Indigenous students, staff and faculty are invited to the Longhouse on Tuesday, March 17, 10am-noon, for a teach-in on the legal foundations of Wet’suwet’en Title and Rights and the treatment of the Wet’suwet’en land defenders and supporters in the media as a result of recent state actions taken against them.
This teach-in is being organized by the First Nations House of Learning and will be conducted in accordance with the Longhouse Teachings. Counsellors will be on hand.
Note that a teach-in on this subject is being organized for the entire UBC community in the coming weeks and in a larger venue (details to come). Thus, this one is intended solely for the UBC Indigenous community.
Speakers:
Candis Callison is an Associate Professor at UBC’s Graduate School of Journalism where she conducts research on changes related to digital media, social movements, journalism ethics, and science and environment issues. She is a member of the Tahltan Nation. She will address mainstream media’s coverage of the Wet’suwet’en land defenders and supporters and discuss alternate media coverage.
Gordon Christie is a Professor at the Allard School of Law. Dr Christie’s research fields include Indigenous legal issues, legal theory, and tort. His ancestry is Inupiat/Inuvialuit. He will address Canadian law, e.g. Delgamuukw, as it has played out in this situation as well as the law on the duty to consult and accommodate Indigenous people and nations. He will also talk about how the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples applies in this situation, including the existence of Indigenous law, generally.
Vicki George is the Assistant Director at the First Nations House of Learning and she is a member of the Wet’suwet’en Nation. Vicki will share some of her experiences professionally and personally with Indigenous and non-Indigenous folks regarding this situation.
For inquiries, contact Vicki George.