Meagan M.

"Working remotely for my first co-op term has taught me how valuable it is to work with supportive team members. I'm proud and lucky to work with a team of experts in Aboriginal law who share in our funny internet connectivity problems and make time to communicate with each other. Our relationship with other departments has brought me personal and professional experiences that I couldn't get elsewhere. Our unit is small and we often have helping hands in each other's projects, so virtual coffee dates and meetings are frequent. The folks in my unit feel like a work family even though I only virtually met my team a few months ago.

The greatest challenge as a settler and co-op student for Indigenous Services Canada is working through my positionality. I support claims analysts and management with research, report writing, and information requests. I bring my values as an advocate for Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and justice to my work. I also recognize that I'm a third generation settler working for a government built on a history of settler-colonialism and violence. Working with legislation like the Indian Act further depicts my situationality and I'm grateful to learn about the reconciliation efforts in my department. I'm also able to take advantage of cultural education and learning opportunities in Aboriginal law through my department to confront these histories and continue to develop my understanding of my situationality." 

Meagan McLay is a settler residing in Amiskwacîwâskahikan on Treaty 6 territory, traditional lands of First Nations, the territory of the Papaschase, and the homeland of the Métis nation. She is an AWE student and Criminology Major and currently works for the Claims unit at the Lands and Economic Development department at Indigenous Services of Canada.