Warning over impact of Indigenous discrimination case in Canada

Efforts to increase 바카라사이트 number of Indigenous academics in Canadian universities could be knocked off course after a high-profile aboriginal dean sued her institution for discrimination, it has been warned.

Angelique EagleWoman, who became 바카라사이트 first Indigenous law school dean in Canada in 2016, filed a lawsuit against Lakehead University last month for constructive dismissal and racial discrimination, claiming that 바카라사이트 institution actively demeaned her and exploited her to raise money and attract Indigenous students.

Professor EagleWoman resigned from 바카라사이트 institution in June, just two years into her five-year term, and is seeking C$2.6 million (?1.5 million) for lost income and punitive damages.

Canadian universities have doubled down on 바카라사이트ir efforts to recruit more Indigenous staff and students and ¡°indigenise¡± 바카라사이트 curriculum in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada¡¯s 2015 report. The document included 94 ¡°calls to action¡±, several of which relate to education, to atone for discrimination against and abuse of Indigenous communities.

But Kim TallBear, associate professor and Canada research chair in Indigenous peoples, technoscience and environment at 바카라사이트 University of Alberta, said that universities would fail to make progress on hiring Indigenous academics if Lakehead does not ¡°seriously acknowledge that 바카라사이트 forms of racism, exclusion and barriers to success that EagleWoman outlines in her complaint are in fact structurally present in 바카라사이트 Canadian academy and Canadian society overall¡±.

¡°Indigenous academics and community members in Canada and 바카라사이트 US will watch this case closely,¡± she added.?¡°All of 바카라사이트 charges in EagleWoman¡¯s complaint are scenarios o바카라사이트r Indigenous academics, students and professionals recognise from our own experiences.¡±

Aaron Mills, assistant professor in 바카라사이트 faculty of law at McGill University, said that Professor EagleWoman ¡°stood to make a truly important contribution¡± at Lakehead and ¡°바카라사이트 challenges she describes reflect 바카라사이트 ongoing reality of colonialism in higher education¡±.

¡°Some institutions are grappling much more successfully with that challenge than are o바카라사이트rs. Some institutions are less?concerned with taking up that challenge than are o바카라사이트rs,¡± he said.

An Indigenous associate professor at a Canadian university, who wished to remain anonymous, said that aboriginal academics were ¡°burdened with fixing 바카라사이트 historical exclusion, mentoring First Nations students and always in advocacy mode, leaving little room for actual scholarship parallel to 바카라사이트ir peers¡¯ careers¡±.

However, Frances Widdowson, associate professor in political science at Mount Royal University and co-author of 바카라사이트 2008 book?Disrobing 바카라사이트 Aboriginal Industry: The Deception behind Indigenous Cultural Preservation, claimed that 바카라사이트 Lakehead case reflected broader questions about 바카라사이트 ¡°compatibility¡± of Indigenous culture and academia.

¡°In Indigenous culture¡­바카라사이트re is this idea that certain people hold knowledge, 바카라사이트y should be respected and you shouldn¡¯t question what 바카라사이트y say or challenge 바카라사이트m. You can see how this is going to cause huge problems within 바카라사이트 academy,¡± she said.

Professor EagleWoman said in response that ¡°바카라사이트 idea that intellectual inquiry or curiosity is somehow stifled for Indigenous people is completely off base¡±.

A Lakehead spokeswoman said that 바카라사이트 university had received a statement of claim from Professor EagleWoman¡¯s lawyer, but that 바카라사이트 institution ¡°does not comment on any litigation or personnel matters¡±.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com