Academics say cuts to Aboriginal organizations are hurting crucial research projects

Open letter from Academics sent to the Minister of INAC

Exchange in the House of Commons Hansard

http://openparliament.ca/debates/2012/11/22/jean-crowder-6/

November 22, 2012

The Hon. John Duncan

Minister

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

Ottawa, ON

K1A 0A6

Dear Minister Duncan:

We are writing to express our dismay over unprecedentedly deep funding cuts for Canada’s Aboriginal Representative Organizations, including the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations and tribal councils across the country. This follows the forced closure of the National Aboriginal Health Organization. As researchers, we work with these organizations and others in research partnerships to tackle some of the most pressing issues Canada faces. Grant funding agencies supported by your government consistently identify Aboriginal research as one of the top priorities for research in Canada. They also make it clear that this research can only be done in partnership with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities.

As minister, you are well aware of the health, education and infrastructure issues that are preventing Canadian First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities from reaching their full potential. Innovative research partnerships between the people affected and the brightest minds at Canadian universities offer hope for resolving these issues in an effective and fiscally responsible way. In many cases, these bright young minds are First Nations citizens themselves.

We partner with the organizations whose funding you have cut on practical issues such as clean drinking water and community planning. We also partner with individual First Nations that rely on these umbrella organizations for training and support that enables them to engage meaningfully in research. Dedicated staff at these larger organizations, with whom we have developed relationships over years, are named as co-applicants and collaborators on our research grants. However, these people may not be able to carry through on their commitments because they may lose their jobs.

The potential loss of expertise is staggering and could take a generation to recover. Canada cannot afford to wait another generation for solid research on urgent issues. We urge you to rethink these ill-advised cuts to organizations that have been doing excellent work in their communities that benefits Canada as a whole.

Sincerely,

Manitoba Research Alliance

1. Prof. Dave Anderson, education, University College of the North

2. Dr. Marcia Anderson DeCoteau, medicine, University of Manitoba

3. Dr. Jo-Ann Archibald, education, University of British Columbia

4. Jeff Baker, education, University of Saskatchewan

5. Dr. Geraldine Balzer, education, University of Saskatchewan
6. Dr. Cyndy Baskin, social work, Ryerson University

7. Dr. Lalita Bharadwaj, public health, University of Saskatchewan
8. Dr. Jolee Blackbear, education, University of Regina

9. Dr. Verna Billy Minnabarriet, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology

10. Dr. Lisa Bourque Bearskin, nursing, University of Alberta

11. Prof. Brian E. Brown, University of Windsor

12. Prof. Karen Busby, law, University of Manitoba

13. Brian Calliou, Indigenous management, Banff Centre

14. Dr. Sheila Carr-Stewart, education, University of Saskatchewan

15. Dr. Jean Clandinin, education, University of Alberta

16. Dr. Mary Ann Corbiere, Native studies, University of Sudbury

17. Prof. Laura Cranmer, First Nations studies, Vancouver Island University

18. Dr. Jacqueline M. Davies, philosophy & gender studies, Queen's University.

19. Brent Debassige, education, University of Western Ontario

20. Sandina de Finney,University of Victoria

21. Dr. Gerard Duhaime, sociologie, Université Laval

22. Dr. Geneviève A. Dumas, mechanical & materials engineering, Queen's University

23. Dr. Ryan Duplassie, Native studies, University of Manitoba

24. Prof. Karen Doty-Sweetnam, nursing, Brandon University

25. Prof. Patti Doyle-Bedwell, continuing education, Dalhousie University

26. Dr. Paula du Hamel Yellow Horn, research, Carleton University

27. Dr. Renate Eigenbrod, Native studies, University of Manitoba

28. Dr. Brenda Elias, community health sciences, University of Manitoba

29. Dr. Julia Emberley, English, University of Western Ontario

30. Dr. Petra Fachinger, English, Queen’s University

31. Dr. Margery Fee, English, University of British Columbia

32. Dr. Janice Forsyth, kinesiology, Western University

33. Prof. Cynthia Gallop, social work, Mount Royal University

34. Dr. Rainey Gaywish, continuing education, University of Manitoba

35. Dr. Audrey Giles, human kinetics, University of Ottawa

36. Dr. Susan Gingell, English, University of Saskatchewan

37. Jacquie Green, University of Victoria

38. Dr. Sneja Gunew, English & women’s studies, University of British Columbia
39. Prof. Debbie Hill, nursing, SIAST Wascana Campus

40. Dr. Daniel Heath Justice, First Nations Studies & English, Univ. of British Columbia

41. Melanie Howard, Aboriginal Access to Engineering, Queen's University

42. Dr. Michelle Hogue, science education, University of Lethbridge

43. Dr. Shelley Hulan, English, University of Waterloo

44. Tasha Hubbard, Native studies, University of Manitoba

45. Dr. Janice Huber, education, University of Regina

46. Dr. Renée Hulan, English, Saint Mary's University

47. Florence James, Elder in Residence, Vancouver Island University

48. Corinne Jette, Mount Pleasant Educational Services

49. Dr. Mary-Anne Kandrack, sociology, University of Manitoba

50. Dr. John Kelly, journalism, Carleton University

51. Dr. Vicki Kelly, education, Simon Fraser University

52. Dr. Margaret Kovach, education, University of Saskatchewan

53. Ruth Kroek, education counsellor, Vancouver Island University

54. Dr. Peter Kulchyski, Native studies, University of Manitoba

55. Prof. Kathleen Lahey, law, Queen’s University

56. Dr. Larissa Lai, English, University of British Columbia

57. Dr. Emma Laroque, Native Studies, University of Manitoba

58. Dr. Colin Laroque, geography, Mount Allison University

59. Frédéric Laugrand, Université Laval

60. Dr. Lynn Lavallée, social work, Ryerson University

61. Dr. Carole Leclair, Indigenous studies, Wilfrid Laurier University

62. Dr. John Loxley, economics, University of Manitoba

63. Dr. Pamela McCallum, English, University of Calgary

64. Dr. Rod McCormick, psychology, University of British Columbia

65. Prof. Nancy MacDonald, social work, Dalhousie University

66. Dr. Eleanor MacDonald, political studies, Queen's University

67. Prof. Dan McDonald, recreation, Vancouver Island University

68. Heather Macfarlane, English, Carleton University

69. Deborah McGregor, Centre for Aboriginal Initiatives, University of Toronto

70. Dr. Sam McKegney, English, Queen's University

71. Dr. Janet McVittie, curriculum studies, University of Saskatchewan

72. Dr. Linda Many Guns, Native studies, University of Lethbridge

73. Dr. Egla Martinez, interdisciplinary studies, Carleton University

74. Dr. Richard Milgrom, planning, University of Manitoba

75. Lynn Miles, Mohawk College

76. Dr. Shaun Murphy, education, University of Saskatchewan

77. Prof. David Newhouse, business and Indigenous studies, Trent University

78. Dr. Susie O'Brien, English & cultural studies, McMaster University

79. Dr. Melanie O’Gorman, economics, University of Winnipeg

80. Dr. Pat O’Riley, education, University of British Columbia

81. Dr. Robert-Falcon Ouellette, extended education, University of Manitoba

82. Dr. Victoria Paraschak, kinesiology, University of Windsor

83. Dr. Sherry Peden, education, Brandon University

84. Lisa Perley-Dutcher, nursing, University of New Brunswick

85. Dr. Michelle Pidgeon, education, Simon Fraser University

86. Dr. Lila Pine, media, Ryerson University

87. Dr. Jason M.C. Price, curriculum and instruction, University of Victoria

88. Dr. Darrell Racine, Native studies, Brandon University

89. Dr. Barbara Rahder, environmental studies, York University

90. Dr. Deanna Reder, First Nations studies & English, Simon Fraser University

91. Dr. Janice Ristock, women’s and gender studies, University of Manitoba

92. Dr. Leonie Sandercock, planning, University of British Columbia

93. Esther Sanderson, curriculum, University College of the North

94. Dr. Priscilla Settee, Native studies, University of Saskatchewan

95. Dr. Winfried Siemerling, English, University of Waterloo

96. Siem Smun'eem Child Welfare Research Network, University of Victoria

97. Dr. Jim Silver, urban and inner-city studies, University of Winnipeg

98. Dr. Patricia Shaw, anthropology, University of British Columbia

99. Dr. Fred Shore, Native studies, University of Manitoba

100. Dr. Winfried Siemerling, English, University of Waterloo

101. Dr. Ian Skelton, planning, University of Manitoba

102. Dr. Stephen Slemon, English & film studies, University of Alberta

103. Dr. Heather Smyth, English, University of Waterloo

104. Dr. Susan Spearey, English, Brock University

105. Dr. Katherine Starzyk, psychology, Mount Royal University

106. Dr. Evelyn Steinhauer, education, University of Alberta

107. Suzanne Tardif, Native Access Program, Lakehead University

108. Dr. James L. Turk, Canadian Association of University Teachers

109. Dr.Brenda Vellino, English, Carleton

110. Dr. Leela Viswanathan, urban & regional planning, Queen's University

111. Dr. Cora Voyageur, sociology, University of Calgary

112. Dr. Patrick Walton, education, Thompson Rivers University.

113. Dr. Pauline Wakeham, English, Western University

114. Dr. Renae Watchman, English, Mount Royal University

115. Dr. Angelina Weenie, education, First Nations University of Canada

116. Dr. Wanda Wuttunee, Native studies, University of Manitoba

117. Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Aboriginal leadership, Banff Centre

118. Dr. Jerry P. White, social sciences, Western University

119. Dr. Laurelyn Whitt, Native studies, Brandon University

120. Dr. Thomas Wilson, law, Osgoode Hall

121. Prof. Tanya Harnett, University of Lethbridge

122. Dr. Mary Young, education, University of Winnipeg