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Enough. Is. Enough. 

When will Canada correct its appalling treatment of its Indigenous peoples? Despite being a relatively affluent nation, Canada has mistreated and discriminated against Indigenous peoples for far, far too long. For centuries now, Canada has stolen Indigenous land, taken and abused Indigenous children, and neglected to provide access to clean water, quality education, safe housing, and much more. As a proud Canadian, I believe that we can, and we must, do better. 

For many years now, I have had the privilege of hearing the stories of over a hundred young Indigenous students, through my involvement with the Calgary Foundation. These stories have never left me. I have read far too many accounts of abuse against Indigenous peoples in this country – stories of violence against Indigenous women and girls, stories of living in extreme poverty, stories of intergenerational trauma stemming from Canada’s residential schools, and much more. Each year, I am horrified, and yet also inspired to read about the lives of these Indigenous students. Despite facing so much discrimination in this country, these students have incredible aspirations to make Canada better. Some are aspiring activists and social workers, wanting to improve the lives of Indigenous youth in child welfare. Others are aspiring doctors and nurses, wishing to provide representation in hospitals for Indigenous people to gain access to equitable and discrimination-free care. Others are aspiring lawyers and politicians, determined to make positive change on a system that has discriminated against their people for far too long.

Because of these inspiring students, this May, I will be running the Calgary Marathon in support of Indspire, an organization that is attempting to change the narrative surrounding Indigenous peoples in Canada. Indspire advocates for Indigenous people's equal access to quality education, through providing numerous programs and scholarships for post-secondary education. I hope that you will join me in supporting this cause, and be a part of Canada’s solution.