Dr. Candace Brunette-Debassige is Mushkego Cree of Petabeck First Nation in Treaty 9 with mixed Cree and French lineage. She is a community member, Indigenous scholar, and at the time of release, an Assistant Professor at the School of Indigenous Relations at Laurentian University. We were incredibly fortunate to have Candace as part of our Western University community for over a decade, where she supported the creation of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives and the development of integral learning opportunities such as the Indigenous Teaching and Learning Series and the Indigenous Learning Bundles. We had a chance to sit down with Candace to learn more about her journey and experiences across the many roles she has held, alongside her insights on Indigenous and decolonial approaches to education.
We know efforts towards decolonization and Indigenization have been a priority area for institutions across Canada, particularly following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report in 2015. But what does it actually look like in practice? How do we take steps towards building genuine, intentional relationships with community to ensure this work is beneficial? How does all of this fit into the Eurocentric westernized model of education many of us are accustomed to? If you find yourself faced with these questions and have a genuine interest to learn, you're in the right place.
Tune in to this episode to reflect, unlearn, and reimagine what teaching and learning can look like when Indigenous sovereignty, knowledge, and belonging are truly honoured and prioritized, and how you can meaningfully take part in these processes.
We would like to extend a huge thank you and our gratitude to Candace for gifting us this knowledge and for all the ways that she has supported our campus community.
Remembering Dr. Lillian McGregor, mentioned in this episode: Dr. Lillian McGregor (1924-2012) of Whitefish River First Nation was the first Elder-in-Residence at the University of Toronto First Nation House, and a strong community leader. Visit Dr. Lillian McGregor Park, in Toronto, ON.
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Keywords: Higher Education; EDI-D; Decolonization; Indigenization; Inclusion; Educational Sovereignty; Truth and Reconciliation; Curriculum Development; Learning Bundles; Community-Based Learning; Community Engaged Learning
TImestamps (HH:MM:SS)
00:00:00 - Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:53 - Land Acknowledgement
00:04:10 - Guest Introduction
00:05:21 - Welcome Dr. Candace Brunette-Debassige!
00:06:40 - Candace's Time at Western University
00:13:14 - Candace's Path to Higher Education
00:27:01 - The Indigenous Teaching and Learning Series
00:33:52 - The Indigenous Learning Bundles
00:42:59 - Implementing the Bundles in Collaboration with Non-Indigenous Faculty
01:12:24 - Building Relationships with Indigenous Knowledge Keepers
01:18:04 - Mobilizing Decolonization Efforts (e.g., in Meetings, or Committees)
01:25:55 - Challenge(s), and Reward(s)
01:31:30 - If You Had a Magic Wand...
01:35:58 - To Learn More...Check These Out (decolonialfutures.net)
01:40:22 - Poem, "Reconciliation" by Rebeka Tabobondung
01:41:37 - Outro
Mentioned in This Episode (Further Reading)
00:00:53 - Land Acknowledgement
00:01:26 - Definitions of Decolonization and Indigenization
- Western University Office of Research
- Schulich Office of EDI-D
- Two Eyed Seeing (in the words of Albert Marshall, Mi'kmaq Elder)
00:04:10 - Welcome Candace Brunette-Debassige! (see her current biography, including her broader publication profile)
00:08:45 - Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Reports and Calls to Action
- Further Reading: Calls to Action for Higher Education
00:09:43 - Indigenous Student Centre, Western University
00:10:45 - Strategic Planning and Reports, Indigenous Initiatives
00:11:17 - Candace's PhD Dissertation, "The Trickiness of Settler Colonialism: Indigenous Women Administrators' Experiences of Policy in Canadian Universities"
- Her learnings and work have also been translated into a book, "Tricky Grounds: Indigenous Women's Experiences in Canadian University Administration" (Link to Purchase, or view Open Access eBook)
00:11:38 - Office of Indigenous Initiatives, Western University
00:11:53 - Christy Bressette, Vice-Provost & Associate Vice-President (Indigenous Initiatives)
00:19:08 - University of Toronto Academic Bridging Program
00:27:01 - Indigenous Teaching and Learning Series
- Additional Learning and Development Opportunities at Western
00:27:50 - Center for Teaching and Learning Teaching Fellows
- Learn more about Candace's appointment
00:28:06 - (previous news report) Sarah Prichard, Acting Vice-President (Research), also Acting Provost & Vice-President (Academic)
00:29:55 - Aisha Haque, Current Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning
00:30:09 - Indigenous Curriculum and Pedagogy Advisor (previously held by Sara Mai Chitty). Check out the podcast she contributed to our campus community, Mbwaach'idiwag (they visit with each other)
00:33:52 - Indigenous Learning Bundles: Maatookiiying gaa-miinigoowiziying (Sharing our Gifts). More details on support available when completing the Bundles can be found on this site, including the Community of Practice Candace mentions.
00:35:13 - Indigenous Bundles at Carleton University, stewarded by Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller
00:35:45 - Paula Cornelius-Hedgepeth (Director, Indigenous Engagement and Wampum Learning Lodge)
00:39:19 - Articles on The Bundles
- Sharing Indigenous Knowledges in University Teaching: The Need for Conciliable Spaces (2025 – Collaboration with Kahente Horn-Miller and Sara Mai Chitty)
- Bringing indigenous educational leadership perspectives into social work leadership education (2025 - Collaboration with Rosemary Vito, Social Work Faculty)
- At the time of episode release, the third article is still in press, but keep an eye out for its publication!
00:44:44 - Liz Akiwenzie, Knowledge Keeper
00:50:42 - Bias in Student Evaluations (the importance of thinking critically about where bias may present itself in these mediums, and how we can support faculty accordingly)
- Lighting the Fire: Experiences of Indigenous Faculty in Universities (Ontario's Universities)
- Exploring Bias in Student Evaluations: Gender, Race, and Ethnicity
- Student evaluation of teaching: gender bias in a country at the forefront of gender equality
- Evaluating Student Evaluations of Teaching: A Review of Measurement and Equity Bias in SETs and Recommendations for Ethical Reform
00:53:56 - Community Engaged Learning (Western's Website)
00:58:53 - Leanne Betasamosake Simpson
01:08:04 - Sheila Cote-Meek's Book, "Colonized Classrooms: Racism, Trauma and Resistance in Post-Secondary Education"
01:27:05 - Thesis-Based Masters in Indigenous Relations (MIR) at Laurentian University
01:33:53 - Master of Indigenous Land-Based Education
01:36:36 - Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures (decolonialfutures.net) and Towards Braiding
01:37:06 - Aiden Cinnamon Tea Project (burnoutfromhumans.net)
01:40:12 A gift from Candace. Poem, "Reconciliation" by Rebeka Tabobondung (also pasted below):
We are waking up to our history
from a forced slumber
We are breathing it into our lungs
so it will be part of us again
It will make us angry at first
because we will see how much you stole from us
and for how long you watched us suffer
we will see how you see us
and how when we copied your ways
we killed our own.
We will cry and cry and cry
because we can never be the same again
But we will go home to cry
and we will see ourselves in this huge mess
and we will gently whisper the circle back
and it will be old and it will be new
Then we will breathe our history back to you
you will feel how strong and alive it is
and you will feel yourself become a part of it
And it will shock you at first
because it is too big to see all at once
and you won't want to believe it
you will see how you see us
and all the disaster in your ways
how much we lost
And you will cry and cry and cry
because we can never be the same again
But we will cry with you
and we will see ourselves in this huge mess
and we will gently whisper the circle back|
and it will be old and it will be new.
Audio Recording and Production
This episode was recorded on Riverside.fm, hosted by Schulich Educational Technology and Media Services (ETMS).
Produced/Edited by Preetama Badyal and Oana Birceanu
Thank you to the support of the team at BrainsCAN for funding the resources behind this podcast, allowing us to create this space for discussion.
Intro and Outro Music
Sourced from Pixabay, "Enhance" by electronic music producer Evgeny_Bardyuzha. Free for use under the Pixabay Content License.
