The Emerging Leaders committee invites you to join the ISPE Canada Book Club for our June meeting with the theme of Indigenous History. In June, we commemorate National Indigenous History Month and will be reading a collection of original stories written by some of the country’s most celebrated Aboriginal writers, and inspired by pivotal events in the country’s history.
This event is open to both experienced and young professionals. Join us even if you haven’t read the book. All you need is a love of reading and an open mind!
About the Book
Inspired by history, Our Story is a beautifully illustrated collection of original stories from some of Canada’s most celebrated Aboriginal writers. Asked to explore seminal moments in Canadian history from an Aboriginal perspective, these ten acclaimed authors have travelled through our country’s past to discover the moments that shaped our nation and its people.
Drawing on their skills as gifted storytellers and the unique perspectives their heritage affords, the contributors to this collection offer wonderfully imaginative accounts of what it’s like to participate in history. From a tale of Viking raiders to a story set during the Oka crisis, the authors tackle a wide range of issues and events, taking us into the unknown, while also bringing the familiar into sharper focus.
Our Story brings together an impressive array of voices — Inuk, Cherokee, Ojibway, Cree, and Salish to name just a few — from across the country and across the spectrum of First Nations. These are the novelists, playwrights, journalists, activists, and artists whose work is both Aboriginal and uniquely Canadian.
Brought together to explore and articulate their peoples’ experience of our country’s shared history, these authors’ grace, insight, and humour help all Canadians understand the forces and experiences that have made us who we are.
Event Location
Virtual – Zoom link will be sent with your registration confirmation.
Attendee Registration
Registration Category
ISPE Member: Free
About the Author
Tantoo Cardinal is one of the most widely recognized Indigenous actors in the world. Tantoo is best known for her iconic roles in Dances With Wolves, Legends of the Fall, and Smoke Signals. Tantoo was born in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Raised by her grandmother who was Dene, Tantoo also has Cree, Métis, and Nakota heritage. For Tantoo, her four different heritages tie in as such; Cree is her language, Dene are her important relatives, Nakota is her spiritual side, and Metis is cultural.
Book Club Info
- Event Time: 45-60 minutes
- Format: Virtual via Zoom
- Discussion Questions: Emailed prior to the event
Book Club FAQs
The book club is run by our amazing hardworking volunteers. Books are selected based on participant interest and relevance to career and professional development. Sessions are hosted via zoom so that members across Canada can discuss and connect on the book together.
Digital or hard copy of this book can be borrowed from your local library or purchased at local or online bookstores. Alternatively, there may be limited copies of the book at your local library or bookstore. Please contact your local library branch for availability.
There is no requirement to finish (or even start) the book prior to the meeting. During the meeting, most members will have finished the recommended chapters and we will be discussing them, so be prepared for spoilers if you haven’t read them yet.
1-2 weeks before the scheduled meeting, we will send you a list of discussion questions to consider. As a group, we will discuss and look into these themes, questions, and topics further during the meeting.
We’re open to anything that our members are interested in relevant to career and professional development. Approximately every 6 months we will send out polls to select upcoming books.
Open to all ISPE Canada members; there is no cost to join.
Meeting dates vary depending on the availability of the facilitators. Upcoming Book club meetings will be posted on the ISPE Canada Website. Cancellations and/or date changes will be notified to participants beforehand. Typically, the meetings will run for 45mins during weekday evenings.
At the moment, sessions are currently hosted via zoom so that members across Canada can discuss and connect on the book together. We also encourage members to host their own discussions before or after in order to dig deeper into the themes.
Event Poster
ISPE Canada Book Club - Our Story: Aboriginal Voices on Canada's Past - July 20, 2022
ATTENDEE REGISTRATION – ISPE Canada Book Club – Our Story: Aboriginal Voices on Canada’s Past