Breakfast will be served between 8AM-9AM before the conference starts each day and is covered by your registration fee. Share a meal with other gathering attendees and meet some new friends! At 8:45am, a local Indigenous Drum Group will play songs as we start our gathering off in a good way.

Kayleigh Olson is the Cultural Liaison based in our JHSS Moose Jaw office and will be the MC for Changing Our Lens. Kayleigh will welcome everyone to Changing Our Lens and introduce the Elder who will offer a prayer. We will also introduce you to JHSS CEO Shawn Fraser and our Board President and Chair, Jennifer Angus, who will welcome everyone and share more about JHSS and the Changing Our Lens Community Gathering.

Talking Stick is a text-only chat platform for Indigenous people that provides culture-based support on any topic at all. It’s a safe place to have confidential, judgment-free conversations with someone who is also Indigenous themselves. Along with presenting on the important work they are doing with their text support platform, they will provide gathering attendees with a better understand and knowledge of what the Talking Stick represents and how it is used. Our event MC will welcome you to Changing Our Lens and share details about the what’s to come. They will also introduce our Elder, who will offer song and prayer as we begin our gathering in a good way

After having the opportunity to learn so much from our friends at Talking Stick, supplies and materials will be made available to gathering attendees so they can build their own Talking Stick to take home and use in their own life.

Take this opportunity to stretch your legs, fill up your coffee, use the washroom or check out the Changing Our Lens Tradeshow that’s happening in a separate room at Grant Hall Hotel.

Eleanore Sunchild is an Indigenous lawyer from the Thunderchild First Nation and received her call to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1999. Eleanore Sunchild has represented clients across Canada and has appeared in all levels of court across Canada. She is most proud of her representation of Debbie Baptiste at the Supreme Court of Canada as an intervenor in the case of R. v. Chonan, where the elimination of peremptory challenges was upheld. Eleanore Sunchild, Q.C. graduated from the University of Alberta, Faculty of Law, obtained a B.A. in Political Science and studied French immersion at the Faculté St. Jean, U of A. She is sought after for her knowledge of the Indian Residential school system, Sunchild Law is a fully owned Indigenous Law office located in Treaty 6 territory on the Poundmaker Reserve lands knows as Poundmaker 2. Eleanore Sunchild Q.C. is a member of Thunderchild First Nation and has worked very hard to deliver excellent legal services through Sunchild Law.

We plan to break for lunch at 11:45AM. Lunch is covered as part of your registration fee. Share a meal with other gathering attendees and meet some new friends!

Benjamin Perrin is a professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia. He has served in the Prime Minister’s Office as in-house legal counsel and lead policy advisor on criminal justice and public safety. He was also a law clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada. He is the national best-selling author of “Overdose: Heartbreak and Hope in Canada’s Opioid Crisis”. His latest book “Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial” (published by the University of Toronto Press) is one of Indigo’s “most anticipated books” of Fall 2023 and is a #1 Amazon bestseller in criminal law, criminology and law enforcement.

Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway is an interdisciplinary artist whose main source of inspiration is Tatanga aka Buffalo. She is a fashion and textile designer, visual artist, beader, storyteller and co-founder of the Buffalo People Arts Institute. She comes from a long line of Buffalo hunters and is Nakota/Cree/Saulteaux from the White Bear First Nations – signatory to Treaty 4. She has degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Calgary and Mathematics from the First Nations University of Canada. She loves to incorporate mathematics and geometry in her artwork and is inspired by the perfect symmetry in nature. Her mantra envelopes everything Buffalo as it connects her to ancestral memories, the land and is the manifestational glue that keeps her world together.

Take this opportunity to stretch your legs, fill up your coffee, use the washroom or check out the Changing Our Lens Tradeshow that’s happening in a separate room at Grant Hall Hotel.

Ronda Dalshaug has been employed by The Elizabeth Fry Society of Calgary since 2015. She currently works as the Soksipaitapiisin (Case Management Table) Coordinator. The Elizabeth Fry Society offers pathways to healing through supports and advocacy, for women and marginalized populations who are affected by systemic social issues which can contribute to criminalization. Through her work with probation, The Elizabeth Fry Society, Calgary Indigenous Court, the Soksipaitapiisin Community Case Management Table and teachings from Elders, Ronda has gained her knowledge regarding Indigenous Restorative Justice practices. Ronda considers herself as an ally to the Indigenous community and has a passion for promoting the recommendations of Truth and Reconciliation Commission and supporting individuals to address the results of colonization such as generational trauma, residential schools, substance use, and mental health through restorative justice and traditional ceremonies and supports.

With a deep passion for personal growth and spiritual enlightenment, Bryan has spent years honing his skills as a public speaker, captivating audiences with his heartfelt messages of hope, love, and resilience. His unique ability to connect with people from all walks of life leaves a lasting impact, empowering individuals to overcome challenges and pursue their dreams. House of the Potter Ministries Inc. has become a hub of innovation, providing innovative programs and initiatives that address the diverse needs of individuals and communities. Under his guidance, the ministry has pioneered groundbreaking projects that promote education, social justice, social engagement, and spiritual well-being. His infectious positivity and compassionate nature have touched the hearts of many, inspiring them to embrace their own potential and create a better future for themselves and those around them.

Take this extended 30 minute break to check out of your hotel room, stretch your legs, fill up your coffee, use the washroom or check out the Changing Our Lens Tradeshow that’s happening in a separate room at Grant Hall Hotel.

Owen Pelletier is of Plains Cree ancestry from Cowessess First Nation Saskatchewan. He is a loving father of five, as well as a grandfather. Owen is a full-time student at the First Nations University of Canada studying for a degree in Indigenous Social Work. Owen works for STR8 UP in Saskatoon. By sharing his story through writing and speaking, Owen has made the decision to use all of his life experiences as tools to assist those who may be struggling with the same realities that he has survived. Owen speaks about his experiences with abandonment, neglect, and abuse. Addictions, violence, and jails were a normal part of his life as a gangster. He also speaks about the child welfare system, racism, and intergenerational traumas.

We plan to break for lunch at 11:45AM. Lunch is covered as part of your registration fee. Share a meal with other gathering attendees and meet some new friends!

My name is Krysia Przepiorka and I walk in two worlds. My father is Polish and my mother is Assiniboine from Carry the Kettle, where I am also a band member. My worldview has stong roots in both the Polish and Assiniboine philosophy, values, and customs. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Calgary and went on to law school at the University of British Columbia (UBC). I was called to the Bar in 2010, and it was then that I knew I would pursue a career in criminal defense. I was privileged to be part of the inception of the Calgary Indigenous Court. I am extremely passionate about ensuring my clients that choose to walk a therapeutic path know they are supported throughout their journey. I am also currently involved in the creation of the Indigenous Justice Centre Society of Alberta. My career goal is to ensure that our strong resilient Indigenous people have access to justice with culturally competent representation.

Andrea Phillips is a Red River Métis woman born in Coast Salish Territory with her family coming St. Eustache and Portage la Prairie in Red River. Andrea currently lives and works in Treaty Six territory -Saskatoon- with her two children. Holding a number of roles at Legal Aid Saskatchewan over the years, including staff family law lawyer and Director of the Saskatoon Rural office, Andrea currently sits in the role of Indigenous Policy Counsel. This current role allows Andrea to work with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that Legal Aid advances on its commitments to the TRC Calls to Action while creating a landscape for change within the justice system, as a whole. Morgan Ryan-Roe, Gladue Database Coordinator with Legal Aid Saskatchewan, will join Andrea for this conversation.

Take this opportunity to stretch your legs, fill up your coffee, use the washroom or check out the Changing Our Lens Tradeshow that’s happening in a separate room at Grant Hall Hotel.

GLADUE SUBMISSION GUIDE – PANEL DISCUSSION

This discussion will feature stakeholders invested in the Gladue conversation and sharing their experience and knowledge with gathering attendees. This panel will feature perspectives from the criminal defense bar, clients with lived experience and the courts.

We’ll come together one last time for a short farewell before taking what we’ve learned to our home communities.