Storying Truths of Indigenous Homelessness

It is no secret that Indigenous Peoples experience homelessness at a disproportionate rate.

Indigenous homelessness (or what is increasingly being referred to as houselessness) is a widespread crisis across Canada. While individual experiences may vary, there is a common thread underlying its causes. The legacy of colonial policies, such as the Indian Act, Sixties Scoop and residential schools, has created profound intergenerational trauma that continues to harm Indigenous communities today.

Building on an ongoing COH story gathering project exploring Indigenous homelessness prevention, June’s panel invited Indigenous lived experts from across Canada to share their stories of housing insecurity, the supports they feel would have helped prevent their homelessness, and the solutions they would like to see implemented in their communities and beyond.

Join us for this truly poignant discussion as we honour National Indigenous History Month! Learn more about our hosts and guest Elder below.

HOSTS

CATHY FOURNIER has a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies (Medical/Social Anthropology and Indigenous Studies) from Dalhousie University and is currently the Director of Indigenous Homelessness Prevention at the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. Cathy has mixed settler and Indigenous ancestry and is active in the urban Indigenous community in Toronto. Cathy is also an Oshkaabewis (ceremonial helper/apprentice) at the Native Women’s Resource Centre in Toronto.

COHEN PINKOSKI is a Research Assistant on Indigenous Homelessness at the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. He is a Dene youth with roots in the North West Territories and a dedicated housing advocate based in Toronto. Currently studying social work, Cohen is committed to supporting the Indigenous community, with past experience as a housing worker, researcher, and traditional food-sovereignty and ceremony programmer. Cohen has a strong foundation in harm reduction and focuses on mental health and housing needs. He is passionate about creating supportive and inclusive environments and continually strive to drive positive change within the community.

GUEST ELDER

MARIE MCGREGOR PITAWANAKWAT is the chair of the National Indigenous Women’s Housing Network & Co-Chair of the Women’s National Housing and Homelessness Network. Marie is an Anishinaabe kwe, based at Daawganing, on Manitoulin Island, Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Marie developed a business called Szhibeegen Training Services, which provided training and development to First Nation communities and NGOs, primarily in Northwestern Ontario, focussed on community and business development. Her business won an award from the Northern Ontario Business Awards.

In 2015, shortly after returning to her home community at Whitefish River First Nation, she was evicted from the original family home and became homeless. Her belief was and is that Indigenous people already own the land, so there was and is no need to “purchase” land that one’s people already own. She created a tiny home, situated in the woods on the Whitefish River reserve on unused land, where she lived off-grid for three years.

In 2018, the Whitefish River reserve evicted her and she became homeless again. In 2019, Marie was accepted as a member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory.