What was your thesis/practicum placement and major research paper on and who was your advisor?
For my practicum, I was placed at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, where I focused on the right to health, empathy, storytelling and information disorder. I also worked at the Manitoba Human Rights Commission through the STEP program, where I participated in investigations. My major research paper, advised by Professor Dr. Kjell Anderson, examined Indigenous genocide in Brazil during the pandemic, with a particular focus on state policies, structural violence, and accountability. The paper examined how conventional frameworks of transitional justice frequently fail to adequately address the unique and ongoing harms experienced by Indigenous communities.

Why did you choose that thesis topic or practicum placement?
As a Brazilian physician who worked on the front lines of the pandemic, I witnessed firsthand how public health was politicized and how marginalized communities were disproportionately affected. My transition into human rights advocacy emerged from that experience. The practicum at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights enabled me to integrate my medical background with critical human rights reflection. My major research paper was an extension of my commitment to amplify voices often silenced by dominant narratives and legal frameworks. 

What inspired you to pursue an MHR degree at the University of Manitoba?
After becoming politically engaged in Brazil during a period of democratic backsliding and misinformation, I realized the need to expand my understanding of justice and advocacy beyond clinical care. The University of Manitoba’s interdisciplinary MHR program was one of the few that offered both academic depth and practical experience. It was the perfect bridge between my medical training and my growing commitment to human rights, particularly in the areas of public health, Indigenous rights, and transitional justice.

What was your favourite / most memorable moment or experience while taking this degree?
There were many meaningful moments, but one that stands out was being part of the international partnership project between the University of Manitoba and the University of Brasília. Facilitating knowledge exchange between institutions in Canada and Brazil, especially on Indigenous justice and reconciliation, felt like a full-circle moment, bringing together my roots, my research, and my hopes for collective change. 

What advice would you give to anyone considering taking an MHR at UM as to the benefits the degree will have to your career?
The MHR program at UM opens space for bold, interdisciplinary thinking and action. Whether you come from a law, social sciences, healthcare, or activist background, this program will challenge you to connect theory to practice in a deeply personal and impactful way. For me, it reshaped my career path by blending medicine, research, and advocacy, and provided me with the tools and network to pursue meaningful work at the intersection of human rights and public health.

Applications for the next cohort of the University of Manitoba’s Master of Human Rights program are due December 1.

“Quite simply, Murray Sinclair changed Canada forever,” says Carleton on the latest episode of Face to Face. “There’s no going back as a result of his tireless work to advocate for Indigenous people, but, in particular, his work with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

To read the entire article and to watch the interview, please follow the link to APTN News: Face to Face.

Mr. Sinclair, also known by his spirit name, Mazina Giizhik (The One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky), died Monday at a Winnipeg hospital. He was 73.

His family confirmed the death in a statement and asked people to pay their respects at the sacred fire on the legislative grounds in Winnipeg.

To read more about Justice Sinclair’s legacy, please visit The Globe and Mail. 

The Associate Professor in the Faculty of Arts, Director of the Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture, and Senior Fellow at St John’s College focuses on the relationships between people and territories and how we might live in ways that support Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice.

With her goal of helping to make the world a more just place, Jocelyn currently works on two projects that shine a light on personal experiences and Indigenous filmmaking.

In her long-term collaboration with Kaila Johnston of the NCTR, Jocelyn co-curates the film series “Decolonizing Lens,” which showcases Indigenous filmmakers and their films. The events will take place every Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm in the Winnipeg Art Gallery where different films will be on display. 

“The film series allows us to amplify Indigenous voices and perspectives, highlight the talent and hard work of Indigenous filmmakers, and bring people together for shared learning experiences.”

Available for viewing this September and October in the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Decolonizing Lens provides an opportunity for everyone to gain insight into Indigenous perspectives and storytelling in film.

Tying into her film series collaboration, Thorpe continues her work on an exciting book that connects social justice and everyday life, showing how everyone can help to make the world a kinder, more just place.

The next Decolonizing Lens event is Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. and features “Kanàtenhs: When the Pine Needles Fall”, a film by Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel.

To learn more about the Decolonizing Lens event dates and details, visit the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s website. 

“The Foundation is humbled and honoured to make an important gift and investment in our community and country.  Through the generosity of our donors this contribution supports more than 10 decades of their collective belief in ‘we are stronger when we work together’ and helps ensure we continue to collaborate on our path of Truth and Reconciliation,” says Sky Bridges, President and CEO of The Winnipeg Foundation. 

As Canada’s first community foundation, The Winnipeg Foundation has a long history of philanthropic leadership. The Foundation has been steadfast in its work to “ensure a Winnipeg where community life flourishes for all”. With this commitment to the NCTR, the impact of The Foundation’s generosity will be felt in Winnipeg and across the country now and for generations to come as a beautiful expression of their motto: for good, forever.  

“I survived the Ermineskin Residential School in 1963, and part of that survival has been to tell my story, share my truths of the experience so people understand what we went through as Indigenous people,” says Laurie McDonald, Survivor Circle member. “Without truth, there can be no Reconciliation in Canada, and that’s why our new building is so important. It will be for all people to learn our history so it’s never forgotten. So what we endured will never be forgotten.” 

“The NCTR is deeply grateful to The Winnipeg Foundation for their ongoing partnership and shared commitment to preserving the truths of the Indian Residential School system,” says Stephanie Scott, Executive Director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. “This gift will help create a place where the history is never forgotten nor denied, and where the strength and courage of Residential School Survivors can guide us to a better future. While we cannot change our past, we can change our future.”  

The NCTR’s new home will be a safe space for Survivors and their families to come together to share their truths, knowledge and experiences. The Centre will also be a place where family members can visit for healing and to reconnect with lost histories and loved ones. It will be a place where children, families, and people from all walks of life can embark on their own journey of Reconciliation based on understanding and appreciating the true history of residential schools. The NCTR will help safeguard the truths of Residential School Survivors for all – not only in Canada, but globally – now and for generations to come. 

Since it was established in 2015, the NCTR has operated out of a temporary facility on the UM campus. With seed funding from the federal government, and land donated by UM, the realization of Survivors’ vision to build a new home is becoming a reality. 

“The new home for the NCTR will be an internationally renowned site of learning, healing and meaningful action,” says Dr. Michael Benarroch, UM president and vice-chancellor. “UM is honoured to be the host for the NCTR and I am looking forward to continuing to work together on this vital endeavour. I am inspired and grateful for the generosity of The Winnipeg Foundation for its leadership in this national campaign and their dedication to Reconciliation.” 

For more information about the NCTR, please visit their website.   

For more information about The Winnipeg Foundation, please visit their website.   

Watch an interview with Stephanie Scott on The Winnipeg Foundation’s Because and Effect Podcast.

“She didn’t say, ‘You know, that was a bad mistake. If I had known about it, I would have vetoed it when it was proposed’,” Thomas said Sunday in an interview.

“To say that she wasn’t at all meetings gives her some sort of an out, for not addressing that, but I mean, she made the remarks so many times.”

Read here

Listen here

Topics will include the gifts Indigenous Peoples bring to the world, the history of residential schools and its impacts, and taking action toward reconciliation. Each day, there will be pre-recorded educational videos available, and students will hear directly from Survivors, artists, athletes and other subject matter experts.

“I am happy to be a part of Truth and Reconciliation Week and share my story with young people,” said Eugene Arcand, Cree Survivor. “Only through the teachings and lessons from Survivors will students really be able to understand what we went through at those institutions and the effect they had on us, our families and our communities. Those effects are still felt today, so it’s important to continue to tell our truths so they are never forgotten.”

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2022 in Ottawa. Photo: APTN

This year the NCTR is also introducing daily lunch and learns led by Survivors. These sessions are open to all and will feature discussions around the history of the residential school experience, Indigenous rights, taking action towards Reconciliation, and so much more!

“Truth and Reconciliation Week is a valuable learning oportunity for educators and students across the country,” said Stephanie Scott, Executive Director for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. “It is our hope that participants will come away with an understanding of how the residential school system impacted generations of Indigenous Peoples and will use this knowledge in their individual and group efforts to play a part in advancing reconciliation.”

On September 28, the NCTR is hosting a live in-person youth empowerment gathering in Ottawa that will welcome 5,000 students and On September 30, the NCTR is partnering with APTN for a live national broadcast.  Remembering the Children, will commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on Parliament Hill.

Visit the NCTR to learn more about this week and the work being done to support Truth, Reconciliation and healing across Canada and beyond.

NCTR’s nomination to include the collection, The Children Speak: Forced Assimilation of Indigenous Children through Canadian Residential Schools, was approved at UNESCO’s 216th Executive Board session. The Register, which serves to safeguard and promote universal access to documentary heritage of global significance, will ultimately create an archive that chronicles the history of the world and the diverse heritage of humanity.

“This is a great honour,” said Stephanie Scott, Executive Director of the NCTR. “The NCTR is the protector of truths for residential school Survivors and preserving their memories is vital as we move forward on the path for truth, reconciliation, and healing, not only across Canada, but globally.”

The ceremony honoured the global significance of the NCTR’s Archives, which represent the first internationally recognized collection to document the colonial attempt to assimilate and erase Indigenous peoples and their cultures, the trauma experienced by Survivors within the residential school system, and its legacy that continues to impact Indigenous communities today.

“As a Survivor, our truths and values are recognized and celebrated on the world stage with this honour,” noted Elder Florence Paynter. “It is a time to reflect on the children who were lost in the residential school system — we are ensuring that their voices are heard and will never be forgotten for the rest of time.”

UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme began in 1992 as an initiative to safeguard the world’s documentary heritage. The programme promotes universal access to materials with scientific, educational, aesthetic and cultural value, protecting them from the destructive forces of war, social upheaval, and other natural and human-caused disasters.

“In this era of reconciliation and Indigenous cultural revitalization, the archival records of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation remain an irreplaceable repository for individual and collective memories,” said Cody Groat, Chair of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO Advisory Committee for the programme, member of Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve and whose grandparents were also survivors of the Mohawk Institute Residential School.

“Families such as mine, who remain as intergenerational survivors have known that these records are vital to our future place in society as Indigenous people, but now we can proudly affirm that the international community recognizes this, as well.”

Elders Harry Bone, Florence and Phillip Paynter, Survivor Maata Evaluardjuk-Palmer, singer April Slater of Peguis First Nation, Head of Archives for NCTR, Raymond Frogner, MMF Minister, Residential & Day Schools, Andrew Carrier, AMC Grand Chief Cathy Merrick and Gayle Gruben of the Manitoba Inuit Association spoke or took part in the ceremony.

NCTR’s submission is one of 64 documents added this year and the first set of documents to be added to the register since 2017.