Water and Justice Resource Guide
July 23, 2025
Sarah Deckert and Shaylyn Pelikys
The Nibi Declaration of Treaty #3 begins, “Nibi (water) is alive and has a spirit. It is the lifeblood of our mother (aki) and connects everything. It can give, sustain and take life.” Indigenous knowledges teach us to relate to water not as a resource to be extracted but as a living being to be loved and respected. As you engage with the podcasts, documentaries, books and other resources included in this preliminary resource guide, we hope that you will do so while holding on to the central truth of the Nibi Declaration: “Nibi (water) is alive and has a spirit.”
A Resource Guide on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse People in Canada
A Resource Guide on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse People in Canada
October 15, 2024
Angela Ciceron
Trigger Warning: The content in this resource guide may be difficult and/or triggering. If you or someone you know needs emotional assistance related to this topic or the information in this article, help is available 24/7 through the MMIWG Support Line, 1-866-413-6649.
In May 2024, the Centre for Human Rights Research and Indigenous Engagement and Communications hosted Cambria Harris in honour of Red Dress Day. This resource guide was created to provide a starting point for people seeking to educate themselves about the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse people (MMIWG2S+) in Canada. It also lists resources for those seeking help or resources in line with MMIWG2S+.
Related Resources
Support Us
Whether you are passionate about interdisciplinary human rights research, social justice programming, or student training and mentorship, the University of Manitoba offers opportunities to support the opportunities most important to you.
Migrant Justice and Human Rights: A Resource Guide
Migrant Justice and Human Rights: A Resource Guide
April 2024
Angela Ciceron
In March 2024, the Centre for Human Rights Research hosted Mostafa Henaway, a long-time community organizer with Immigrant Workers Centre in Montreal. Henaway’s work emphasized the structural and transnational issues propelling migrant workers to undertake precarious work under neoliberal capitalism, as well as efforts made by migrants to resist these structures. This resource guide aims to expand on this conversation by providing resources on the experiences of migrant workers under neoliberalism and their role in Canadian society more broadly.
Related Resources
Support Us
Whether you are passionate about interdisciplinary human rights research, social justice programming, or student training and mentorship, the University of Manitoba offers opportunities to support the opportunities most important to you.
Wrongful Convictions and Systemic Racism: A Resource Guide
Wrongful Convictions and Systemic Racism: A Resource Guide
November 2023
Stephen Carney, Alana Conway, Carlie Kane, Dr. Pauline Tennent
A Resource Guide with links to resources related to wrongful convictions and the impact of systemic racism and discrimination on the justice systems in settler colonial contexts such as Canada, the United States, and other countries around the world.
Related Resources
Support Us
Whether you are passionate about interdisciplinary human rights research, social justice programming, or student training and mentorship, the University of Manitoba offers opportunities to support the opportunities most important to you.
Land and Settler Colonialism in southern Manitoba: A Resource Guide
Land and Settler Colonialism in southern Manitoba: A Resource Guide
November 2023
Dr. Adele Perry, Dr. Shelisa Klassen
A resource guide to learn more about land and settler colonialism in southern Manitoba.
Islamophobia and Colonial Violence: Solidarity and Civil Resistance in Post-9/11 Manitoba — A Resource Guide
Islamophobia and Colonial Violence: Solidarity and Civil Resistance in Post-9/11 Manitoba -- A Resource Guide
October 2023
Angela Gail Ciceron, Dr. Pauline Tennent, Dr. Youcef Soufi
On October 25, 2023, the Centre for Human Rights Research (CHRR) hosted a seminar on the topic of islamophobia and colonial violence with Dr. Youcef Soufi from the Institute of Islamic Studies at the University of Toronto. The event focused on the experiences of solidarity and civil resistance of Muslim Canadians in the aftermath of 9/11 and during the US’s global war on terror. As an extension of the seminar, this resource guide provides further readings and media for participants who would like to deepen their understanding of islamophobia in the context of Canada.
Related Resources
Support Us
Whether you are passionate about interdisciplinary human rights research, social justice programming, or student training and mentorship, the University of Manitoba offers opportunities to support the opportunities most important to you.
Resource Hub
Doing the Work: What Settlers need to know about the Residential School System: Resource Guide
September 23, 2023
Dr. Pauline Tennent and Laura Majendaagoz . With Contributions from: Elder Betty Ross, Clayton Sandy, Dr. Sean Carleton, Dr. Brian Gettler, Dr. Erin Millions, Dr. Adele Perry, Dr. Andrew Woolford, Monique Woroniak
On Thursday, August 12th 2021, the Centre for Human Rights Research hosted “Doing the Work: A virtual Q & A on what settlers need to know about the residential school system in Canada.” Following the event, the panel created a resource guide, intended as a living document, with information on residential schools and the impact of colonialism in Canada. This resource guide was updated in August 2023.
Related Resources
Support Us
Whether you are passionate about interdisciplinary human rights research, social justice programming, or student training and mentorship, the University of Manitoba offers opportunities to support the opportunities most important to you.
Borders and Human Rights: A Resource Guide
2022
Sara Gibson
This is a short list of resources compiled by Research Assistant Sara Gibson, of books, articles, poems, videos etc. that provide a critical look at borders and human rights. It is only a starting point for “Questioning Borders” and we look forward to adding to it. Please email chrrman@umanitoba.ca if you have suggestions.
Canadian Aboriginal Law
2024
Carlie Kane
Canadian Aboriginal law is a body of law in Canada that focuses on the rights and issues of Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) in Canada. Aboriginal law is different from Indigenous law. Indigenous law refers to legal traditions, customs and practices of Indigenous peoples. To further clarify, Aboriginal law is generally considered to be the law of the state (Canada), and comes from legislation and the common law through the courts and the Constitution; whereas, Indigenous law refers to Indigenous peoples’ own law, such as customs, songs, dances, stories, language, and ceremonies.
– Carlie Kane, J.D., Former Research Assistant, Centre for Human Rights Research
This document is a compilation of Indigenous legal resources from various scholars and resources. A full reference list is available at the end of the resource guide.
Related Resources
Support Us
Whether you are passionate about interdisciplinary human rights research, social justice programming, or student training and mentorship, the University of Manitoba offers opportunities to support the opportunities most important to you.
Research in the Age of COVID: Resource Guide
2022
CHRR
On Sept. 21, 2022, researchers from a variety of disciplines discussed their experiences – good, difficult, surprising – in conducting research in the age of COVID. This was an opportunity to reflect, learn, grow & move forward as we figure out how to do research in the middle of a pandemic with far reaching and long lasting human rights implications.
Doing Fieldwork in a Pandemic. A Crowdsourced document initiated and edited by Deborah Lupton in 2020; revised by Deborah Lupton 5 July 2021. Available at:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1clGjGABB2h2qbduTgfqribHmog9B6P0NvMgVuiHZCl8/mobilebasic
Adegun, A., & Thompson, S. (2021). Higher COVID-19 rates in Manitoba’s First Nations compared to non-First Nations linked to limited infrastructure on reserves. The Journal of Rural and Community Development, 16(4). ISSN: 1712-8277. https://journals.brandonu.ca/jrcd/article/view/2062
Blacksmith, C., Thompson, S., Hill, S., Thapa, K. & Stormhunter, T. (2021). The Indian Act virus worsens COVID-19 outcomes for Canada’s native people. In Alex Neve (Ed), Canadian Year Book on Human Rights’ special issue on COVID-19, 2021. Ottawa: University of Ottawa Centre for Human Rights Press.
Centre for Critical Qualitative Health Research. (2021, Sept. 28). COVID-19 Resources. Retrieved from: https://ccqhr.utoronto.ca/resources/covid-19/.
Hill, S. Bonnycastle, M. & Thompson, S. (2020). COVID-19 Policies Increase the Inequity in Northern Manitoba’s Indigenous Communities. In Rounce and Levasseur (Eds), COVID-19 in Manitoba: Public Policy Responses to the First Wave. Winnipeg, University of Manitoba Press. https://uofmpress.ca/files/9780887559501_web.pdf
Hill, Stewart. 2020. The Autoethnography of an Ininiw from God’s Lake, Manitoba, Canada: First Nation Water Governance Flows from Sacred Indigenous Relationships, Responsibilities and Rights to Aski. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Manitoba, Winnipeg.
Love, R.P., Hardy, B.J., Heffernan, C., Heyd, A., Cardinal-Grant, M., Sparling, L., Healy, B., Smylie, J., Long, R.. (2022). Developing Data Governance Agreements with Indigenous Communities in Canada: Toward Equitable Tuberculosis Programming, Research, and Reconciliation. Health and Human Rights Journal 24(1):21-33.
Marino, E., Rivera-Gonzalez, J., Benadusi, M., Dietrich, A., Hamza, M., Jerolleman, A., Adams, K. (2020). COVID-19 and All the Things That Kill Us: Research Ethics in the Time of Pandemic. Practicing Anthropology 42(4): 36–40. doi: https://doi.org/10.17730/0888-4552.42.4.36
National Centre for Research Methods. 2020. Changing Research Practices. Retrieved from: https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/research/socscicovid19/
Polyzois, P. & Thompson, S. (2021) Practical Mitigation Strategies for Countering the Spread of Aerosolized COVID-19 Virus (SARS-CoV-2) Using Ventilation and HEPA Air Purifiers: A Literature Review. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 9, 166-197. doi: 10.4236/gep.2021.99010.
Roy, R., & Uekusa, S. (2020). Collaborative autoethnography: “self-reflection” as a timely alternative research approach during the global pandemic. Qualitative Research Journal, 20(4): 383-392. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-06-2020-0054
Singh, N., Lokot, M., Undie, C., Onyango, M., Morgan, R., Harmer, A., Freedman, J., and Heidari, S. (2021). Research in forced displacement: guidance for a feminist and decolonial approach. The Lancet 397(10274): 560-562.
Surmiak, A., Bielska, B., Kalinowska, K. (2022). Social Researchers’ Approaches to Research Ethics During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, 17(1-2):213-222. https://doi.org/10.1177/15562646211055056
Teti, M., Schatz, E., & Liebenberg, L. (2020). Methods in the Time of COVID-19: The Vital Role of Qualitative Inquiries. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406920920962
Thompson, S., Bonnycastle, M. & Hill, S. (2020). COVID-19, First Nations and Poor Housing: “Wash hands frequently” and “Self-isolate” akin to “let them eat cake” in First Nations with Overcrowded Homes lacking Piped Water. CCPA: Winnipeg. ISBN: 978-1-77125-505-9. Retrieved from: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/covid-19-first-nations-and-poor-housing
Tuhiwai Smith, L. (2020). A story about the time we had a global pandemic and how it affected my life and work as a critical Indigenous scholar. In Routledge Handbook of Critical Indigenous Studies, 1 st ed. Routledge
Contact Us
We’d love to hear from you.
442 Robson Hall
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3T 2N2 Canada
204-474-6453
Quick Links
Subscribe to our mailing list for periodic updates from the Centre for Human Rights Research, including human rights events listings and employment opportunities (Manitoba based and virtual).
Land Acknowledgement
The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anisininew, Dakota and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.
Centre for Human Rights Research 2023© · Privacy Policy