We are experiencing a time of global acknowledgment of ubiquitous racism that continues to cause pervasive harm and violence to members of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. One very visible current manifestation of structural racism is the disproportionate negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on BIPOC communities, particularly First Nations, Indigenous, and Métis communities in Québec.

June 21st was National Indigenous Peoples Day. We take this moment to acknowledge the ongoing harm and violence of colonization against First Nations, Indigenous, and Métis communities. We take this moment to honour First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across

Canada with special focus on our students and colleagues in the School of Social Work and at McGill.

We share this message of thanks to Indigenous people from David Suzuki: https://www.facebook.com/5794733873/posts/10158542836953874/?sfnsn=mo&d=n&vh=eTomas Jirousek, who led the campaign to get McGill University to change its 'Redmen' team name, has graduated as one of the Montreal University’s few Indigenous valedictorians:https://www.facebook.com/CBCMontreal/videos/vb.128015371297/682645745633335/?type=2&theater

To learn more about the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis organizations at McGill:https://www.mcgill.ca/socialwork/students/aboriginalhttps://www.mcgill.ca/fph/

The Assembly of First Nations:http://www.afn.ca/Home/

The First Nations Child & Family Caring Society: https://fncaringsociety.com/welcomehttps://fncaringsociety.com/ikp

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peopleshttps://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html

Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/final-report/

The Viens Commission Report: https://www.cerp.gouv.qc.ca/index.php?id=2&L=1

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action:http://trc.ca/assets/pdf/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf

The Aboriginal Healing Foundation:http://www.ahf.ca/

First Nations Information Governance Centre: https://fnigc.ca/ocaphttps://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/nihbforum/info_and_privacy_doc-ocap.pdf

To learn more about National Indigenous Peoples Day:

https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100013718/1534874583157

A short list of Indigenous authors and books relevant to social work: https://fncaringsociety.com/publications/emergence-breath-life-theory https:// ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/mcgill/detail.action?docID=1182736https://www.canadianscholars.ca/books/strong-helpers-teachings-second-editionhttps://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/From-the-Ashes/Jesse-Thistle/9781982101213https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/588523/a-mind-spread-out-on-the-ground-by-alicia-elliott/9780385692380https://www.cbc.ca/books/35-books-to-read-for-national-indigenous-history-month-1.5585489#Indigenousreads: https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1496255894592/1557840487211