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The Legacy of Hope Foundation is a national Indigenous-led charitable organization with the mandate to educate and create awareness and understanding about the Residential School System, including the intergenerational impacts such as the removal of generations of Indigenous children from their families, including the Sixties Scoop, the post-traumatic stress disorders that many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis continue to experience, all while trying to address racism, foster empathy and understanding and inspire action to improve the situation of Indigenous Peoples today. The LHF supports the ongoing healing process of Residential School Survivors, and their families and seeks their input on projects that honour them.
Episodes

16 minutes ago
16 minutes ago
On this week’s episode of Roots and Hoots, our host is pleased to be joined by a woman he both admires and calls a friend, Elder Belinda Vandenbroeck. Gordon and Elder Belinda both attended the Mackay Residential School in Dauphin, Manitoba and discuss their experiences in Northern Manitoba, their connections to the Ukrainian community there and the important role that culture plays in reminding them of who they are.
Show Notes:
- MacKay (Dauphin) Residential School
- Indian Hospitals in Canada
- Traditional Indigenous smudging
- Nechi Institute
- Wahbung Abinoonjiiag
- Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
- Addictions Foundations of Manitoba
- Eric Robinson
- Oscar Lathlin
- George Hickes
- Elder Mae-Louise Campbell
- CBC article on Clan Mother’s Healing Village
- Functions of the pineal gland
Hobbs and Associates is a proud sponsor of the Roots and Hoots podcast and you can visit their website at hobbsltd.ca
For more information about the Legacy of Hope Foundation, please visit legacyofhope.ca

Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Episode 60 - Roots and Hoots Staff Voices with Tara Devlin and Hannah Vicaire
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
On this week’s episode of Roots and Hoots, host Gordon Spence is pleased to be joined by two outstanding staff members at the Legacy of Hope Foundation, Tara Devlin and Hannah Vicaire. Tara and Hannah are the Indigenous Community Engagement Officers at LHF and through their work and life experiences, provide impactful workshops to Indigenous communities across Canada. Tara and Hannah share many great stories and lessons learned from their travels, along with what they are looking forward to in 2025. Both are humble role models to their families and communities, carrying with them a notion which guides their work to ‘be who you needed’.
If you are interested in learning more about their workshop offerings, please contact tdevlin@legacyofhope.ca .
Show Notes:
- Chapleau Cree First Nation
- Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Nation
- Intergenerational Trauma and Residential Schools
- Sixties Scoop
- LHF Shopify page
- Sugarcane Documentary Film
- LHF’s Survivors Portal: Interweaving Our Communities
Hobbs and Associates is a proud sponsor of the Roots and Hoots podcast and you can visit their website at hobbsltd.ca
For more information about the Legacy of Hope Foundation, please visit legacyofhope.ca

Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
Episode 59 - Roots and Hoots Interview with Marc Forgette
Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
On this week’s episode of Roots and Hoots, host Gordon Spence is pleased to be joined by a proud member of the Apitipi Anicinapek Nation and founder of Makatew Workshops, Marc Forgette. In this episode, Marc and Gordon discuss Indigenous tourism, the importance of cultural appreciation, and how individuals and organizations can take specific action on the 94 Calls to Action.
Show Notes:
- Apitipi Anicinapek Nation
- Anishinaabemowin
- NCTR - Residential School History
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
- Status under the Indian Act
- The Conference Board of Canada: Canada’s Indigenous Tourism Sector
- Ottawa Tourism
- Celebrate Indigenous culture in Ottawa
- Powwows
- NCTR Booklet 94 Calls to Action
- Call to Action # 92
- Call to Action # 80
- Call to Action # 57
Suggested:
- Indigenous Corporate Training Inc.: Appreciating or Appropriating Indigenous Culture?
- Dispelling Common Myths About Indigenous Peoples by Bob Joseph
- Indigenous Watchdog
- GC News release October 18, 2024 — Treaty 5, Treaty 6, and Treaty 10 Territories — Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
- Whose Land - Treaty Map
- UBC: A Tribute to the Honourable Murray Sinclair: Champion of Justice and Reconciliation
Ayaya is a proud sponsor of the Roots and Hoots podcast and you can visit their website at ayaya.ca
For more information about the Legacy of Hope Foundation, please visit legacyofhope.ca

Wednesday Nov 27, 2024
Episode 58 - Roots and Hoots Interview with Susan Aglukark, OC
Wednesday Nov 27, 2024
Wednesday Nov 27, 2024
In this week’s episode of Roots and Hoots, host Gordon Spence is thrilled to be joined by the Arctic Rose herself, Susan Aglukark. Susan Aglukark is an Inuk woman from the community of Arviat which is in the Kivalliq region of Nunavut. Susan discusses life before her career as a singer-songwriter, including her time spent working at Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, to her decision to dedicate her life to music. Susan’s iconic voice and sound has enabled her to travel the world, performing for royal and state dignitaries, including the late great Nelson Mandela.
Show Notes:
- ITK - About Canadian Inuit
- Inuit Nunangat Map
- Inuktitut
- Inuit naming tradition (CBC article)
- Arviat
- Chesterfield Inlet
- Polar bears
- Federal Hostel at Frobisher Bay (Ukkivik Student Residence)
- Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
- MuchMusic
- CBC Northern Affairs
- The JUNO Awards
- Arctic Rose Foundation
- Searching by Susan Aglukark
- Dreams for You by Susan Aglukark
- O Siem by Susan Aglukark
- 30th Anniversary Tour of This Child in 2025
Additionally:
Ayaya is a proud sponsor of the Roots and Hoots podcast and you can visit their website at ayaya.ca
For more information about the Legacy of Hope Foundation, please visit legacyofhope.ca

Wednesday Nov 13, 2024
Episode 57 - Roots and Hoots Interview with Sean Carleton
Wednesday Nov 13, 2024
Wednesday Nov 13, 2024
In this episode of Roots and Hoots, host Gordon Spence is thrilled to be joined by historian, scholar and Associate Head of the Department of Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba, Dr. Sean Carleton. In this powerful conversation, Sean speaks with Gordon about being an ally, the importance of non-Indigenous Peoples’ role in confronting Residential School denialism and his connection with Katsi'tsakwas Ellen Gabriel, which led to the release of their book When the Pine Needles Fall: Indigenous Acts of Resistance.
Show Notes
Treaties
- The 1764 Treaty of Niagara
- The Royal Proclamation of 1763
- Two Row Wampum – Gaswéñdah
- The Numbered Treaties
- Treaties 1 and 2
- The Nunavut Agreement
- Treaties and Agreements in Canada
People
- Sean Carleton
- Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel
- Gord Hill
- Robin Folvik
- Kim TallBear
- Kimberly Murray, BA, LLB, LLM, IPC, LLD (h.c.)
- The Honourable Murray Sinclair, CC, OM
- Leanne Betasamosake Simpson
Books/Publications
- The 500 Years of Indigenous Resistance Comic Book by: Gord Hill
- When the Pine Needles Fall: Indigenous Acts of Resistance by: Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel, with Sean Carleton
- Canadian Dimension
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action
- Office of the Independent Special Interlocutor’s Historical Report: Sites of Truth, Sites of Conscience
- Fatty legs by: Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
- Bill C-413
- 8 ways to identify and confront Residential School denialism
Other
- Graphic History Collective
- Between the Lines Book
- Yellowhead Institute
- The Indian Trust Fund
- Indigenous land defenders
Ayaya is a proud sponsor of the Roots and Hoots podcast and you can visit their website at ayaya.ca
For more information about the Legacy of Hope Foundation, please visit legacyofhope.ca

Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
Episode 56 - Roots and Hoots with Cameron Adams
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
On this week’s episode of Roots and Hoots, host Gordon Spence is pleased to be joined by fellow Cree speaker Cameron Adams. Cameron is a proud member of Berens River First Nation in Treaty 5 Territory and is on his journey to becoming a fluent Cree language speaker. His hope for revitalizing Indigenous languages shines through, making him a powerful example for Indigenous Peoples seeking to deepen their language learning - wherever they may be on their journey.
Shownotes:
- Berens River First Nation
- Gimli, Manitoba
- University of Manitoba - Department of Indigenous Studies
- McGill University - Indigenous Studies and Language Revitalization
- McCall MacBain Scholars
- Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages
- n-dialect language app, nēhinawēwin
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
Ayaya is a proud sponsor of the Roots and Hoots podcast and you can visit their website at ayaya.ca
For more information about the Legacy of Hope Foundation, please visit legacyofhope.ca

Wednesday Jul 17, 2024
Episode 55 - Roots and Hoots with Dr. Allyson Stevenson
Wednesday Jul 17, 2024
Wednesday Jul 17, 2024
On this week’s episode of Roots and Hoots, host Gordon Spence is joined by Métis scholar and historian, Dr. Allyson Stevenson. The two share an important conversation on Métis history and heritage. Allyson helps listeners understand the policies and politics that have led to Métis dispossession of land and the severing of kinship ties, while also highlighting stories of resistance along the way. This episode invites listeners on a journey to learn more about the contributions of Métis Peoples to the fibres of Canada.
Show Notes
Allyson's Book
Treaties and Canada
- Royal Proclamation of 1763
- Manitoba Act
- Treaty 6
- Patriation of the Constitution, 1982
- Bill C-31
- Daniels v. Canada (2016)
Significant People
- Louis Riel
- Gabriel Dumont
- Peter Fidler
- Mary Mackagonne
- Marguerite Monet dit Bellehumeur Riel
- James Isbister
- Edgar Dewdney
- George Simpson HBC
Métis
- Métis Languages
- Métis Homeland
- Hudson’s Bay Company - timeline
- Gabriel Dumont Research Institute
- Language and Worldview
- Red River Settlement
- Creation of the North-West Mounted Police
- Red River Resistance
- Metis Road Allowance Communities
- Metis Scrip
- Distribution of Scrip
Buffalo
- Regina History & Facts
- Singing Back the Buffalo, Tasha Hubbard
- Buffalo Bone Picking
- Near extinction of the Buffalo
Ayaya is a proud sponsor of the Roots and Hoots podcast and you can visit their website at ayaya.ca
For more information about the Legacy of Hope Foundation, please visit legacyofhope.ca

Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
Episode 54 - Roots and Hoots Interview with Michael Lawrenchuk
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
On this week’s episode of Roots and Hoots, host Gordon Spence is joined by his friend, Cree actor and former Chief of Fox Lake Cree Nation, Michael Lawrenchuk. Michael discusses the road that led to his impressive acting career and how it continues to save and heal him. In 2014, Michael became a fellow of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London and is a member of the actors union ACTRA - from whom he is set to receive The Vic Cowie Award in 2024. Michael has been involved in countless plays and tv and film projects such as Indian Horse, based on the book written by the late great Richard Wagamese. Their conversation spans decades and Michael and Gordon take us on a journey to their homeland of Northern Manitoba and discuss the eternal nature of storytelling.
Show Notes
- Gillam, MB
- Trapline
- Natural Resources Transfer Acts
- York Factory
- Hudson’s Bay Company
- Fox Lake Cree Nation
- Nelson River
- Indian Status, 'wards of the Federal Government'
- Pass System in Canada
- The Globe Theatre in London
- William Shakespeare
- King Lear
- Romeo and Juliet
- Indian Horse
- Richard Wagamese
Recommended
- Article: Indian Horse: 10 things about the groundbreaking new Canadian film (2018)
- Photo Essay: State of erosion: the legacy of Manitoba Hydro (2020)
- Article: Fox Lake’s promised land (2022)
- Article: What is Method Acting? How Great Actors Prepare (2024)
- ACTRA - Manitoba - Vic Cowie Award
Ayaya is a proud sponsor of the Roots and Hoots podcast and you can visit their website at ayaya.ca
For more information about the Legacy of Hope Foundation, please visit legacyofhope.ca

Wednesday May 29, 2024
Episode 53 - Roots and Hoots with Johnny Flaherty
Wednesday May 29, 2024
Wednesday May 29, 2024
On this week’s episode of Roots and Hoots, host Gordon Spence is joined by Inuk hunter, community and family man, Johnny Flaherty. The two discuss life up in Canada’s Northern Arctic and Johnny shares stories of his many polar bear hunts and travels with his dog sled team.
Show Notes
- Nanook of the North (1922)
- Filmmaker Robert J. Flaherty
- Inuit High Arctic Relocation Program
- Inuktitut
- Swarovski Binoculars
- Yamaha VK540 Snowmobile
- Inuit Sled Dogs
- Qamutiik
- Sea Ice
- Arctic Animals
- Arctic Hare
- Map of Nunavut
Recommended
- Martha of the North (2008)
- What I Remember, What I Know: The Life of a High Arctic Exile by Larry Audlaluk
- Episode 25 - Roots and Hoots Interview with Larry Audlaluk
- Polar Knowledge Canada
- Arctic Circle
- Inuit Nunangat
- Nunavut Hunting Regulations 2023-2024
- Declining Caribou Population
Ayaya is a proud sponsor of the Roots and Hoots podcast and you can visit their website at ayaya.ca
For more information about the Legacy of Hope Foundation, please visit legacyofhope.ca

Wednesday May 08, 2024
Episode 52 - Roots and Hoots Interview with Shelley Niro
Wednesday May 08, 2024
Wednesday May 08, 2024
On this week’s episode of Roots and Hoots, host Gordon Spence is thrilled to be joined by artist and filmmaker Shelley Niro. Shelley is a member of the Six Nations Reserve, Turtle Clan, of the Bay of Quinte Mohawk. In this interview, Shelley and Gordon discuss the evolution of Shelley’s artistic process and her recent film Café Daughter.
Show Notes
- Six Nations of the Grand River
- Silent Speakers
- Voices from the Land: Indigenous Peoples Talk Language Revitalization (podcast)
- Ontario College of Art (now Ontario College of Art and Design University)
- Film, Café Daughter
- Dr. Lillian Eva Quan Dyck, OC
- Filmmaker Anna Gronau
- Playwright Kenneth T. Williams
- Play, Café Daughter
- imagineNative Film + Media Arts Festival
- Shelley Niro: 500 Year Itch
Recommended:
Ayaya is a proud sponsor of the Roots and Hoots podcast and you can visit their website at ayaya.ca
For more information about the Legacy of Hope Foundation, please visit legacyofhope.ca