Copy of Assignment #2_ Person-Based Community Study
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Assignment #2: Person-Based Community Study
YOUR NAME
School of Community and Health Studies, Centennial College
GNED 411: First Peoples: Communities
Professor Kelly Crawford
March 24, 2024
1.
Who is this person and how would you categorize this person? (i.e. traditional
knowledge keeper, politician, musician, Indigenous Leader, language holder/teacher,
clan mother, traditional chief, professional athlete, community activist, artist, singer,
writer etc.)
The person I chose for this assignment was Sylvia McAdam (Saysewahum), born in Canada and
of Cree heritage from the Treaty 6 territory in Saskatchewan. She is an advocate for First Nation
and environmental rights in Canada, best known as one of the four co-founders of the
Indigenous-led movement “Idle No More.” She is considered an Indigenous community activist
as well as a writer, lawyer, and educator. Overall, Sylvia McAdam is a prominent figure in the
Indigenous rights movement nationwide, with significant contributions in activism, law,
education, and community leadership.
2.
How does this person demonstrate leadership values within their community or
culture? What cultural values are evident through the ways in which they practice
leadership.
Sylvia McAdam has demonstrated leadership values within her community through her inspiring
activism as a co-founder of the late 2012 known as “Idle No More,” protesting legislative
changes made by the Canadian government, particularly Bill C-45 which threatened Indigenous
land and water rights (Stoehr, 2015). Her collaboration with other Indigenous advocates
promotes unity and strength in tackling common challenges faced by Indigenous communities.
As an assistant professor at the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Law, McAdam also
demonstrates leadership by using her legal expertise to advocate for Indigenous rights and
environmental justice. She utilizes her understanding of Indigenous systems and cultural
practices alongside legal advocacy to challenge laws and policies that threaten Indigenous
sovereignty and environment, thereby promoting social justice.
3.
Where is this person’s community located? Do they come from an urban or rural
community? Please describe the community geographically to the best of your
ability.
Sylvia McAdam's community is situated in the Treaty 6 territory in Saskatchewan, Canada,
which extends across the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and into the province of
Manitoba (Abelsen et al., 1997). Treaty 6 territory specifically encompasses central
Saskatchewan, including parts of cities such as Saskatoon and Prince Albert. The Treaty 6
territory is not exclusively urban or rural, but rather a combination of both urban and rural areas.
Urban areas extend throughout Saskatoon and Prince Albert, and rural landscapes including
villages, farmland, forests, and reserves.
4.
Does this person have a strong connection to their community? Please explain your
answer and how you know this. If they do not have a strong connection to
their community can you find out why, or if they are connected to their culture in a
different way?
Sylvia McAdam has an extremely strong connection to her community, which is evident through
her work as an activist, educator, and legal advocate in the Indigenous community. Her
connection to her heritage serves as a bridge between current Indigenous issues and her tribe's
culture, promoting nonviolence as a spiritual movement (Caven, 2013). Her work often focuses
on actively addressing the needs and concerns of Indigenous communities by amplifying their
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voices, advocating for their rights, and promoting cultural revitalization, thereby fostering
positive change and resilience (University of Windsor, n.d.). Specifically, her co-founding of Idle
No More exemplifies her commitment to empowerment and solidarity within the Indigenous
community. The movement aimed to protect Indigenous rights and sovereignty, mobilizing
communities and raising awareness about issues affecting Indigenous peoples in Canada and
beyond (Caven, 2013).
5.
On whose traditional territory does this community operate? Is there more than one
Nation that has a history in this area? Explain your response.
Treaty 6, encompassing parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, governs the territories of
many Indigenous peoples such as the Cree, Assiniboine, Saulteaux, Dene, and Nakota Sioux,
who have historically used the lands for hunting, fishing, gathering, and other cultural practices
(Beal, n.d.). This Treaty, signed in 1876, governed the central west of Alberta and Saskatchewan,
and involved the Crown, Cree, Chipweyan, and Stoney nations. Adhesions were made
throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta, including Fort Edmonton in 1877, Blackfoot Crossing in
1877, Sounding Lake in 1879, and Rocky Mountain House in 1944 and 1950 (The Alberta
Teachers’ Association, n.d.). Treaty 6 acknowledges the Indigenous peoples' historical habitation
and ongoing assertiveness of their rights and connections to their traditional territories.
6.
How many people are affiliated with this community? How many live within the
Indigenous community in this area? Who is the leader (Chief) of the community?
Are there any hereditary Chiefs associated with the community?
Treaty 6's affiliation with multiple Indigenous peoples makes it challenging to determine the
exact number of people that are associated with this community specifically. This is due to its
diverse territories, distinct communities, and historical and cultural connections, as many
individuals and communities within the territory may identify with multiple Indigenous nations.
However, it is important to note that Treaty 6 which expands throughout western Alberta,
through Saskatchewan, and into Manitoba, includes around fifty First Nations (Confederacy of
Treaty Six First Nations, n.d.). The Grand Chief of this community is Cody Thomas of Enoch
Cree Nation in Alberta. He ran for Chief in 2022 and was elected as Chief of Enoch Cree Nation,
also named “The Peoples Chief” on June 24, 2022 (Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations,
n.d.). Previous Chiefs associated with this community include Chief Mistawasis and Chief
Ahtahkakoop, who led the First Nations negotiators at Fort Carlton (Beal, n.d.)
7.
Are there currently any land claims issues or environmental issues in the media
associated with this community? (i.e. boil water advisories, pollution, issues around
hunting rights). If yes, briefly tell me what are they are. If not, have there been any
in the past? If you cannot find any, explain where you searched and how you know
there are not.
As per my research, specific land claims or environmental issues associated with Treaty 6 may
not be widely reported by the media, though it is important to note that Indigenous communities
in Canada, including those within Treaty 6 territory, continue to grapple with ongoing issues
such as land rights, environmental concerns, and treaty rights. Some of the websites I have
checked for any conversation about land claims or environmental issues include the Government
of Canada website, under “Treaties, agreements, and negotiations,” to which I was unable to find
anything related to issues currently faced by Treaty 6. I also checked the Assembly of First
Nations website under their “Land Rights & Jurisdiction” tab, where I was also unable to find
anything related to any issues faced by this Treaty presently.
8.
Please locate two images of this community, and one additional image of the person
you are profiling. If you cannot find any images of the community, can you
find/provide a map indicating where this community is located? Be sure to provide a
brief caption explaining the context for each image chosen.
Figure 1
Treaty 6 (1876) and Treaty 6 (1889), 2022
Note.
An illustration of Treaty 6 (1876) and Treaty 6 (1889).
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Figure 2
Treaty 6 in Saskatchewan, n.d.
Note.
Tipis on Treaty 6 territory in Saskatchewan.
Figure 3
Sylvia McAdam at University of Windsor, n.d.
Note.
Sylvia McAdam, Assistant Professor, Windsor Law, at University of Windsor.
References
Abelsen, N., Venne, S., Tenckhoff-Schulte, I., Gray, A. (1997).
Honour Bound: Onion Lake and
the Spirit of Treaty Six.
The International Validity of Treaties with Indigenous Peoples.
https://www.iwgia.org/images/publications/0143_Honour_bound.pdf
Beal, B. (n.d.). Treaty 6. Indigenous Saskatchewan Encyclopedia.
https://teaching.usask.ca/indigenoussk/import/treaty_6.php
Caven, F. (2013, January 8).
Being Idle No More.
Cultural Survival.
https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/being-idle-no-more
Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations. (n.d.). About Us. Treaty Six.
https://www.treatysix.org/#:~:text=Treaty%20No.,and%20includes%2050%20First%20Nati
ons.
MYLLOYDMINSTERNOW. (2022, January 20).
Treaty Six
[Map]
.
MYLLOYDMINSTERNOW.
https://www.mylloydminsternow.com/51216/news/new-sask-trespass-law-threatens-indigen
ous-food-sovereignty-says-tlsn/
Stoehr, E., C. (2015, November).
Re-implementing the silenced legal tradition of the Cree
Nation.
Literary Review of Canada.
https://reviewcanada.ca/magazine/2015/11/not-a-lawless-people/
The Alberta Teachers’ Association. (n.d.).
First Nations Treaties in Alberta: Treaty 6.
Empowering the Spirit.
https://empoweringthespirit.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/PD-WT-16d-Treaty-6.pdf
Treaty6Education. (n.d.).
Treaty 6 Basics.
[Photograph]. Treaty6Education.
https://treaty6education.lskysd.ca/treaty6basics.html
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Truth and Reconciliation Commission. (2015).
Canada’s Residential Schools: Missing Children
and Unmarked Burials.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
https://ehprnh2mwo3.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Volume_4_Missing_Childre
n_English_Web.pdf
University of Windsor. (n.d.). Indigenous Legal Orders Institute. University of Windsor.
https://www.uwindsor.ca/law/Indigenous-Legal-Orders-Institute
University of Windsor. (n.d.).
Sylvia McAdam
[Photograph]. University of Windsor.
https://www.uwindsor.ca/indigenous-peoples/312/sylvia-mcadam