“To Vote or Not To Vote” forum kicks off new Weweni Indigenous Scholars Speakers Series
UW RELEASE – 2015/099
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Friday, September 11, 2015
WINNIPEG, MB – Indigenous people may have the numbers to make a big impact in Canada’s next federal election, but does voting threaten Indigenous sovereignty? The University of Winnipeg invites all to our campus for this critical discussion featuring three of Canada’s leading Indigenous scholars, taking place Monday, September 14th, at 12:30 p.m., in Convocation Hall.
“The issue of voting has been a hot topic in the Indigenous community with many feeling that the state of the relationship with the federal government needs to be reset. At UWinnipeg we’re happy to help facilitate the conversation around voting so First Nations, Metis and Inuit people can make an informed choice about the impact their decision to vote might have,” says Associate Vice-President of Indigenous Affairs, Wab Kinew, who will be moderating the discussion.
“The UWSA is proud to support the Weweni Indigenous Scholars Speakers Series,” says University of Winnipeg Students’ Association Vice-President External, Kevin Settee. “The University of Winnipeg is situated in the middle of Canada and historically is recognized for the exchange of ideas, and cultural understanding. Carrying on this tradition, Indigenous scholars and orators from their respective Nations will engage in critical dialogue with students and faculty in hopes of building an atmosphere of change in the institution and in Canada.”
Associate Professor and Chair of Ryerson University’s Centre for Indigenous Governance Dr. Pam Palmater will make the case for why Indigenous people should choose to abstain from voting federally, while Assistant Professor and Graduate Chair at the University of Saskatchewan’s Indigenous Studies Department Dr. Rob Innes and Lecturer in UWinnipeg’s Faculty of Education Leah Gazan will speak to why Indigenous people should vote.
This event is the first in the Weweni Indigenous Scholars Speaker Series that is taking place on UWinnipeg’s campus, located on Treaty 1 land in the heart of the Metis Nation. More events in the series will take place throughout the year.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Megan Benedictson, Communications Officer, The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7129, E: me.benedictson@uwinnipeg.ca
