Indigenous Members Research Articles

Indigenous Diffuse Support and Descriptive Representation in the Canadian House of Commons

Abstract Do Indigenous peoples in present-day Canada display lower levels of diffuse support than non-Indigenous settlers? Given settler colonial relations (both historic and contemporary) and Indigenous peoples’ own political thought, we can expect that Indigenous peoples would have even lower perceptions of state legitimacy than non-Indigenous peoples. However, there are conflicting expectations regarding whether the descriptive representation of Indigenous peoples in settler institutions is likely to make a difference: on one hand, Indigenous people may see themselves reflected in these institutions and consequently feel better represented; on the other hand, these forms of representation do not challenge the underlying colonial nature of these institutions. Using data from the 2019 and 2021 Canadian Election Studies, our statistical analysis demonstrates that: (1) diffuse support is significantly lower among Indigenous peoples than non-Indigenous peoples, including people of color; (2) Indigenous respondents across multiple peoples have similarly low levels of diffuse support, and (3) being represented by an Indigenous Member of Parliament does not change the levels of diffuse support among Indigenous peoples. Overall, our research highlights the outstanding challenges to achieving reconciliation through the Canadian state and points to ways large-N analyses may be made more robust.

Employment equity groups' experience of inclusion and commitment to the CAF.

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are subject to the Employment Equity Act, which requires federally regulated employers to identify and eliminate barriers to the employment of designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities (PwD), and racialized members), and establish short-term, numerical goals to address underrepresentation. Addressing employment barriers experienced by these equity seeking groups is one of the CAF's key priorities. The objective of this study is to examine group differences in feelings of inclusion (i.e., relatedness, organizational inclusion, and microaggressions) and retention-related measures (i.e., job satisfaction, affective commitment, and intentions to leave), the contribution of feelings of inclusion to retention measures, and the effect of numerical representation and number of marginalized identities on these concepts. We analyzed data from the 2022 Your Say Matters survey, which was administered to a representative sample of CAF members, with oversampling of under-represented groups. Respondents included 4,483 Regular Force members (30.9% response rate). The groups under study included Indigenous members, persons with disabilities, racialized members, women not part of another group (non-Indigenous, non-racialized, women without disabilities), and everyone else (non-Indigenous, non-racialized, not women, without disabilities). Our hypotheses were supported overall, such that groups with less representation in the CAF scored lower on inclusion measures than groups with more representation. The number of marginalized identities held by military members predicted the inclusion measures, but did not predict retention-related measures. There were some group differences on retention-related measures, such that women not part of another group scored more favorably than other designated groups, and racialized members scored more favorably than PwD and Indigenous members. Inclusion measures predicted job satisfaction, affective commitment, and intentions to leave equally for all groups studied, suggesting that feeling included is important for all.

The Effects of Mine Waste and Rain Water on the Structure of Bacteria Community of Paddy Soils

ABSTRACT Heavy metal contamination of soil has become one of the most important environmental problems worldwide. Heavy metals can affect growth and lead to changes in microbial community composition, which could influence the growth of crops in the soil. In this study, we conducted an experiment to investigate the distribution profile of heavy metals and bacterial communities in soil with the effects of slag and/or water on the top of the soil. Extra heavy metals, acting as selective pressure, led to the loss of sensitive taxa, with tolerant or less sensitive taxa being more abundant in the community. The results showed that the addition of slag on the top of soils did not change the diversity of bacteria but influenced the relative abundance of indigenous members in the community. Water addition, however, improved the homogeneity of the environment vertically in the soil, which consequently led to a lower variation in the bacterial community. This study mimicked the scenario of tailings and abandoned mines in nature, and aimed to study the effects of mines on the soil microbial community with the influence of precipitation on the distribution of heavy metals in the soil. With the effect of precipitation, the transportation of heavy metals in the slag may influence the local bacterial community and subsequently undermine the quality of soil for agriculture. These observations provide evidence of the effects of heavy metals on the soil around abandoned mines without any treatment. Mining causes both heavy metal and water pollution, which may lead to the accumulation of heavy metals in plants and agricultural production. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of tailings with proper procedures instead of exposing them to nature.

Collaboration with Indigenous communities in an integrated care learning health system in Ontario, Canada: a case study of the Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Ontario Health Team

Context: Health systems in the province of Ontario in Canada have been restructured into Ontario Health Teams (OHTs). OHTs seek to provide integrated care through improving patient experience, improving care provider experience, improving population health outcomes, reducing costs, and addressing health equity - per the Quintuple Aim framework. The Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (FLA) OHT was created in bringing together numerous clinical and community partners, including local Indigenous health groups. Indigenous peoples face health inequities driven by colonization and systematic racism; improving accessibility, cultural appropriateness, and cultural safety of health systems are essential. To ensure that unique needs of Indigenous peoples are met, there should be a collaborative, participatory approach to planning and executing Indigenous-specific evaluation activities, with Indigenous-specific performance indicators.
 Objectives: 1) To co-design, implement, and evaluate a governance process for collaboration with Indigenous communities, for Indigenous-focussed evaluation of FLA OHT activities. 2) To nest the above into a case study of the FLA OHT, examining processes for centering Indigenous perspectives and priorities in systems evaluation. 
 Study Design: Case study method involving community-based participatory research (CBPR), and using principles of Ownership, Control, Access, Possession (OCAP) in ethical Indigenous health research. The research team involves Indigenous members of FLA OHT working groups and tables, other partners and stakeholders from the broader Indigenous communities of the region, Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario) researchers on the FLA OHT’s evaluation support structure, and other FLA OHT team members. Data used for the case study include focus groups and interviews with Indigenous members, analysis of meeting minutes and other relevant organizational documents, and surveys on team function and Indigenous-specific evaluation activities. Indigenous-specific indicators have been identified through rapid literature reviews and are being incorporated into logic models for evaluation of FLA OHT projects.
 Expected Outcomes: 1) A framework to operationalize collaboration between Indigenous stakeholders and mainstream health systems, in the co-design and co-execution of health system evaluation approaches that reflect Indigenous perspectives and priorities. 2) Incorporation of Indigenous-specific evaluation activities for FLA OHT projects.
 Results: Work in progress at time of abstract submission.
 Conclusions: The framework produced will serve as a practical, operationalized guide to other mainstream health systems and Indigenous groups seeking to collaborate together. The Indigenous-specific evaluation activities will enable thoughtful and rigorous consideration of whether the needs of Indigenous patients and communities are met, and allow for modification of programs and services – per the “learning health system” goal of iterative knowledge production and action to drive continuous improvement. Additionally, this project will strengthen relationships between the region’s mainstream service organizations, policymakers, Queen’s University academic researchers, and local Indigenous peoples. Strengthened relationships will facilitate current and future collaborative work to improve systems, as a step towards addressing health inequities facing Indigenous peoples.

My Grandma Said, "Bring Her to Me"

This article describes the health-care access experiences of Indigenous members of a Gulf Coast, non-federally recognized tribe. Research exploring the experiences of non-federally recognized tribes is needed, as these tribes lack resources available to federally recognized tribes. Using a qualitative description research approach and through partnership with a community advisory board, thirty-one semi-structured life-course interviews were conducted with women tribal members. A qualitative descriptive analytic approach revealed the following key themes: First Health-Care Experiences; Going to Family Members for Health Care; Going to Indigenous Healers for Health Care and; Generational Changes in the Transmission of Traditional Knowledge. Our findings highlight the role that family members and Indigenous healers play in addressing health-care gaps and needs for tribal members. In addition, results suggest that Indigenous healers are respected, valued members of the community, and there is concern that healing knowledge is not being passed down to future generations. This research addresses a gap in the need for holistic understandings of Indigenous women’s reproductive and sexual health care, which is required for the development of interventions which not only address social justice issues and weaknesses in the health-care system, but that also promote the existing strengths and resources in Indigenous communities.

Traversing Local-Global Religious Terrain: a Case of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star

The term “transnational” is appropriate to describe the globalized Brotherhood of the Cross and Star movement, and as such the term transnational will be used interchangeably for BCS tendencies towards traversing local-global terrain in this research paper. In the past, it has been falsely claimed that African Christianity was founded by and for Africans. African Christianity experts today refute this idea because the faith has spread successfully over the globe. This opinion also applies to BCS, an organization that has gained widespread acceptance globally. It achieves this by developing itself as a global organization, employing cutting-edge information technology, transferring missions and miracles, evangelizing abroad, and visiting foreign communities with the leader of the BCS. Thus, the paper takes into account BCS tendencies toward globalization and further presents BCS as a worldwide movement. This paper critically used of qualitative method, involving historical, and theoretical, methods. Data was sourced mostly from library materials, oral interviews, participant and personal observations, as well as the internet and views of renowned scholars in religion, African Independent Church Movement, African Christianity in the Diaspora, and sociology of religion. This research concludes that a religion, as it moves to aa foreign territory, becomes an umbrella for cultural identity, a means of connecting to the home country for immigrant members and it additionally serves as a medium of survival for indigenous members.

Looking for Global Mormonism

Looking for Global Mormonism

Negotiating Indigenous higher education policy analysis at the cultural interface in the Northern Territory, Australia

ABSTRACT Policy analysis can be useful for learning about ‘what works’ in policy. Contemporary policy studies literature highlight that such learning is influenced by power relations in government that shape our ways of knowing the world. This paper offers a critically reflexive narrative account of power relations present during Indigenous higher education policy analysis research conducted in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia to shed light on how to effectively negotiate policy analysis. We reflect on tensions that arose by applying Nakata’s concept of the ‘cultural interface’, which accounts for the complexity of meaning making across diverse knowledge spaces. Narratives from an Indigenous Project Reference Group member are included to provide a perspective on these tensions from an Indigenous standpoint. The paper concludes by describing enabling conditions and strategies that were necessary for effective policy analysis, and considers implications for Indigenous higher education policy analysis in the NT.

Comprehensive polyoxypregnane glycosides report in Caralluma quadrangula using UPLC–ESI–Q–TOF and their antioxidant effects in human plasma

Caralluma quadrangula (Forssk.) N.E.Br. (Syns: = Stapelia quadrangula Forssk. = Monolluma quadrangula Forssk.) is an indigenous member of the genus Caralluma and it is a rather common species on rocky hillsides in the southwestern part of Saudi Arabia. Several members of this genus have found medicinal uses in the treatment of rheumatism, diabetes, leprosy and as antiseptics and disinfectants. All parts are edible but rather more bitter and can cause diarrhea.The present report was tentatively elucidated the structure of acylated and non-acylated polyoxypregnane glycosides from Caralluma quadrangula.The analyses were performed using an electrospray-ionization quadrupole time-of-flight (ESI-Q-TOF) mass spectrometer in both positive and negative ionization modes to explore fragmentation pathways. The antioxidant and prooxidant properties of the different mobility portions of human plasma were evaluated in vitro using thiobarbituric acid reactive substance assay (TBARS).The analyses showed sixty-five characteristic ion peaks which could be more efficient to assignment the aglycones and fragmentation sequences of sugar moieties. The used ionization modes provided consistent and/or complementary information for most of the pregnane glycosides, their fragmentation sequences, and their aglycones. A DFT Study was performed to elucidate the neutral loss of H2O molecules sequences from aglycones and the esterification linkage.This report could be useful to reduce material consuming and time in phytochemistry analysis of the different medicinal plants. The two portions significantly depleted TBARS were subjected to autoperoxidation assay in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.

Decolonizing and Indigenizing Education in Canada by Sheila Cote-Meek and Taima Moeke-Pickering

Reviewed by: Decolonizing and Indigenizing Education in Canada by Sheila Cote-Meek and Taima Moeke-Pickering Amy Farrell (bio) Decolonizing and Indigenizing Education in Canada by Sheila Cote-Meek and Taima Moeke-Pickering Canadian Scholars Press, 2020 SHEILA COTE-MEEK AND TAIMA MOEKE-PICKERING'S edited book Decolonizing and Indigenizing Education in Canada responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action (2015). In the introduction, Cote-Meek posits "how we can bring about sustained transformative change to the post-secondary educational system" (xi). Cote-Meek also asks specific questions around envisioning (xvii), as well as making recommendations for decolonizing the academy, emphasizing that the process must have a foundation on "building relationships" (xviii). Yet, all of these hopes and recommendations for change will be futile if there is no action: she writes, "there needs to be action. Without movement or meaningful action, responding to the TRC will not amount to change" (xvii). The sixteen chapters (including the introduction), interspersed with poignant and powerful personal narratives and anecdotes to support various authors' arguments and truths, provide a broad view of the various challenges and hopes for decolonization and Indigenization within postsecondary education. The discourses throughout this edited book also touch upon themes of resurgence, Indigenous pedagogy and knowledge systems, reconciliation, transformational change, resurgence and recentering, relationship, and holism and well-being as significant factors necessary within the decolonization and Indigenization process of the academy. As indicated in the introduction, readers are carried through themes of Indigenous epistemologies in the first six chapters and themes of decolonizing postsecondary institutions within the remaining nine chapters. The strength in this edited collection lies in its capacity for demonstrating the act of creating and claiming its own space in which to discuss these important issues—Kaleimanoowahinekapu Gall and Holmes, and Fiola and McKinnon, for instance, speak on these very topics. These acts of creating and claiming space(s) are echoed throughout the book. In what is the most significant facet of the anthology, the personal narratives shared throughout the chapters carry within them the strength needed to not only make for relatable personal narratives but to bring them together in a collective voice. Patricia McGuire advises on this challenge, [End Page 185] stating that "writing must be done with caution," clarifying that "Indigenous knowledge(s) are at risk" should they become "a fragmented dialogue" (27). Indeed, this edited collection of voices itself echoes the ways in which we Indigenize academy through the very texts we read and assign within our courses. It demonstrates what acts of resilience can look like and remind us, as Michelle Coupal states, to "listen to our hearts and listen to teachings, as truth can be found in both" (215). Some of the stories share brutal truths concerning experiences in postsecondary institutions, not simply for the sake of sharing some of the harsh realities that students and faculty experience in the academy but also as an act of resilience and to ask what can be done, what must be done, and what has been done to make necessary changes. The discussions of decolonization and Indigenization of the academy that come with these stories are imbued with undertones of hope. What would drive Indigenous members in academia to do so much of this work if there were not the possibility to improve the postsecondary experience for Indigenous peoples? Nevertheless, as Donnan, Aitken, and Manore point out, as this work of decolonization and Indigenization within the academy is undertaken, especially when there are few Indigenous faculty involved, postsecondary institutions must pay attention to "what is, and what is not, Indigenization, and who should participate in Indigenizing processes" (195). The voices from the authors in this book provide opportunity for reflection and contemplation on these very issues. Coupled with biographies of the authors at the end of the book, all authors include a situation or location of self within their chapter, either as its own subheading or, more rarely, blended into their chapter text—an important aspect in providing cultural and familial perspective. The editors' intention to make the book applicable across graduate courses and programs in a variety of faculties is evident in the prepared discussion questions and glossary provided...

‘Canadian Rangers: Community, Autonomy, and Sovereignty’

Indigenous members of the Canadian Forces (CF) are an integral part of the organization, working and fighting alongside their non-Indigenous colleagues all over the world. As a non-combative sub-set of the CF, however, the Canadian Rangers are a unique branch of the Reserves that are without compare. Functioning primarily for their communities, the Rangers represent the potential for the CF to effectively work with Indigenous communities and culture, while maintaining CF operational objectives in the Arctic. This article explores how the Rangers balance the sovereignty of their communities with the aims of the CF by integrating Indigenous cultures, language, and ways of knowing into their operational and capabilities, while remaining semi-autonomous from the CF culture and hierarchy. This article concludes that while the Rangers are an example of the potential for Indigenous and Canadian partnerships, there is also an alarming disparity and inequitable access to secure full-time employment and healthcare. Moreover, Rangers face many of the same issues as those in the communities they strive to serve. Therefore, this article argues that if Canada is serious about reconciliation and creating more opportunities for Indigenous persons in the Arctic, then part of that aim should also include providing the Rangers with the same support other areas of the CF are privileged to receive.

Environmental stressors alter the composition of seagrass phyllosphere microbial communities

Seagrass meadows are among the most valuable habitats in the world as they are used by a wide range of marine organisms and provide important ecosystem services. With increasing human populations and coastal development, seagrasses are under increased stress and coverage is declining worldwide. This is the first experiment to test the effects of two known seagrass stressors, increased temperature and reduced light availability, on the composition of seagrass blade surface microbial communities, which is a relatively understudied community. Analysis of 16S rRNA amplicon (iTag) sequence data revealed that both of these stressors significantly altered microbial community structure, including both taxonomy and abundance, on the blade surfaces of the tropical seagrass Thalassia testudinum. The highest temperature and lowest light treatments showed higher abundances of phyla not commonly reported as indigenous members of seagrass phyllosphere communities, including members of the bacterial phyla Ca. PAUC34f, Ca. Modulibacteria, and Chlamyidae. Despite these compositional difference among treatments, no significant differences in overall microbial diversity or richness were found. These results suggested seagrass phyllosphere microbial communities have the capacity to change significantly and relatively quickly in response to changing environmental conditions due to anthropogenic activity. Further studies are needed to determine if these direct environmental effects on the microbial community or indirect effects that feedback through the seagrass host.

Demographics of ASTRO Student Members and Potential Implications for Future U.S. Radiation Oncology Workforce Diversity

PurposeThe radiation oncology workforce in the United States is comparatively less diverse than the U.S. population and U.S. medical school graduates. Workforce diversity correlates with higher quality care and outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether student members of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) are any more diverse than resident members-in-training using the recently established medical student membership category.Methods and MaterialsSelf-reported sex, race and Hispanic ethnicity, medical school, and degree(s) earned for all medical students (n = 268) and members-in-training (n = 713) were collected from the ASTRO membership database. International members were excluded. The χ2 test was used to assess for differences between subgroups.ResultsCompared with members-in-training, student members were more likely to be female (40.0% vs 31.5%, P = .032), black or African American (10.7% vs 4.8%, P = .009), candidates for or holders of a DO rather than MD degree (5.2% vs 1.5%, P = .002), and from a U.S. medical school that is not affiliated with a radiation oncology residency program (30.5% vs 20.9%, P = .001). There was no significant difference in self-reported Hispanic ethnicity (7.3% vs 5.4%, P = .356). There were no indigenous members in either category assessed.ConclusionsMedical student members of ASTRO are more diverse in terms of black race, female sex, and osteopathic training, though not in terms of Hispanic ethnicity or nonmultiracial indigenous background, than the members-in-training. Longitudinal engagement with these students and assessment of the factors leading to specialty retention versus attrition may increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in radiation oncology.

The Canadian Community’s Knowledge on the History and Matters of Indigenous Peoples of Canada

Objective: To gather informal evidence on the Canadian community’s knowledge of the history and matters of Indigenous Peoples of Canada and identify gaps in education and awareness.
 Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed through a structured and anonymous questionnaire that was completed on a voluntary basis. Knowledge gained from partnering with Indigenous members of the community and participating in a blanket exercise was used to produce questions surrounding current and historical matters of Indigenous peoples of Canada. The blanket exercise is an Indigenous-led educational program that tells the story of Canadian history from an Indigenous lens. The inclusion criteria for the study was individuals enrolled in a primary and/or secondary Canadian educational institution and non-Indigenous self-identification. The survey sample most closely represents individuals between 18 to 24 years old in the population.
 Results: The target demographic scored an average of 54.4% on knowledge-based survey questions. Most individuals answered questions more accurately on topics relating to historical facts, such as the content of the Indian Act, than they did on topics relating to current Indigenous issues, like percent of land mass occupied by Indigenous peoples. Despite indicating primary and secondary schooling as the main source of education on Indigenous history, 86% of participants found their education “limited” and “inadequate”. Results of the survey do not definitively represent the Canadian population, as this was an informal study completed on a voluntary basis.
 Conclusion: Survey results highlighted gaps in the Canadian population’s knowledge on challenges faced by Indigenous members of Canada. Many respondents recognized an inadequate primary and/or secondary education on Indigenous issues, suggesting a need for educational reform. Increasing awareness on Indigenous matters can potentially reduce discrimination and systemic racism, which can improve social determinants of health. This data can serve as an informal basis of knowledge until further research is conducted.

Slow Food Terra Madre: A Novel Pathway to Achieving Indigenous Australian Food Sovereignty?

The aim of this paper is to analyse the participation of Indigenous Australians in Slow Food International’s 2018 Salone del Gusto-Terra Madre meeting in Turin, Italy. Slow Food is a global grassroots organisation created to promote local food cultures and traditions, and the organisation’s Terra Madre network highlights the urgent need to pro- tect the food-production systems of Indigenous peoples, valuing their holistic approach and recognising them as custodians of biodiversity. By creating a platform for Indigenous peoples to meet and discuss their challenges and ideas, and by putting Indigenous knowl- edges and stewardship of the environment at the centre of discussions about tackling glob- al environmental challenges, the organisation encourages its Indigenous members to work toward food sovereignty in their respective countries as well as on an international level.

Assessing the genuine identity of alien Vallisneria (Hydrocharitaceae) species in Europe

The genus Vallisneria consists of linear-leaved aquatic plants within the Hydrocharitaceae family. Only one indigenous member (V. spiralis) occurs in Europe. Populations of alien species appeared in some European countries in recent decades and these were named in various ways. To clarify the identity of alien Vallisneria we collected samples for a molecular phylogenetic analysis from six populations in five European countries. We investigated the nuclear ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region. Based on our results we found that samples from Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Italy belong to the recently described V. australis, a species native to Australia, while a sample from Russia is identical with V. neotropicalis. We provide a key to distinguish these from other similar species. All populations probably derived from dumped plant parts in the drainage water from aquariums. Most populations of V. australis are established and this species might therefore become invasive in the future. The investigated V. australis populations proved to be not uniform genetically.

Record-breaking wildfires in the world's largest continuous tropical wetland: Integrative fire management is urgently needed for both biodiversity and humans

In the Brazilian Pantanal, wildfire occurrence has increased, reaching record highs of over 40,000 km2 in 2020. Smoke from wildfires worsened the situation of isolated, as well as urban communities, already under an increasing toll of COVID-19.Here we review the impacts and the possible causes of the 2020 mega-fires and recommend improvements for public policies and fire management in this wetland. We calculated the amount of area burnt annually since 2003 and describe patterns in precipitation and water level measurements of the Paraguay River.Our analyses revealed that the 2020 wildfires were historically unprecedented, as 43% of the area (over 17,200 km2) had not been burnt previously in the last two decades. The extent of area affected in 2020 represents a 376% increase compared to the annual average of the area burnt annually in the last two decades, double than the value in 2019.Potential factors responsible for this increase are (i) severe drought decreased water levels, (ii) the fire corridor was located in the Paraguay River flood zone, (iii) constraints on firefighters, (iv) insufficient fire prevention strategy and agency budget reductions, and (v) recent landscape changes. Climate and land use change will further increase the frequency of these extreme events.To make fire management more efficient and cost-effective, we recommend the implementation of an Integrated Fire Management program in the Pantanal. Stakeholders should use existing traditional, local ecological, and scientific knowledge to form a collective strategy with clear, achievable, measurable goals, considering the socio-ecological context. Permanent fire brigades, including indigenous members, should conduct year-round fire management. Communities should cooperate to create a collaborative network for wildfire prevention, the location and characteristics (including flammability) of infrastructures should be (re)planned in fire-prone environments considering and managing fire-catalysed transitions, and depending on the severity of wildfires. The 2020 wildfires were tackled in an ad-hoc fashion and prioritisation of areas for urgent financial investment, management, protection, and restoration is necessary to prevent this catastrophe from happening again.

\u201cThe support has been brilliant\u201d: experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients attending two high performing cancer services

BackgroundImproving health outcomes for Indigenous people by providing person-centred, culturally safe care is a crucial challenge for the health sector, both in Australia and internationally. Many cancer providers and support services are committed to providing high quality care, yet struggle with providing accessible, culturally safe cancer care to Indigenous Australians. Two Australian cancer services, one urban and one regional, were identified as particularly focused on providing culturally safe cancer care for Indigenous cancer patients and their families. The article explores the experiences of Indigenous cancer patients and their families within the cancer services and ascertains how their experiences of care matches with the cancer services’ strategies to improve care.MethodsServices were identified as part of a national study designed to identify and assess innovative services for Indigenous cancer patients and their families. Case studies were conducted with a small number of identified services. In-depth interviews were conducted with Indigenous people affected by cancer and hospital staff. The interviews from two services, which stood out as particularly high performing, were analysed through the lens of the patient experience.ResultsEight Indigenous people affected by cancer and 23 hospital staff (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) were interviewed. Three experiences were shared by the majority of Indigenous cancer patients and family members interviewed in this study: a positive experience while receiving treatment at the cancer service; a challenging time between receiving diagnosis and reaching the cancer centre; and the importance of family support, while acknowledging the burden on family and carers.ConclusionsThis article is significant because it demonstrates that with a culturally appropriate and person-centred approach, involving patients, family members, Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff, it is possible for Indigenous people to have positive experiences of cancer care in mainstream, tertiary health services. If we are to improve health outcomes for Indigenous people it is vital more cancer services and hospitals follow the lead of these two services and make a sustained and ongoing commitment to strengthening the cultural safety of their service.

Land acknowledgements in the academy: Refusing the settler myth

Land acknowledgements have become almost ubiquitous in post-secondary education settings in Canada. However, the origins and widespread popularity of these practices has gone largely unexamined. In this article, the literature on land acknowledgement practices in Canada is reviewed, focusing in particular on the growing criticisms of these acknowledgements. While initially understood as culturally based political statements to resist the erasure of Indigenous presence and colonial violence, these practices have been repurposed in settler institutions. Land acknowledgements have now become deeply embedded in state-sponsored “forgive-and-forget” reconciliation efforts that seek to absorb Indigenous peoples into the body politic of “good Canadians”. This shift in acknowledgement practices has been increasingly criticized for devolving into box-ticking exercises, strictly symbolic gestures, moves to settler innocence, and attempts to rewrite Indigenous and settler colonial history. Analysing the literature using a lens of settler colonial theory, I argue that institutionalized land acknowledgements in Canada do not pertain to actual Indigenous peoples. These statements reference a mythical fabrication of Indigenousness that is consistent with settler dreams of benevolence, innocence, and the end of colonization in Canada. This co-optation of Indigeneity has important implications for recent efforts to “Indigenize the academy” through the inclusion of Indigenous knowledges in curriculum. In response to this subversion of Indigenous knowledges, a stance of refusal on the part of Indigenous members of the academy can be a demonstration of agency in institutions in which we are relatively powerless.

Portable CRISPR-Cas9N System for Flexible Genome Engineering in Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Lactobacillus paracasei.

Diverse Lactobacillus strains are widely used as probiotic cultures in the dairy and dietary supplement industries, and specific strains, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, have been engineered for the development of biotherapeutics. To expand the Lactobacillus manipulation toolbox with enhanced efficiency and ease, we present here a CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats)-SpyCas9D10A nickase (Cas9N)-based system for programmable engineering of L. acidophilus NCFM, a model probiotic bacterium. Successful single-plasmid delivery system was achieved with the engineered pLbCas9N vector harboring cas9N under the regulation of a Lactobacillus promoter and a cloning region for a customized single guide RNA (sgRNA) and editing template. The functionality of the pLbCas9N system was validated in NCFM with targeted chromosomal deletions ranging between 300 bp and 1.9 kb at various loci (rafE, lacS, and ltaS), yielding 35 to 100% mutant recovery rates. Genome analysis of the mutants confirmed precision and specificity of the pLbCas9N system. To showcase the versatility of this system, we also inserted an mCherry fluorescent-protein gene downstream of the pgm gene to create a polycistronic transcript. The pLbCas9N system was further deployed in other species to generate a concurrent single-base substitution and gene deletion in Lactobacillus gasseri ATCC 33323 and an in-frame gene deletion in Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37, highlighting the portability of the system in phylogenetically distant Lactobacillus species, where its targeting activity was not interfered with by endogenous CRISPR-Cas systems. Collectively, these editing outcomes illustrate the robustness and versatility of the pLbCas9N system for genome manipulations in diverse lactobacilli and open new avenues for the engineering of health-promoting lactic acid bacteria.IMPORTANCE This work describes the development of a lactobacillus CRISPR-based editing system for genome manipulations in three Lactobacillus species belonging to the lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which are commonly known for their long history of use in food fermentations and as indigenous members of healthy microbiotas and for their emerging roles in human and animal commercial health-promoting applications. We exploited the established CRISPR-SpyCas9 nickase for flexible and precise genome editing applications in Lactobacillus acidophilus and further demonstrated the efficacy of this universal system in two distantly related Lactobacillus species. This versatile Cas9-based system facilitates genome engineering compared to conventional gene replacement systems and represents a valuable gene editing modality in species that do not possess native CRISPR-Cas systems. Overall, this portable tool contributes to expanding the genome editing toolbox of LAB for studying their health-promoting mechanisms and engineering of these beneficial microbes as next-generation vaccines and designer probiotics.