Gathering Strength: A day to celebrate the contributions of Frances Abele in Northern, Indigenous and Canadian policy

The Carleton Centre for Community Innovation invites students, researchers and community members to join us for a symposium on Northern, Indigenous and Canadian policy being held to honour the work of Distinguished Research Professor and Chancellor’s Professor Emerita Frances Abele.

The day-long event will be held June 13 at Richcraft Hall on Carleton University’s campus. It features top academics, public policy practitioners and Indigenous leaders discussing the impact Frances’ work has had on Canadian policy, and how she has even shaped their own career paths.

We’tsuwet’en Hereditary Chief Satsan, (Herb George) is keynote speaker. His friendship and research collaboration with Frances stretches back to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. The two are currently co-directors of the Rebuilding First Nations Governance, a national Indigenous-led research project funded in part by a SSHRC partnership grant.

The keynote address will be followed by three discussion panels:

Northern Development: Past, Present and Future, hosted by Katherine Minich;

Gathering Strength: First Nations peoples on the path to self-determination moderated by Catherine MacQuarrie; and

A Little Imagination Required: Ongoing challenges for Canadian Federalism, hosted by Michael Prince

The day will wrap up with a conversation between two lifelong friends and colleagues: Frances herself and Professor Emerita Katherine Graham.