The NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC) is deeply concerned about a lecture being presented by Darryl Leroux at Memorial University in St. John’s this evening called “Proximity, Pain & Pretendians: Towards a Framework.”
Last week, NCC expressed our serious concerns to Memorial University about their decision to bring in a non-Indigenous academic to speak about his unethical research on Indigenous peoples. We have not yet received a response. NCC is very familiar with the flawed and erroneous work of Mr. Leroux, as he was hired on contract by political actors engaged in a misinformation campaign about NunatuKavut Inuit and his “research” was done without our knowledge, participation and consent. His approach to research is contrary to Memorial’s own policy on research with Indigenous peoples and disregards the national Tri-Council policy statement on research with Indigenous peoples. NunatuKavut Inuit have already been harmed by his work, many of whom are Memorial students and staff and many who work and attend universities across Canada.
Memorial University has once again failed NCC and our people. Mr. Leroux’s research has incited lateral violence amongst Indigenous communities, particularly within Labrador. This type of research is now apparently being utilized by Memorial to educate students and the public on issues that the university is ill equipped to deal with. And it is being stoked by a handful of people who work for the administration and faculty. How can the university continue to use political propaganda to pursue biased and discriminatory ends against an entire collective of Indigenous people?
Given Memorial’s very troubled and flawed Indigenous “verification process,” which NCC has repeatedly denounced, we are extremely disappointed in their actions that furthers prejudice and lateral violence. This lecture adds little to no value related to advancing education and awareness in the spirit of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. It will serve only to fuelling violence and inflaming tensions at Memorial.
Memorial can do better and must do better.