Public Policy

"Education is at the heart of the struggle of Aboriginal peoples to regain control over their lives as communities and nations. The promise of education is that it will instruct the people in ways to live long and well, respecting the wisdom of their ancestors and fulfilling their responsibilities in the circle of life. Aboriginal Education documents the significant gains in recent years in fulfilling this promise. It also analyzes the institutional inertia and government policies that continue to get in the way.

"To many, the North is a familiar but inaccessible place. Yet images of the region are within easy reach, in magazine racks, on our coffee tables, and on television, computer, and movie screens. In Northern Exposures, Peter Geller uncovers the history behind these popular conceptions of the Canadian North.

"Aimed at three main constituencies - Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal social scientists, government and Aboriginal policy makers, and Aboriginal communities - this books utilizes recent research to argue for greater cooperation among these distinctive research communities. It proposes to build bridges and start a dialogue of shared knowledge that will improve the quality of current research agendas and stimulate positive social development in Aboriginal communities.

"In Their Own Voices is an examination of the urban Aboriginal experience, based on the voices of Aboriginal people. It is set in Winnipeg’s inner city, but has implications for urban Aboriginal people across Canada. While not glossing over the problems that confront urban Aboriginal people, the book focuses primarily on innovative community-based solutions being created and run by and for urban Aboriginal people. Separate chapters examine Aboriginal involvement in community development, adult education and the mainstream political process.

"First Nations run casinos and other gambling activities have become a visible part of the Canadian landscape. Many people see such enterprises as an important tool of economic development for impoverished First Nations communities, while others view them with suspicion. Beginning with an examination of the role gambling and gaming played in pre-contact Aboriginal society, Yale Belanger traces the history of First Nations gaming institutions nationally.

"The Supreme Court of Canada’s recognition of a fiduciary relationship between the federal government and Aboriginal Peoples established important guiding principles for Crown-Aboriginal relations. The precise “nature and scope of this fiduciary relationship”, along with the political, legal and financial implications stemming from the relationship, have been the source of debate among Aboriginal Peoples, the Crown and the courts. The federal government recognizes the existence of a fiduciary relationship and that fiduciary obligations are owed to Aboriginal Peoples.

"The Supreme Court of Canada’s recognition of a fiduciary relationship between the federal government and Aboriginal Peoples established important guiding principles for Crown-Aboriginal relations. The precise 'nature and scope of this fiduciary relationship,' along with the political, legal and financial implications stemming from the relationship, have been the source of debate among Aboriginal Peoples, the Crown and the courts. The federal government recognizes the existence of a fiduciary relationship and that fiduciary obligations are owed to Aboriginal Peoples.

"In the late nineteenth century, to the alarm of government conservationists, the North American plains bison population collapsed. Yet large herds of other big game animals still roamed the Northwest Territories, and Aboriginal people depended on them for food and clothing.

"Nunavut: Rethinking Political Culture explores the complex processes at work in the generation of political cultures. Drawing upon extensive fieldwork and quantitative analysis, it provides the first systematic, empirical study of political life in Nunavut, offering comprehensive analysis of the evolving nature of aboriginal self-government in the Arctic and shedding crucial light on Inuit–non-Inuit relations.

"Challenging traditional notions of development, these essays critically examine bottom-up, community economic development strategies in a wide variety of contexts: as a means of improving lives in northern, rural and inner-city settings; shaped and driven by women and by Aboriginal people; aimed at employment creation for the most marginalized. most authors have employed a participatory research methodology.