation on Indigenous Peoples and Indicators of Well-Being with experts, taking place over a day and a half.

Laura Capobianco, Research Analyst, ICPC participated in two of the regional consultation sessions as an Observer and provided a short statement on ICPC’s work on Community Safety and Indigenous Peoples. Most notably, she called attention to the numerous national reports commissioned across the globe which consistently reveal the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in the risk factors associated with crime and victimization, and the under-representation of Indigenous peoples in protective factors -following histories of colonization and dispossesion. She discussed the importance and relevance of including Community Safety as an additional theme within the general discussion on indicators, and encouraged that strong efforts be made to define and collect indicators in direct consultation with Indigenous Peoples. 

A report on the meeting  (click here) was submitted to the Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum and  the conclusions and recommendations in addition to the contributions of the Inter-Agency Support Group (IASG) will feed into the discussions around global indicators taking place in the upcoming: 5th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: “Millennium Development Goals and indigenous peoples: Re-defining the Millennium Development Goals”.  Further regional consultations will be held in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean along the lines of the expert group meeting held in Canada.  The global and regional indicators may then be utilized by Governments, intergovernmental organizations and the United Nations system when designing and monitoring programmes that directly affect indigenous peoples.

Housing  The National Aboriginal Housing Association (NAHA) is conducting a comparative analysis of Western Government approaches to Urban Aboriginal/Indigenous Peoples Housing in Australia, Canada, New Zealand,and the US.  NAHA is a membership-based organization, represents the interests of non-reserve Aboriginal housing providers in cities, towns and the north. The Board has elected members from all provinces and territories, and represents First Nation, Metis, Inuit and non-status communities. Its mission is to build safe and healthy Aboriginal communities by supporting Aboriginal housing corporations to achieve standards of excellence in the management and delivery of quality affordable housing and counseling support services to Aboriginal tenants and potential homeowners. Social Capital Nicholas Spence and Dr Jerry White (one of the conference leaders) from the University of Western Ontario are investigating the impacts of social capital on Educational Attainment in Aboriginal Communities in Australia, canada, and new zealand.  Description of project available at: http://policyresearch.gc.ca  Aboriginal Policing Models The Aboriginal Policing Directorate is currently undertaking research on comparative Aboriginal Policing Models focusing on the countries of  Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US (http://www.psepc.gc.ca/prg/le/ap/cp/crimeprevention-en.asp).