Niigaan Sinclair

Manitoba

City Columnist at Winnipeg Free Press

Author of Winipek, Columnist @WinnipegNews (frmr NNA Cdn columnist of year), panelist @PnPCBC, Truth&Politics Panel @APTNNews & Prof, INDG Studies @umanitoba

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Articles

Opinion: King’s speech proves Crown, treaties still relevant

1 week ago | winnipegfreepress.com | Niigaan Sinclair

After meeting King Charles, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said the two spoke about wildfires in the province, the Canadian economy, and climate change — but then the monarch said something surprising. “We need Indigenous wisdom,” the King told Canada’s only First Nations premier. Indeed.
Opinion: Matter of time before truth trumps stereotypes

1 week ago | brandonsun.com | Niigaan Sinclair

The most frequent statement thrown at those who argue for Indigenous nationhood is that First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders are corrupt, vile and incompetent. It’s a stereotype; an oversimplified idea based in little to no reality. No one is denying there aren’t a few terrible and inept chiefs, presidents and CEOs, but the selfish ones out for power and money are rare and, frankly, don’t last — communities have their own methods of holding leaders accountable.
Matter of time before truth trumps stereotypes

1 week ago | winnipegfreepress.com | Niigaan Sinclair

The most frequent statement thrown at those who argue for Indigenous nationhood is that First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders are corrupt, vile and incompetent. It’s a stereotype; an oversimplified idea based in little to no reality. No one is denying there aren’t a few terrible and inept chiefs, presidents and CEOs, but the selfish ones out for power and money are rare and, frankly, don’t last — communities have their own methods of holding leaders accountable.
Opinion: Indigenous ministers tasked with solving country’s biggest challenges — oh, the irony

3 weeks ago | winnipegfreepress.com | Niigaan Sinclair

It is ironic a country that has treated Indigenous women so badly is now asking two of them to save it. The swearing-in of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet was so full of historical “firsts” and fascinating moments, one could barely keep track. Take, for example, the sight of a record number of Indigenous cabinet ministers (three), who will represent the interests of Canada and the British Crown while being sworn in by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon — the first Indigenous person to represent the monarch.
Opinion: Alberta can’t turn page on Canada without First Nations

3 weeks ago | winnipegfreepress.com | Niigaan Sinclair

Imagine starting a book on Chapter 2. The story would make no sense. Understanding it would be a very frustrating experience. Many details would be missed. And, in the end, what would be left is countless invalid assumptions and conclusions based on ignorance and incomplete information.
Opinion: Tough choices for Indigenous voters in key Prairie ridings

1 month ago | winnipegfreepress.com | Niigaan Sinclair

In order to understand the Indigenous vote in next week’s federal election, two ridings will tell the story. The first is Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River in northern Saskatchewan, where First Nations voters make up 67.6 per cent of the electorate, 15 Métis communities exist, and a small but significant proportion of Denesuline and Inuit peoples reside. The riding also features an all-Indigenous slate.
Opinion: Pope wasn’t perfect but showed us another path

1 month ago | winnipegfreepress.com | Niigaan Sinclair

I have seldom been more conflicted than when Pope Francis wore a headdress. Wilton Littlechild, a former commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, gave the pontiff the headdress after he delivered an apology in 2022 for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the residential school system. I felt confused and triggered, and thought about this for a long time. I said in numerous interviews at the time that I wasn’t a fan of using sacred objects for political purposes.
Opinion: Young dynamo will chart ambitious course as chief of Birdtail Sioux

1 month ago | winnipegfreepress.com | Niigaan Sinclair

At the 2022 Manitoba Indigenous Youth Achievement Awards, a 22-year-old woman from Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation won in the community volunteer category for organizing a “Reconciliation Run” that honours the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The most memorable part wasn’t that she had won it, it was her speech. “In three years I am going to run for chief of my community,” Tréchelle Bunn announced to applause.
Opinion: Fathers are not sons — good news for Carney’s prospects with Indigenous voters

2 months ago | winnipegfreepress.com | Niigaan Sinclair

After announcing he was seeking the leadership of the Liberal party in January, Mark Carney met with former Progressive Conservative MP Douglas Roche, who defeated his father (and Liberal candidate) Bob Carney in Edmonton South during the 1980 federal election. Roche, 96, comes from a different era of Canadian conservatism. He is anti-war, pro-United Nations, and served as Canada’s Ambassador for Disarmament.
Opinion: The many teachings of spring

2 months ago | winnipegfreepress.com | Niigaan Sinclair

The spring equinox occurred around 4 a.m. on Thursday. It’s a time when the Earth’s axis and orbit line up relatively perfectly, creating an equal amount of sunlight in both the northern and southern hemispheres. It’s also a time when the seasons begin to change, the animals migrate, and T-shirts start to appear. In other words: this week represents a time of balance, renewal, and growth for people across the world, including Indigenous communities and cultures here.