Australian professor wraps up Canadian visit
- | May 21, 2014
Dr. Dennis Foley, an Aboriginal professor from Australia, wrapped up his 20-day trip in Regina, Saskatchewan last week.
Foley partnered with First Nations University of Canada professor, Dr. Bob Kayseas, and University of Regina professor, Dr. Peter Moroz, on a number of projects such as the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Development Grant and the Paul Martin Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Program.
One of the projects was titled, 'Natural Resource Partnerships and New Venture Creation in a First Nations Context.'
"Being a part of that project, it's silly being stuck in Australia and talking about First Nations people without being here," said Foley.
During his visit, he had stayed in Regina, Saskatoon and travelled to many First Nation communities in Saskatchewan such as Fishing Lake, Whitebear and Onion Lake. He said Muskowekwan was one of his favorite visits because of the economic development of the potash mine.
Not only has he focused on the economic development of First Nations communities, but also he came across a few things that took him by surprise while on his visits to many high schools and First Nations communities.
"Whether your Aboriginal of Australia or Aboriginal of Canada, we still suffer the major oppression of all Aboriginal people. That's one of the big things we need to overcome," said Foley.
There were a few things he pointed out that he didn't like. He said he didn't like the poverty, which he said, 'shocked him.' By identifying the similarities and noticing the differences between Canadian and Australian Aboriginals, he said his mission were to make things better but not as an expert but to work and communicate with people.
On the second day he arrived in Regina, he went for a morning walk and came across a homeless First Nations man on the street. Instead of avoiding him, he approached the man to talk about living in poverty.
"People warned me, 'Don't talk to the street people,'but he was wonderful! He never asked me for any money, he was a man who had gone through a lot of problems in his life. We chatted about his life. That gave me a wonderful insight of what its like to be an urban Aboriginal," said Foley.
"I bought him breakfast and a cup of coffee, I try to give back to him a small gift to repay for the wonderful gift he gave me with that talk about himself."
Dr. Foley said it's fantastic this country's First peoples and the Crown have a negotiation of the Treaties together and he said that Canada's Aboriginal peoples are very fortunate.
"We don't have a Treaty and our government doesn't respect our sovereignty. (Canada) is way ahead of us and we (Australians) look on you with great envy," said Foley.
This week, he will be attending a conference in Halifax to talk about Aboriginal education in Australia and in Canada with the Paul Martin Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship project.
Dr. Foley plans on returning to Canada later this year to continue his work with the Aboriginal communities and to experience a Canadian winter.