Growing urban Aboriginal population focus of U of L research

Researchers from the University of Lethbridge along with community partners are establishing a unique research opportunity to look into issues related to the urban Aboriginal population.

The Centre for Urban Aboriginal Research will assist with developing research that is relevant to issues for urban Aboriginal people.  Members of the research group will join with regional Aboriginal community members, advocates and city/regional government officials to discuss the future role of the research centre.

“The urban Aboriginal population in Lethbridge is continuously increasing; a city of approximately 87,000 residents, the urban population is estimated at 3,500, which is about 4.1 per cent of the city’s total population,” said Dr. Yale Belanger, associate professor for the Native Studies Department at the U of L.

The ultimate goal of the CUAR is to determine whether local Aboriginal members are interested in developing a centre for collaborative research. And so far, “the reaction has been quite positive,” said Belanger.

Joining Belanger in the project are fellow researchers Dr. David Gregory, dean of Nursing at the University of Regina, and Dr. Jo-Anne Fiske, professor and coordinator of Women Studies at the U of L.

In 2004, this group of researchers started discussing the transition for Aboriginal people as they move into the urban setting. This created the idea for an urban Aboriginal research centre, which would focus on informing the community of potential issues.

In 2008, the project received a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grant, which provided more than $62,000 to help the group get the centre established.

 “Essentially, the centre is in a complete early stage, we have held two symposiums … but the look, feel, know how, etc, will be determined by the community,” said Belanger.

The benefits of an Urban Aboriginal Research Centre are to engage the local issues as it pertains to improving the well-being of the urban Aboriginal population.

As well, to have research that may have many similarities with other communities throughout Canada, which by working with community groups on relevant research, as Belanger puts it, “will make us leaders, rather than followers.”

Another added benefit of the UARC will be to compile a body of literature through research reports, case studies and scholarly publications, which will inform the community of the local progress.

Late last year, the community had the opportunity to gather for a symposium to discuss the research centre and the potential possibility of joining the national Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network.

Guest speakers were Beverly Jacobs, past president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, and Heather King-Andrews, research officer for the UAKN.

In the afternoon, a community dialogue turned to answering an important question as to whether Lethbridge was interested in joining the national UAKN.

From the dialogue, a volunteer community-based committee, including the researchers, was established to discuss the future of the UARC and the possibility of joining the national network.