Niigaan (Niigaanweweidam) Sinclair spoke to the students at W.C. Miller Collegiate last Tuesday to set the tone for the school’s weeklong focus on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Sinclair is Anishinaabe and an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba. He is a regular commentator on Indigenous issues on CTV, CBC, and APTN, and his written work on Indigenous stories can be found in a variety of publications.
During the week of his visit, Sinclair reached out to about 6,000 people across Manitoba, which included stops at numerous urban and rural schools.
“There were people from all different walks of life,” he said. “I’ve also gone to about a dozen workplaces in downtown Winnipeg.
“Canada is moving. It’s just a question if everybody is ready for that movement. I don’t think all Canadians have been conditioned or encouraged to move in a direction that’s inclusive. I think we’ve been taught things in the past that have excluded more than included, particularly excluding First Nations from our economy, from our culture, and from our everyday life. We’ve even locked people away for decades upon decades. And so I think Canadians have been encouraged to think exclusively.”
However, Sinclair told the Altona students that he believes those attitudes are turning around with their generation.
“Manitoba is changing and we’re thinking in ways of inclusivity and diversity and we’re including people in positions we’ve never included them in before,” he said. “It’s changing because of you guys. Not my generation. We did a bit of work. We helped along the way. But the truth is your group are some of the most competent, inclusive, and interested people who care more than anyone in history.
“Your age range is ready for change,” he continued. “Look at the person sitting beside you and say I want to live in a society with you, even if we speak different languages and you act differently than me. You are ready for change. You’re ready to make a beautiful country that’s ready to accept everybody. You’re ready to wear orange shirts that say Every Child Matters.”
“Canada is moving. It’s just a matter of whether everyone is ready for that movement.”
Niigaan (Niigaanweweidam) Sinclair spoke to students at W.C. Miller Collegiate last Tuesday to set the tone for the school’s weeklong focus on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Photo by Lori Penner/Voice
