Published on November 26, 2013 by Arlène Laliberté 
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The equinox, for many First Nations people, represents change and transformation. Spring in particular is a time of awakening, renewal as well as rebirth. It is also time to journey towards the gathering place. This special place, where meetings, exchanges, celebrations and mourning take place, is full of meaning and memories because it remembers the past, bears witness to the present and offers hope for the future.
Published on May 30, 2013 by Marco Bacon 0
Pessamit, 1973. This story begins 40 years ago, after a routine medical exam given at the dispensary of an Innu community in the beautiful Côte-Nord region. The news was unexpected and devastating: like the weighted blade of a guillotine, falling at lightning speed between its wooden pillars, unimpeded by any obstacle in its path, not even my head. That’s when the doctor told us, in a language I didn’t understand, that I would soon have to leave my family, friends and community for a very long time. I felt the guillotine’s effects once again, except that this time, it wasn’t only my head that was severed from my body, it was my very soul that would be severed from the family unit. That seemed more horrible to me than losing my head.
Published on April 22, 2013 by Arlène Laliberté 0
April 2013 marked the passage of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee of Canada in Montréal. Established in 2008 following the claims of former Residential School students, the Committee’s purpose is to “turn the page” on past wrongs in order to “build a strong and healthy future”…
Published on January 24, 2012 by Arlène Laliberté and Georgia Vrakas 0
Indigenous people of Canada and elsewhere experience severe and systematic disempowerment with devastating health and social impacts. These are reflected in the staggering number of Aboriginal people in long-term care, such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, mental health inpatient and forensic mental health units in the judiciary system.
Published on December 6, 2010 by Arlène Laliberté 0
Mental health is the capacity of individuals and groups to interact with one another and the environment in ways that promote subjective well-being, optimal development and the use of cognitive, affective and relational abilities. This definition focuses on the fact that mental health is not limited to the absence of disease, but is a positive state.
Themes
