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Rose LeMay

Rose LeMay is Tlingit from the West Coast and the CEO of the Indigenous Reconciliation Group. She writes twice a month about Indigenous inclusion and reconciliation. In Tlingit worldview, the stories are the knowledge system, sometimes told through myth and sometimes contradicting the myths told by others. But always with at least some truth.

‘Tis the season for political renewal? Don’t hold your breath

  • Politics is going to take us all down. In its current form of cut-throat competitiveness and ruthless party controls, superficiality and the soundbite, it
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 27, 2023
Politics is going to take us all down: Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, front left, Conservative deputy leaders Melissa Lantsman and Andrew Scheer. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, back row left, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

‘Tis the season for political renewal? Don’t hold your breath

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 27, 2023
  • Politics is going to take us all down. In its current form of cut-throat competitiveness and ruthless party controls, superficiality and the soundbite, it

‘Tis the season for political renewal? Don’t hold your breath

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 27, 2023
  • Politics is going to take us all down. In its current form of cut-throat competitiveness and ruthless party controls, superficiality and the soundbite, it
Politics is going to take us all down: Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, front left, Conservative deputy leaders Melissa Lantsman and Andrew Scheer. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, back row left, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

What is so surprising about the demand for ‘change’ in reconciliation?

  • Institutions might just stop protecting processes and procedures that have historically and currently created barriers for Indigenous Peoples. Instead of refusing to consider how to
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 13, 2023
The Survivors' flag, an expression of remembrance meant to honour residential school survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada, seen on Parliament Hill on June 21, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What is so surprising about the demand for ‘change’ in reconciliation?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 13, 2023
  • Institutions might just stop protecting processes and procedures that have historically and currently created barriers for Indigenous Peoples. Instead of refusing to consider how to

What is so surprising about the demand for ‘change’ in reconciliation?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 13, 2023
  • Institutions might just stop protecting processes and procedures that have historically and currently created barriers for Indigenous Peoples. Instead of refusing to consider how to
The Survivors' flag, an expression of remembrance meant to honour residential school survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada, seen on Parliament Hill on June 21, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The nurses and docs are not okay

  • The health-care system is still in a state of crisis, and we have starved health care in Canada so that COVID hit it like
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 30, 2023
Canada's federal Health Minister Mark Holland, pictured. Ottawa will argue that it can’t do this because health care is a provincial/territorial mandate. It’s time to call out this fraud. Ottawa could choose to set the standard by funding Indigenous health to succeed, and to pressure provinces and territories to do similarly, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The nurses and docs are not okay

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 30, 2023
  • The health-care system is still in a state of crisis, and we have starved health care in Canada so that COVID hit it like

The nurses and docs are not okay

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 30, 2023
  • The health-care system is still in a state of crisis, and we have starved health care in Canada so that COVID hit it like
Canada's federal Health Minister Mark Holland, pictured. Ottawa will argue that it can’t do this because health care is a provincial/territorial mandate. It’s time to call out this fraud. Ottawa could choose to set the standard by funding Indigenous health to succeed, and to pressure provinces and territories to do similarly, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Australia doubles down on colonization via a referendum

  • Indigenous Peoples in Australia and Canada share the experience of colonization: the majority making laws over the minority. 
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 16, 2023
Australia's coat of arms at the country's Parliament House in Canberra. Australia voted against a Voice to Parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders on Oct. 14, but marginalized peoples' rights should not be put to a vote in the first place, writes Rose LeMay. Wikimedia Commons photograph

Australia doubles down on colonization via a referendum

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 16, 2023
  • Indigenous Peoples in Australia and Canada share the experience of colonization: the majority making laws over the minority. 

Australia doubles down on colonization via a referendum

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 16, 2023
  • Indigenous Peoples in Australia and Canada share the experience of colonization: the majority making laws over the minority. 
Australia's coat of arms at the country's Parliament House in Canberra. Australia voted against a Voice to Parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders on Oct. 14, but marginalized peoples' rights should not be put to a vote in the first place, writes Rose LeMay. Wikimedia Commons photograph

Reconciliation is an empty word if Indigenous people are left in landfills

  • Until we find every single missing and murdered Indigenous woman and girl lost, reconciliation is an empty word. We are responsible to uphold the rights
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 2, 2023
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson has made her decision not to search a Winnipeg landfill for the remains of two Indigenous women a provincial election issue. She will go down in history as the premier who tried to position Indigenous Peoples as not worth the cost, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Reconciliation is an empty word if Indigenous people are left in landfills

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 2, 2023
  • Until we find every single missing and murdered Indigenous woman and girl lost, reconciliation is an empty word. We are responsible to uphold the rights

Reconciliation is an empty word if Indigenous people are left in landfills

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 2, 2023
  • Until we find every single missing and murdered Indigenous woman and girl lost, reconciliation is an empty word. We are responsible to uphold the rights
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson has made her decision not to search a Winnipeg landfill for the remains of two Indigenous women a provincial election issue. She will go down in history as the premier who tried to position Indigenous Peoples as not worth the cost, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

That time Poilievre stomped on factual history

  • The 1950s were good for white, heterosexual, married couples. Yes, we need to remember Canada’s contributions to world peace, but only those who lack
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 18, 2023
Anaida Poilievre, left, and her busband Pierre Poilievre at the Conservative policy convention in Québec City on Sept. 8, 2023. So much has been written about Pierre Poilievre’s closing speech at the convention, yet not nearly enough has been written about it, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

That time Poilievre stomped on factual history

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 18, 2023
  • The 1950s were good for white, heterosexual, married couples. Yes, we need to remember Canada’s contributions to world peace, but only those who lack

That time Poilievre stomped on factual history

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 18, 2023
  • The 1950s were good for white, heterosexual, married couples. Yes, we need to remember Canada’s contributions to world peace, but only those who lack
Anaida Poilievre, left, and her busband Pierre Poilievre at the Conservative policy convention in Québec City on Sept. 8, 2023. So much has been written about Pierre Poilievre’s closing speech at the convention, yet not nearly enough has been written about it, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Looking forward to National Day of Reconciliation

  • Vancouver and the Lower Mainland enjoy a handful of Indigenous-owned art galleries and gift shops, restaurants, and hotels. There’s something different on the West Coast
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 11, 2023
Richard Thomas, a First Nations tour guide, recently led Rose LeMay's whale-watching tour near Tofino, B.C. 'Thomas grew up on the ocean which was clear to see as he manoeuvred our tour boat through narrows with speed and grace, the kind of grace that is gained from decades on the water.'  The Hill Times photograph by Rose LeMay

Looking forward to National Day of Reconciliation

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 11, 2023
  • Vancouver and the Lower Mainland enjoy a handful of Indigenous-owned art galleries and gift shops, restaurants, and hotels. There’s something different on the West Coast

Looking forward to National Day of Reconciliation

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 11, 2023
  • Vancouver and the Lower Mainland enjoy a handful of Indigenous-owned art galleries and gift shops, restaurants, and hotels. There’s something different on the West Coast
Richard Thomas, a First Nations tour guide, recently led Rose LeMay's whale-watching tour near Tofino, B.C. 'Thomas grew up on the ocean which was clear to see as he manoeuvred our tour boat through narrows with speed and grace, the kind of grace that is gained from decades on the water.'  The Hill Times photograph by Rose LeMay

A request for humanity in the newly named cabinet

  • Reconciliation is all about learning, making mistakes, and the commitment to do better. Since scripted messaging completely precludes the humanity of relationship, the only
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | August 7, 2023
New Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree, second right, with his wife, Harini Sivalingam, second left, and their daughters, Sahanah, right, and Bairvai, left, at Rideau Hall on July 26, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A request for humanity in the newly named cabinet

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | August 7, 2023
  • Reconciliation is all about learning, making mistakes, and the commitment to do better. Since scripted messaging completely precludes the humanity of relationship, the only

A request for humanity in the newly named cabinet

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | August 7, 2023
  • Reconciliation is all about learning, making mistakes, and the commitment to do better. Since scripted messaging completely precludes the humanity of relationship, the only
New Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree, second right, with his wife, Harini Sivalingam, second left, and their daughters, Sahanah, right, and Bairvai, left, at Rideau Hall on July 26, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Premier Stefanson needs to resign for interfering in landfill search

  • Elected leaders have dithered on the costs of searching a Winnipeg landfill for the bodies of three Indigenous women. This is what racism looks like. Indigenous
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | July 24, 2023
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson. The province has ruled out funding a search for the bodies of two Indigenous women believed to be in a Winnipeg landfill, but won't stop the federal government backing the search. The province's decision is racist, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Premier Stefanson needs to resign for interfering in landfill search

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | July 24, 2023
  • Elected leaders have dithered on the costs of searching a Winnipeg landfill for the bodies of three Indigenous women. This is what racism looks like. Indigenous

Premier Stefanson needs to resign for interfering in landfill search

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | July 24, 2023
  • Elected leaders have dithered on the costs of searching a Winnipeg landfill for the bodies of three Indigenous women. This is what racism looks like. Indigenous
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson. The province has ruled out funding a search for the bodies of two Indigenous women believed to be in a Winnipeg landfill, but won't stop the federal government backing the search. The province's decision is racist, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Federal Court forces Public Safety to do the right thing for First Nations policing

  • It should go without saying, but the lesson for today is this: don’t underfund Indigenous Peoples' well-being.
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | July 10, 2023
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino's department was ordered by a judge to provide funds to three Ontario First Nations police services for the next 12 months after contract talks stalled. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Federal Court forces Public Safety to do the right thing for First Nations policing

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | July 10, 2023
  • It should go without saying, but the lesson for today is this: don’t underfund Indigenous Peoples' well-being.

Federal Court forces Public Safety to do the right thing for First Nations policing

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | July 10, 2023
  • It should go without saying, but the lesson for today is this: don’t underfund Indigenous Peoples' well-being.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino's department was ordered by a judge to provide funds to three Ontario First Nations police services for the next 12 months after contract talks stalled. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The next steps for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

  • A federal action plan to implement UNDRIP will not resolve some major challenges in the provincial and territorial realm. We need to bring all
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | June 26, 2023
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller, pictured, attends a press conference on June 21 with Justice Minister David Lametti and Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal to announce the UN Declaration Act Action Plan. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The next steps for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | June 26, 2023
  • A federal action plan to implement UNDRIP will not resolve some major challenges in the provincial and territorial realm. We need to bring all

The next steps for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | June 26, 2023
  • A federal action plan to implement UNDRIP will not resolve some major challenges in the provincial and territorial realm. We need to bring all
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller, pictured, attends a press conference on June 21 with Justice Minister David Lametti and Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal to announce the UN Declaration Act Action Plan. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Governments and churches are obligated to stop denialism and hatred

  • This fight for truth and factual history is not supposed to be fought by Indigenous Peoples. It’s your responsibility, Canada.
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | June 12, 2023
Dozens gathered at an event to honour the children whose remains were found on the grounds of the Kamloops Indian Residential School on June 3, 2021. It's incumbent on government representatives, churches, museums, and the media to combat residential school denial, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Governments and churches are obligated to stop denialism and hatred

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | June 12, 2023
  • This fight for truth and factual history is not supposed to be fought by Indigenous Peoples. It’s your responsibility, Canada.

Governments and churches are obligated to stop denialism and hatred

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | June 12, 2023
  • This fight for truth and factual history is not supposed to be fought by Indigenous Peoples. It’s your responsibility, Canada.
Dozens gathered at an event to honour the children whose remains were found on the grounds of the Kamloops Indian Residential School on June 3, 2021. It's incumbent on government representatives, churches, museums, and the media to combat residential school denial, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

What if we rebuilt the curriculum for policing in Canada?

  • Instead of reducing education requirements for police officers, we need to dramatically increase the training and strengthen the curriculum to give candidates the best
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | May 29, 2023
Ontario Premier Doug Ford's plan to remove post-secondary education requirements for police officers is a nightmare for Indigenous Peoples, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What if we rebuilt the curriculum for policing in Canada?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | May 29, 2023
  • Instead of reducing education requirements for police officers, we need to dramatically increase the training and strengthen the curriculum to give candidates the best

What if we rebuilt the curriculum for policing in Canada?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | May 29, 2023
  • Instead of reducing education requirements for police officers, we need to dramatically increase the training and strengthen the curriculum to give candidates the best
Ontario Premier Doug Ford's plan to remove post-secondary education requirements for police officers is a nightmare for Indigenous Peoples, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The House calls it a national emergency, but will there be action?

  • There’s blatant irony in talking reconciliation when Indigenous people continue to be at a much higher risk of violence, health challenges and racism.
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | May 15, 2023
NDP MP Leah Gazan's motion calling on the government to declare ongoing violence against Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people a national emergency was unanimously adopted by the House on May 2. Every level of government is responsible to ensure changes are enacted on an urgent basis now, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The House calls it a national emergency, but will there be action?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | May 15, 2023
  • There’s blatant irony in talking reconciliation when Indigenous people continue to be at a much higher risk of violence, health challenges and racism.

The House calls it a national emergency, but will there be action?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | May 15, 2023
  • There’s blatant irony in talking reconciliation when Indigenous people continue to be at a much higher risk of violence, health challenges and racism.
NDP MP Leah Gazan's motion calling on the government to declare ongoing violence against Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people a national emergency was unanimously adopted by the House on May 2. Every level of government is responsible to ensure changes are enacted on an urgent basis now, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Media, Bill C-18, and Indigenous inclusion

  • Bill C-18 assumes that Indigenous storytelling is only for the Indigenous community. That’s like saying Tanya Talaga’s books can only be read by Indigenous Peoples,
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | May 1, 2023
Indigenous men, pictured drumming at a ceremony at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in Ottawa on Aug. 30, 2022. Indigenous storytelling follows cultural protocols about how all things are connected through time and space, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Media, Bill C-18, and Indigenous inclusion

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | May 1, 2023
  • Bill C-18 assumes that Indigenous storytelling is only for the Indigenous community. That’s like saying Tanya Talaga’s books can only be read by Indigenous Peoples,

Media, Bill C-18, and Indigenous inclusion

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | May 1, 2023
  • Bill C-18 assumes that Indigenous storytelling is only for the Indigenous community. That’s like saying Tanya Talaga’s books can only be read by Indigenous Peoples,
Indigenous men, pictured drumming at a ceremony at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in Ottawa on Aug. 30, 2022. Indigenous storytelling follows cultural protocols about how all things are connected through time and space, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Preparing to grieve the lost children at residential institutions once again

  • This year’s Indigenous History Month is going to be difficult, especially if the greater society allows residential institution deniers to continue. It’s going to be
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | April 17, 2023
A memorial dedicated to Indigenous children who died while being forced to attend residential schools at the Centennial Flame in Ottawa in June 2021. Rose LeMay writes that all Canadians should consider their place in the tapestry of reconciliation. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Preparing to grieve the lost children at residential institutions once again

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | April 17, 2023
  • This year’s Indigenous History Month is going to be difficult, especially if the greater society allows residential institution deniers to continue. It’s going to be

Preparing to grieve the lost children at residential institutions once again

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | April 17, 2023
  • This year’s Indigenous History Month is going to be difficult, especially if the greater society allows residential institution deniers to continue. It’s going to be
A memorial dedicated to Indigenous children who died while being forced to attend residential schools at the Centennial Flame in Ottawa in June 2021. Rose LeMay writes that all Canadians should consider their place in the tapestry of reconciliation. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

A guide to the end of the Doctrine of Discovery

  • OTTAWA—From about 300 to 500 AD, the new Catholics gained prominence over the other European-based spiritualities. It was made possible by the political leader Constantine,
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | April 3, 2023
Elder Angie Crerar shakes hands with Pope Francis inside the Vatican chambers following a private meeting on March 28, 2022. Behind Crerar stand Cassidy Caron, president of the Métis National Council and Elder Angie LaFleur. The Vatican formally repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery on March 30, 2023. Photograph by Matt LeMay, courtesy of Métis National Council

A guide to the end of the Doctrine of Discovery

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | April 3, 2023
  • OTTAWA—From about 300 to 500 AD, the new Catholics gained prominence over the other European-based spiritualities. It was made possible by the political leader Constantine,

A guide to the end of the Doctrine of Discovery

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | April 3, 2023
  • OTTAWA—From about 300 to 500 AD, the new Catholics gained prominence over the other European-based spiritualities. It was made possible by the political leader Constantine,
Elder Angie Crerar shakes hands with Pope Francis inside the Vatican chambers following a private meeting on March 28, 2022. Behind Crerar stand Cassidy Caron, president of the Métis National Council and Elder Angie LaFleur. The Vatican formally repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery on March 30, 2023. Photograph by Matt LeMay, courtesy of Métis National Council

Fraudulent claims of Indigenous identity are risking community for the rest of us

  • OTTAWA—Picture Canada in 1958: the time of the baby boom, the Dodge Regent, growing influence of unions, the new unemployment insurance, and first version
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | March 20, 2023
Chief Marcia Brown Martel, the lead plaintiff in an Ontario class-action lawsuit, pictured on Oct. 6, 2017, singing and drumming on the Hill, on the day the government announced $800-million in restitution for the survivors of the '60s Scoop. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Fraudulent claims of Indigenous identity are risking community for the rest of us

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | March 20, 2023
  • OTTAWA—Picture Canada in 1958: the time of the baby boom, the Dodge Regent, growing influence of unions, the new unemployment insurance, and first version

Fraudulent claims of Indigenous identity are risking community for the rest of us

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | March 20, 2023
  • OTTAWA—Picture Canada in 1958: the time of the baby boom, the Dodge Regent, growing influence of unions, the new unemployment insurance, and first version
Chief Marcia Brown Martel, the lead plaintiff in an Ontario class-action lawsuit, pictured on Oct. 6, 2017, singing and drumming on the Hill, on the day the government announced $800-million in restitution for the survivors of the '60s Scoop. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The emotional tax of being Indigenous in Canada

  • There are reconciliation expectations on governments, Crown corporations and all citizen-serving entities. Some are actually legal requirements—ensure the safety of Indigenous workers and leaders. Some
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | March 6, 2023
Rose LeMay: 'The quickest way to ensure reconciliation is a failure in your company is to not prioritize it as a strategic priority.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The emotional tax of being Indigenous in Canada

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | March 6, 2023
  • There are reconciliation expectations on governments, Crown corporations and all citizen-serving entities. Some are actually legal requirements—ensure the safety of Indigenous workers and leaders. Some

The emotional tax of being Indigenous in Canada

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | March 6, 2023
  • There are reconciliation expectations on governments, Crown corporations and all citizen-serving entities. Some are actually legal requirements—ensure the safety of Indigenous workers and leaders. Some
Rose LeMay: 'The quickest way to ensure reconciliation is a failure in your company is to not prioritize it as a strategic priority.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The RCMP is never held to account for its own tragic, devastating wrongdoing

  • If we don’t do the heavy lifting of fundamental change in the RCMP, we are condemning more Indigenous people to high-risk interactions with the
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | February 20, 2023
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki, right, and Deputy Commissioner Brian Brennan at the House Public Safety Committee on July 25, 2022. Lucki is stepping down next month. Lucki, who is stepping down next month, has faced intense criticism for the RCMP’s handling of multiple crises in recent years. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The RCMP is never held to account for its own tragic, devastating wrongdoing

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | February 20, 2023
  • If we don’t do the heavy lifting of fundamental change in the RCMP, we are condemning more Indigenous people to high-risk interactions with the

The RCMP is never held to account for its own tragic, devastating wrongdoing

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | February 20, 2023
  • If we don’t do the heavy lifting of fundamental change in the RCMP, we are condemning more Indigenous people to high-risk interactions with the
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki, right, and Deputy Commissioner Brian Brennan at the House Public Safety Committee on July 25, 2022. Lucki is stepping down next month. Lucki, who is stepping down next month, has faced intense criticism for the RCMP’s handling of multiple crises in recent years. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Forty degrees below zero in the world of racial equity and inclusion

  • What are some take-aways to deal with such a mix of good news and incredibly challenging incidents that seem to take us a step
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | February 6, 2023
Canada’s first special representative on combating Islamophobia Amira Elghawaby, pictured on the Hill on Feb. 1, 2023, after a number of calls for her appointment to be rescinded after controversial comments from a 2019 column resurfaced. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Forty degrees below zero in the world of racial equity and inclusion

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | February 6, 2023
  • What are some take-aways to deal with such a mix of good news and incredibly challenging incidents that seem to take us a step

Forty degrees below zero in the world of racial equity and inclusion

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | February 6, 2023
  • What are some take-aways to deal with such a mix of good news and incredibly challenging incidents that seem to take us a step
Canada’s first special representative on combating Islamophobia Amira Elghawaby, pictured on the Hill on Feb. 1, 2023, after a number of calls for her appointment to be rescinded after controversial comments from a 2019 column resurfaced. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is leaving the building

  • At least New Zealand had the guts to talk about real change.
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | January 23, 2023
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced her resignation last week from the top job after six years in office. A new Labour Party leader will be elected by the caucus on Feb. 7. Ardern said she was burned out from the brutal job. Ardern sustained attacks on her character and threats against her life. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is leaving the building

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | January 23, 2023
  • At least New Zealand had the guts to talk about real change.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is leaving the building

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | January 23, 2023
  • At least New Zealand had the guts to talk about real change.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced her resignation last week from the top job after six years in office. A new Labour Party leader will be elected by the caucus on Feb. 7. Ardern said she was burned out from the brutal job. Ardern sustained attacks on her character and threats against her life. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

My new year’s predictions for reconciliation

  • This year will also be about growing recognition that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples are doing some amazing things that benefit all Canadians. This
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | January 9, 2023
Indigenous women, pictured Feb. 24, 2020, protesting against the the Coastal GasLink pipeline which will run from Dawson Creek through the Rockies, and through First Nations' land, to Kitimat where the gas will be exported. 'Maybe 2023 is the year in which Canada realizes it is really an Indigenous federation,' writes Rose LeMay.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

My new year’s predictions for reconciliation

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | January 9, 2023
  • This year will also be about growing recognition that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples are doing some amazing things that benefit all Canadians. This

My new year’s predictions for reconciliation

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | January 9, 2023
  • This year will also be about growing recognition that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples are doing some amazing things that benefit all Canadians. This
Indigenous women, pictured Feb. 24, 2020, protesting against the the Coastal GasLink pipeline which will run from Dawson Creek through the Rockies, and through First Nations' land, to Kitimat where the gas will be exported. 'Maybe 2023 is the year in which Canada realizes it is really an Indigenous federation,' writes Rose LeMay.   The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Can Indigenous peoples trust police forces?

  • Policing in Canada has a racism problem, and it’s the white elephant that will keep coming back again and again.
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | December 12, 2022
The first call to action from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls final report goes essentially like this: admit there is racism against Indigenous peoples within policing. It’s a lamentable start that the report, which mentions police 419 times, has to demand that police start with the basics, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Can Indigenous peoples trust police forces?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | December 12, 2022
  • Policing in Canada has a racism problem, and it’s the white elephant that will keep coming back again and again.

Can Indigenous peoples trust police forces?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | December 12, 2022
  • Policing in Canada has a racism problem, and it’s the white elephant that will keep coming back again and again.
The first call to action from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls final report goes essentially like this: admit there is racism against Indigenous peoples within policing. It’s a lamentable start that the report, which mentions police 419 times, has to demand that police start with the basics, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

What to do with pretendians

  • Beware of any checklist or simplistic approach to defining identity. Indigenous identity is complicated.
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 28, 2022
Participants in the National Truth and Reconciliation Day ceremonies, pictured Sept. 30, 2022, walking down Wellington Street in Ottawa. Belonging to a community must be set by that community with grace, not with an externally-imposed status card, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What to do with pretendians

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 28, 2022
  • Beware of any checklist or simplistic approach to defining identity. Indigenous identity is complicated.

What to do with pretendians

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 28, 2022
  • Beware of any checklist or simplistic approach to defining identity. Indigenous identity is complicated.
Participants in the National Truth and Reconciliation Day ceremonies, pictured Sept. 30, 2022, walking down Wellington Street in Ottawa. Belonging to a community must be set by that community with grace, not with an externally-imposed status card, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Reconciliation is not voluntary, so the National Reconciliation Council needs to be a commission, not a non-profit

  • Bill C-29 is finally in discussion. But a National Council of Reconciliation, set up as a non-profit, will lack the teeth to demand accountability. 
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 14, 2022
Reconciliation is not a matter of policy open to the whims of senior bureaucrats nor is it open to conflicting priorities of the party in power. Reconciliation is Canada’s moral obligation, a necessary process that must be accountable to citizens, enforceable through public accountability, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Reconciliation is not voluntary, so the National Reconciliation Council needs to be a commission, not a non-profit

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 14, 2022
  • Bill C-29 is finally in discussion. But a National Council of Reconciliation, set up as a non-profit, will lack the teeth to demand accountability. 

Reconciliation is not voluntary, so the National Reconciliation Council needs to be a commission, not a non-profit

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | November 14, 2022
  • Bill C-29 is finally in discussion. But a National Council of Reconciliation, set up as a non-profit, will lack the teeth to demand accountability. 
Reconciliation is not a matter of policy open to the whims of senior bureaucrats nor is it open to conflicting priorities of the party in power. Reconciliation is Canada’s moral obligation, a necessary process that must be accountable to citizens, enforceable through public accountability, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Emergencies Act Inquiry is ripping the veneer off the myth of fair policing

  • The galling backdrop to this inquiry is that we haven’t named the foundational belief that underpins this whole thing. If it were thousands of
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 31, 2022
Most of Ottawa's Wellington Street was blocked off by Freedom Convoy supporters, such as this one, pictured on Feb. 17, 2022, for more than three weeks last winter. This would not have been allowed to happen if the protesters were Indigenous people. This is what racism looks like on a grand, national scale, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Emergencies Act Inquiry is ripping the veneer off the myth of fair policing

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 31, 2022
  • The galling backdrop to this inquiry is that we haven’t named the foundational belief that underpins this whole thing. If it were thousands of

Emergencies Act Inquiry is ripping the veneer off the myth of fair policing

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 31, 2022
  • The galling backdrop to this inquiry is that we haven’t named the foundational belief that underpins this whole thing. If it were thousands of
Most of Ottawa's Wellington Street was blocked off by Freedom Convoy supporters, such as this one, pictured on Feb. 17, 2022, for more than three weeks last winter. This would not have been allowed to happen if the protesters were Indigenous people. This is what racism looks like on a grand, national scale, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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Where are all the Indigenous women in c-suite offices, Canada?

  • OTTAWA—Where are all the Indigenous women in c-suite offices? In a sample of more than 21,000 women in leadership positions in corporate Canada, fewer
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 17, 2022
Indigenous women, pictured Feb. 24, 2020, protesting against the Coastal Gas pipeline. In a sample of more than 21,000 women in leadership positions in corporate Canada, fewer than one per cent of c-suite roles are held by Indigenous women, according to the 2022 Annual Report Card on Gender Diversity and Leadership by the Prosperity Project. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Where are all the Indigenous women in c-suite offices, Canada?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 17, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Where are all the Indigenous women in c-suite offices? In a sample of more than 21,000 women in leadership positions in corporate Canada, fewer

Where are all the Indigenous women in c-suite offices, Canada?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 17, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Where are all the Indigenous women in c-suite offices? In a sample of more than 21,000 women in leadership positions in corporate Canada, fewer
Indigenous women, pictured Feb. 24, 2020, protesting against the Coastal Gas pipeline. In a sample of more than 21,000 women in leadership positions in corporate Canada, fewer than one per cent of c-suite roles are held by Indigenous women, according to the 2022 Annual Report Card on Gender Diversity and Leadership by the Prosperity Project. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Gee-Gees women’s rugby a reconciliation leader in Ottawa

  • OTTAWA—Gather around for a good news story. It’s about the University of Ottawa’s women’s rugby team, the Gee-Gees. The team has spent some serious
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 3, 2022
During the Sept. 24 women’s rugby match between the Ottawa Gee-Gees and Bishop’s Gaiters, rugby fans were shown the beauty and strength of Indigenous cultures, writes Rose LeMay. Photograph courtesy of Greg Kolz

Gee-Gees women’s rugby a reconciliation leader in Ottawa

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 3, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Gather around for a good news story. It’s about the University of Ottawa’s women’s rugby team, the Gee-Gees. The team has spent some serious

Gee-Gees women’s rugby a reconciliation leader in Ottawa

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | October 3, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Gather around for a good news story. It’s about the University of Ottawa’s women’s rugby team, the Gee-Gees. The team has spent some serious
During the Sept. 24 women’s rugby match between the Ottawa Gee-Gees and Bishop’s Gaiters, rugby fans were shown the beauty and strength of Indigenous cultures, writes Rose LeMay. Photograph courtesy of Greg Kolz

We need to do something significant for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

  • On Sept. 30, we all need to practice expecting Indigenous success.
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 19, 2022
Algonquin Elder and University of Ottawa chancellor Claudette Commanda, pictured on the Hill on Sept. 30, 2021, at the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

We need to do something significant for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 19, 2022
  • On Sept. 30, we all need to practice expecting Indigenous success.

We need to do something significant for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 19, 2022
  • On Sept. 30, we all need to practice expecting Indigenous success.
Algonquin Elder and University of Ottawa chancellor Claudette Commanda, pictured on the Hill on Sept. 30, 2021, at the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Disinformation has a long history in Canada

  • OTTAWA—A recent Ekos survey of Canadians found a disturbing relation between the amount of disinformation an individual agrees with, and the level of support
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 5, 2022
A 'freedom movement' supporter wields a sign that reads 'monkey pox' but crosses out 'pox' and instead reads 'monkey business' at a 'freedom' rally in Ottawa on July 1, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Disinformation has a long history in Canada

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 5, 2022
  • OTTAWA—A recent Ekos survey of Canadians found a disturbing relation between the amount of disinformation an individual agrees with, and the level of support

Disinformation has a long history in Canada

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | September 5, 2022
  • OTTAWA—A recent Ekos survey of Canadians found a disturbing relation between the amount of disinformation an individual agrees with, and the level of support
A 'freedom movement' supporter wields a sign that reads 'monkey pox' but crosses out 'pox' and instead reads 'monkey business' at a 'freedom' rally in Ottawa on July 1, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The health-care system is in crisis, and we could have avoided it

  • OTTAWA—We are burning out the health-care workforce, and that’s on us. It’s our fault. In 2019, Canada spent about 10 per cent of its
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | August 22, 2022
Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos. Canada’s health care costs more than it should because of a lack of national co-ordination, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The health-care system is in crisis, and we could have avoided it

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | August 22, 2022
  • OTTAWA—We are burning out the health-care workforce, and that’s on us. It’s our fault. In 2019, Canada spent about 10 per cent of its

The health-care system is in crisis, and we could have avoided it

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | August 22, 2022
  • OTTAWA—We are burning out the health-care workforce, and that’s on us. It’s our fault. In 2019, Canada spent about 10 per cent of its
Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos. Canada’s health care costs more than it should because of a lack of national co-ordination, writes Rose LeMay. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Why the Pope’s words continue to reverberate

  • The lasting impacts of the papal visit will continue to reverberate. It provoked some difficult reflections in churches and among Catholics across the country.
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | August 8, 2022
Willie Littlechild, pictured here on July 25, 2022, in Maskwacîs, Alta., where he was born, listening to Pope Francis officially apologize to Indigenous people for the Catholic Church's role in running the residential schools in Canada for more than 100 years. Photograph courtesy of PMO/photograph by Adam Scotti

Why the Pope’s words continue to reverberate

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | August 8, 2022
  • The lasting impacts of the papal visit will continue to reverberate. It provoked some difficult reflections in churches and among Catholics across the country.

Why the Pope’s words continue to reverberate

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | August 8, 2022
  • The lasting impacts of the papal visit will continue to reverberate. It provoked some difficult reflections in churches and among Catholics across the country.
Willie Littlechild, pictured here on July 25, 2022, in Maskwacîs, Alta., where he was born, listening to Pope Francis officially apologize to Indigenous people for the Catholic Church's role in running the residential schools in Canada for more than 100 years. Photograph courtesy of PMO/photograph by Adam Scotti

We need the Canadian Museum on Residential Schools now

  • OTTAWA—July 1 is the 75th anniversary of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. The Auschwitz camp was started in 1940 near Oswiecim in Poland and
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | July 4, 2022
Two Métis children with an Inuit child, pictured at the All Saints Residential School, Shingle Point, Yukon, 1930. A museum and memorial on residential schools would ensure that Canada never forgets what it did to Indigenous children from coast to coast to coast, writes Rose LeMay. Photograph courtesy of Library and Archives Canada

We need the Canadian Museum on Residential Schools now

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | July 4, 2022
  • OTTAWA—July 1 is the 75th anniversary of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. The Auschwitz camp was started in 1940 near Oswiecim in Poland and

We need the Canadian Museum on Residential Schools now

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | July 4, 2022
  • OTTAWA—July 1 is the 75th anniversary of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. The Auschwitz camp was started in 1940 near Oswiecim in Poland and
Two Métis children with an Inuit child, pictured at the All Saints Residential School, Shingle Point, Yukon, 1930. A museum and memorial on residential schools would ensure that Canada never forgets what it did to Indigenous children from coast to coast to coast, writes Rose LeMay. Photograph courtesy of Library and Archives Canada

What are you celebrating on National Indigenous Day?

  • OTTAWA—Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc announced the rediscovery of 215 unmarked graves a year ago. Over the past year, a number of other institutions for the removal
Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | June 20, 2022
Red Sky Performance dancers, pictured Sept. 30, 2019, at the Honouring National Day for Truth and Reconciliation ceremony at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau. Rose LeMay is suggesting that Canadians celebrate National Indigenous Day on June 21, 'I submit that we might celebrate truth. After 150 some years, we have finally pulled back the curtain on the truth of residential schools. They were not to educate, they existed to extinguish Indigenous peoples, and yet we are still here.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What are you celebrating on National Indigenous Day?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | June 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc announced the rediscovery of 215 unmarked graves a year ago. Over the past year, a number of other institutions for the removal

What are you celebrating on National Indigenous Day?

Opinion | BY ROSE LEMAY | June 20, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc announced the rediscovery of 215 unmarked graves a year ago. Over the past year, a number of other institutions for the removal
Red Sky Performance dancers, pictured Sept. 30, 2019, at the Honouring National Day for Truth and Reconciliation ceremony at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau. Rose LeMay is suggesting that Canadians celebrate National Indigenous Day on June 21, 'I submit that we might celebrate truth. After 150 some years, we have finally pulled back the curtain on the truth of residential schools. They were not to educate, they existed to extinguish Indigenous peoples, and yet we are still here.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade