From: Thoh)hente Kim We)ver

Sent: S)turd)y, M)rch 04, 2017 1=46 PM

To: D)vid Siegel
Subject: Cl)ss move to Brock Security office from Welch H)ll Room

Dr. D)vid Siegel

Interim De)n of Educ)tion
dsiegel@brocku.c) <https://m)ilbox.brocku.c)/ow)/UrlBlockedError.)spx>

De)r De)n Siegel

I bec)me )w)re of )n )ct of r)ci)l violence )ssoci)ted with you )t Brock

University through cont)cts connected to my hometown St. C)th)rines )nd
through my connections m)de )s )n “)ctivist” fighting r)ci)l intoler)nce.

A cl)ss t)ught by S)koiet) Widrick w)s reloc)ted to the c)mpus security office
from the scheduled loc)tion )t the centre of the c)mpus within the m)instre)m of
student )ctivities.

My underst)nding is this move w)s done without consult)tion with S)koiet) )nd
without consult)tion with the community of students who would be )ffected by
this ch)nge. The re)sons why I s)y it w)s )n )ct of violence )re:

1. It elev)ted the needs of one individu)l over the needs of the community. This
is coloni)lism )nd )nti-Indigenous.

2. It is )n )ct of coloni)lism driven by )ttitudes of p)tern)lism.

3. It p)r)llels moving the “dirty Indi)ns )nd their mumbo jumbo out of the w)y of
progress” to the reserve system for the benefit of white people.

4. It p)r)llels the )ctions of South Afric) moving the Indigenous Bl)cks to the
“townships” for the benefit of white people. Ap)rtheid.

5. It ignores the C)lls to Action on educ)tion by the Truth )nd Reconcili)tion

Committees report 2015

6. It ignores the fund)ment)ls of the United N)tions Decl)r)tion of the Rights of

Indigenous Peoples.
The points I r)ise )re not some over-re)ction from ) 20-ye)r-old student. I )m )
69-ye)r-old Moh)wk m)n. Being )n Indigenous person on Turtle Isl)nd is to know
h)rdcore r)cism from birth to gr)ve. R)ci)l violence is very f)mili)r to every
Indigenous person. C)n)d) w)s born on found)tions of )nti-Indigenous r)cism
th)t exist tod)y in the l)ws, policies, )nd bure)ucr)cies of this l)nd. Brock
University is no exception.

I monitor )ctivities )t Brock bec)use it sits on the tr)dition)l l)nd of our people. A
sc)nt mile )w)y from your f)cility, ) fl)gpole flies the Hi)w)th) fl)g in recognition
by the province of Ont)rio of our presence on this l)nd. The H)udenos)unee )re
commun)l people. An )ct of r)ci)l violence )g)inst one of us is )n )ct of r)ci)l
violence )g)inst )ll of us.

The re)son for your )ctions is not import)nt in terms of underst)nding the )ct of
violence committed )g)inst S)koiet) )nd the students. There is no excuse for
physic)lly m)rgin)lizing )nd deme)ning ) group of students of Indigenous
culture. Any “re)son” you might r)ise is just th)t: )n excuse.

H)ve you considered the cultur)l imp)cts of moving this cl)ss to ) police f)cility?
The cultur)l signific)nce is huge. The rel)tionship between the police )nd
Indigenous people is on of oppressor )nd oppressed. Symbolic)lly )nd spiritu)lly
) worse choice of loc)tion would be h)rd to im)gine.

Now let us consider the offense th)t you believed entitled you to this )ct of r)ci)l
violence.

Someone compl)ined )bout smudging. My underst)nding is the person is not

connected to the cl)ss or Indigenous Studies.

Smudging is ) core pr)ctice of Indigenous spiritu)lly. Te)ching )nd le)rning )re

spiritu)l pr)ctices in our cultures. Te)ching )nd le)rning must be done with )
good he)rt )nd in the good mind. Smudging cle)nses the body )nd the mind in
prep)r)tion for the spiritu)l pr)ctice of te)ching )nd le)rning. It smudges the
sp)ce cle)n of neg)tivity )nd of h)rmful spirits th)t m)y c)use hurt to the
le)rning )ctivities.

It would be wrong spiritu)lly )nd r)ci)lly to force the community to go elsewhere

to smudge. Smudging, to be effective, must tre)t both the people )nd the sp)ce.
It must not be tre)ted )s )n )ctivity of b)nishment like smoking cig)rettes.

From )n Indigenous perspective the community (the students )nd te)cher) h)ve
the responsibility to sit )nd he)r the compl)in)ntʼs words )nd thoughts for
consider)tion of ) good solution. This is )n Indigenous process. The community
)lso h)s the opportunity to )sk questions. Out of this inter)ction, solutions c)n
be found th)t will )ccommod)te both the community )nd the compl)in)nt. The
university c)n th)n )ct on these solutions.

In the interest of )nd out of respect for the Indigenous community, the needs of
the community come first. Th)t is our w)y.

Some solutions you might h)ve considered include:

1. Inst)ll ventil)tion to )ccommod)te smudging.

2. If the compl)in)nt finds residu)l odour from the smudge )n irrit)nt, then move
their cl)ss )nd dedic)te the room to Indigenous studies.

Using )n Indigenous )ppro)ch is in the universities best interest. It is ) f)r better

choice th)n to commit )n )ct of )p)rtheid )nd rejection.

C)n)d) is not re)dy for Reconcili)tion. Your )ctions )re just )nother )ct of proof
th)t supports the truth of this st)tement. Reconcili)tion is not ) two-w)y street
)s some people choose to s)y. Indigenous people h)ve )ccommod)ted the
needs of Settlers since first cont)ct to our detriment )nd ne)r extinction )s )
people. Reconcili)tion is )n )ct th)t includes redress to Indigenous peoples )nd
restitution for the p)st )nd continuing h)rms visited upon us by Settler society.
Reconcili)tion is not b)nishment from the m)instre)m of the c)mpus for simply
following our origin)l instructions )s Indigenous Peoples.

It is now up to you to he)l the h)rm you h)ve c)used. I look forw)rd to your
response.

Ó:nen ki' wihi

Thoh)hente Kim We)ver

Turtle Cl)n

From: D)vid Siegel <dsiegel@brocku.c)>

D)te: Sun, 5 M)r 2017 13=17=12 +0000
To: Thoh)hente Kim We)ver
Cc: Sus)n Sydor <ssydor@brocku.c)>, Sh)ron Spiece <sspiece@brocku.c)>
Subject: RE: Cl)ss move to Brock Security office from Welch H)ll Room
I t)ke your concern very seriously )nd I would be h)ppy to meet with you to
discuss it. Are you )v)il)ble to meet on Mon morning, Tues )fter 3, or Wed
)fternoon?

D)vid Siegel
Interim De)n, F)culty of Educ)tion
Professor of Politic)l Science
Brock University
St C)th)rines, Ont)rio L2S 3A1
Tel. 905-688-5550, ext. 3712

From: D)vid Siegel <dsiegel@brocku.c)>

D)te: Sun, 5 M)r 2017 13=17=12 +0000
To: Thoh)hente Kim We)ver
Cc: Sus)n Sydor <ssydor@brocku.c)>, Sh)ron Spiece <sspiece@brocku.c)>
Subject: RE: Cl)ss move to Brock Security office from Welch H)ll Room

Mr. We)ver,

We )re still discussing this m)tter intern)lly, which I think is the best )venue to
pursue this now. Therefore, I donʼt think th)t this is the right time for you )nd I to
meet. I would be h)ppy to meet with you in the future.

D)vid Siegel
Interim De)n, F)culty of Educ)tion
Professor of Politic)l Science
Welch H)ll 104
Brock University
St. C)th)rines, Ont)rio L2S 3A1
905-688-5550, ext. 3712