Reflections on the Papal Visit

Recorded on January 31, 2023, this online Conversation explores the impact of the seven Euro-Christian churches that imposed western values on Indigenous peoples through the Indian residential and day school era. The recent visit of Pope Francis to Canada to respond to the harms and crimes perpetrated by the Roman Catholic Church against Indigenous children and their families will be the focus of this panel's conversation. The re-emergence of Indigenous values, teachings, and life philosophy will be discussed with regard to 2Spirit/Indigenous LGBTQ people, gender-based violence, feminism, matriarchy, midwifery, gender identity, sexual health research, and reparations.

Learning Intentions: *Participants will learn how the Canadian state and Euro-Christian churches attempted to erase the history and lives of 2Spirit/Indigenous people. *To encourage communities, elders, leaders to begin these hard conversations. *To unpack the history of residential schools, the trauma ensued by Indigenous children, and the generational trauma and harms that continue to this day. *To reclaim, restore, and repair Two Spirit narratives. *To imagine what our ancestors would say.

Our Speakers: Dr. Albert McLeod is a long-standing activist in the Indigenous response to HIV/AIDS and 2Spirit/Indigenous LGBTQI education, outreach and advocacy. He is a First Nations Cree living in Winnipeg; Treaty #1 Territory and the Homeland of the Red River Metis Nation. Albert specializes in education about 2Spirit history and re-emergence, Canada's Truth and Reconciliation process, and the outcomes of the National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls. www.2Spiritconsultants.ca

Marjorie Beaucage is a Two-Spirit Métis Auntie, filmmaker, art-ivist and educator, a land and water protector . Her work is focused on giving voice, and creating safe cultural healing spaces that restore wounded spirits. She has recently made story medicine with a series of harm reduction videos with those who are walking through the dark and creating light around drug use and addictions.

Kimberly Fairman joined ICHR as Executive Director after a career in the federal public service. With continuing support from Canadian funding agencies and University partners, Kimberly is showcasing the valuable contribution of northern communities, practitioners and indigenous knowledge holders to the modern research agenda. She is a member of the board for the Canadian Society for Circumpolar Health. For more information on the Feast Centre for Indigenous STBBI Research, please visit: https://feastcentre.mcmaster.ca/

Content Warning: This conversation speaks about sensitive content involving the abuse of children. Wa-say Healing Centre is available to speak with those affected by this information and are available Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm at 204-774-6484. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation also welcomes you to call the National Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 which is open 24/7.