Dr. Niigaan Sinclair connects with UCC students, staff

“I’ve been impressed with the astuteness, depth of knowledge, and awareness — to a point of a critical consciousness — involving the importance of relationships with Indigenous peoples,” says Dr. Sinclair, who hails from Treaty One Nation. “And I’ve been impressed by the amount of conversations going on in the school that are quite progressive.”

Dr. Sinclair is well-seasoned when it comes to talking to students. In addition to writing for the Winnipeg Free Press, he is a professor at the University of Manitoba and former high school teacher. He is also the son of the late Murray Sinclair, the noted judge, senator, and chief commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. 

Dr. Sinclair also met with UCC’s Senior Leadership Team, as well as the Year 9 history, Year 10 civics, and Prep Individuals and Societies teaching teams.    

“It was a chance for teachers to ask him questions and look for ways to ensure Indigenous content and ways of thinking and teaching are covered,” says Year 10 civics teacher Jo Hogan, who was instrumental in making the visit happen. “We talked about the topics we teach, and he gave us different ways of thinking about them from an Indigenous perspective and providing more historical context.”

Addressing Year 10 civics classes and the Year 11 global politics class, he called each student a “miracle,” as they are growing up in a time of unprecedented awareness. He referenced a North American map broken down in terms of the lands of Indigenous peoples, noting how fluid those boundaries are compared to the contemporary political map. This led to a discussion of shared space and the need for businesses and governments to work closely with Indigenous communities to avoid problems and respect their rights.    

Dr. Sinclair says he wanted to impart that “if you want to be employable, being competent on Indigenous peoples, communities, histories, and rights will make you someone people want to work with. It’s not ‘the right thing to do’ — it’s the only thing to do.”

The civics teachers report that students were engaged and asked pertinent questions they prepared in advance as they were completing a unit on decolonization and reconciliation. Students also provided thoughtful feedback on what they took away from the visit. 

 

“The most important lesson I’ve learned is that reconciliation isn’t [just] about stating respect or regrets for the atrocities of the past,” writes Year 10 student Lam Cao. “Rather, it’s about actions and walking together. There’s no point making all these rules or treaties if we can’t unite or fulfill promises.” 

 

Year 10 student Rohan Gupta writes, “Dr. Sinclair allowed me to reflect on Indigenous culture and communities within contemporary society through a different lens from what we study. Editorial articles can seem distant, while this experience was personal and tailored to UCC students, and offered new perspectives on Indigenous peoples’ vital roles in our society.”

 

Hogan says she hopes the school will continue the partnership with Dr. Sinclair in the future, both at the Upper School and the Prep.