Guest Speaking
Some subjects need more than a presentation. They need context, experience, and an honest conversation.
I speak to universities, governments, community organizations, conferences, and other audiences on First Nations issues, law and policy, government systems, justice, identity, employment, and other subjects connected to my professional and lived experience.
My presentations are informed by research and professional experience, but they aren't lectures delivered from a script. I use stories and practical examples to make complex subjects understandable and relevant to the audience. Depending on the setting and time available, presentations can also include discussion and questions.
Speaking Topics
Topics can be developed around the needs and interests of your audience. Previous presentations have included:
Indian Act registration: its history, registration provisions, gender-based discrimination, litigation, and the impacts of legislative and court-ordered change.
Systemic discrimination: examining the gap between government anti-discrimination policies and how those policies can operate in practice.
First Nations, Inuit and Métis people and the criminal justice system: systemic circumstances contributing to overrepresentation, the purpose of Gladue, and common misconceptions about its application.
Identity and terminology: the history and use of “Indigenous” as an identifier, its lack of legal specificity, and contemporary concerns about race-shifting and claims to identity.
Employment and career development: résumé development, identifying transferable skills, job searching, interview preparation, and navigating barriers to employment.
Law and different ways of understanding justice: comparing the Criminal Code of Canada with traditional Anishinaabe legal traditions, including Bimaadiziwin and its principles for living a good life.
These examples are not an exhaustive list. If you have a particular subject, event, or audience in mind, we can discuss whether my experience is a good fit and develop a presentation accordingly.
The Audience Shapes
the Conversation
A good presentation begins with understanding who is in the room. Chad adapts his approach to the audience, the subject matter, and the time available; whether speaking with community members, students, academics, public servants, or professionals.
Complex subjects do not have to be made simple to be understood. They need to be made relevant. Chad combines knowledge, storytelling, and practical experience to meet audiences where they are and create conversations that are informative, relatable, and worth remembering.