Unsettled: Journeys in Truth and Conciliation

Send us Fan Mail Canadians need to work with Indigenous communities right now for real change, say two Edmontonians whose experience with Indigenous peoples spans decades and industries. Malcolm Bruce is the CEO of Edmonton Global, the economic development organization for the capital city's metro region. Shawna Bruce is a self-employed communications consultant whose career took her to execu...

Send us Fan Mail It took arson for the Indian Agent to force the Lheidli T'enneh people from their village in 1913. But these days the First Nation and Prince George, B.C., are working together to truthfully share their stories—and, while they're at it, build enduring and respectful relationships. Hosts Jessica and George discuss an award-winning conciliation success with Tracy Caloghero...

Send us Fan Mail The actor Joe Dion Buffalo, from Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta, talks about his time at residential school, his path to professional skateboarding, the perseverance of racism in Canada, and the youth charity he cofounded. Joe also speaks candidly about the roles that addiction—and sobriety—have played in his story so far. As the podcast drops, a documentary short about...

Send us Fan Mail Jessica and George talk about colonial attitudes and practices, inside and outside of academia, with a two-spirit, Cree-Métis student from the University of Victoria. Lydia Toorenburgh, who studies anthropology, discusses finding and refining your identity through connections with your people, your language, and the land. Anthropologic practices are rooted in colonialism, Lydia sa...

Send us Fan Mail A time for flag waving and fireworks? Quiet contemplation? Or something else? Jessica, George, and a cast of many speak of their conflicted and often angry feelings about Canada Day 2021, as the country struggles to come to terms with the discovery of unmarked graves at the sites of former Indian residential schools. The launch of season 2 lands on the country's first-ever Na...

Send us Fan Mail Back in September 2020, an Indigenous engineer and a settler editor launched a decidedly idealistic podcast. One conversation at a time, they said, let's tackle racism and colonialism in Canada. We'll base our podcast loosely on the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We'll share our stories and the stories of our guests.  And maybe, just may...

Send us Fan Mail Is the hand of colonialism still at work in public policy, even while governments, other institutions, and individual Canadians try to do the right thing? Dwayne Donald, a member of the University of Alberta Faculty of Education, certainly thinks so. Find out more about his work and ideas, as hosts Jessica Vandenberghe and George Lee talk with Dwayne about the negative effects of...

Send us Fan Mail An Indigenous engineer gives his take  on creating a better Canada for all its nations and peoples. Jessica and George chat with Steven Vaivada about the roles and approaches of his company, Scout Engineering & Consulting Ltd.; an emerging vision for a utilities and infrastructure corridor that brings together all perspectives, interests, and communities; and how abandoning st...

Send us Fan Mail Has a spark moment happened in your life yet?  An experience, story, or comment that changes you from passive bystander to active ally? Cohosts Jessica Vandenberghe and George Lee explore the roles of non-Indigenous allies in truth and conciliation, along with the use of celebrity platforms to shine a light on Indigenous issues. Support the show Join our Facebook community : www.f...

Send us Fan Mail Armed with a new Cree name she continues to explore, Glinis Buffalo looks at life during the lockdown, the nuances of her profession, her relationship with the Buffalo Treaty, and other facets of being a professional Indigenous woman in mainstream society.  Support the show Join our Facebook community : www.facebook.com/UnsettledJourneys/ Check us out on Instagram: https://www.ins...

Send us Fan Mail A First Nations member who grew up on the reserve, Ruby Littlechild has succeeded in the city while raising daughters, bridging communities, and using education and ceremony to heal from the intergenerational trauma of her childhood. Support the show Join our Facebook community : www.facebook.com/UnsettledJourneys/ Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unsettledjour...

Send us Fan Mail After interviewing Matthew Oliver for Episode 2 and before dropping Episode 4, featuring Ruby Littlechild, cohosts Jessica and George discuss their own ancestries—and how looking backward can be especially difficult for Indigenous peoples. Also: a few updates on the progress and impact of the podcast. Support the show Join our Facebook community : www.facebook.com/UnsettledJourney...

Send us Fan Mail Matthew Oliver discusses the historical and contemporary roles of his people as a bridge between Canada's settler and Indigenous communities. The engineer, Anglican minister, and retired CAF member says conciliation is more than a nice-to-have for his country. If we hope to persist as a successful nation, it's a necessity. Jessica Vandenberghe and George Lee, meanwhile,...

Send us Fan Mail Meet the hosts of this new podcast and learn why they care about reimagining Canada as a nation of nation. Jessica Vandenberghe, an Indigenous engineer, and George Lee, a settler journalist, lay the foundation for future interviews and discussions in pursuit of truth and conciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. How are we dealing with racism, forced assimilation...