Episode 3: Pam Palmater on activism, decolonization and how to make an impact on Indigenous Reconciliation

Sep 20, 2021

Pam Palmater (LLB'97) is an award-winning public speaker, author and social justice activist. She was one of the spokespeople and public educators for the Idle No More movement and continues to advocate alongside other social movements focusing on Indigenous rights, social justice and climate action. She is also a well-known media commentator and public speaker - considered one of Canada’s Top 25 Influential Movers and Shakers by the Financial Post. Pam is a member of the Eel River Bar First Nation in northern New Brunswick and has four university degrees, including a law degree from UNB in 1997. She’s been a practicing lawyer for 22 years and is currently a Professor and the Chair in Indigenous Governance at Ryerson University.   

In this episode: 

• Pam discusses her law background and how she got into activism 

• Her time working to make change within government and why it wasn’t for her 
• Kids, personal time and social media 
• Her experience at Ryerson and the university's decision to change its name 
• Insights into the decolonization process and how Pam is emboldened by community and seeing change happen 
• Ways in which every Canadian can make a difference when it comes to Indigenous reconciliation 

 

Links and resources: 

Pam’s website: https://pampalmater.com 

Warrior Life podcast: https://soundcloud.com/pampalmater 

Pam on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Pam_Palmater 

UNB Faculty of Law: https://www.unb.ca/fredericton/law/ 

Thanks to: 

Our alumni host, Emily Barner: https://www.unb.ca/alumni/alumni-news/unb-alumni-podcast.html 

Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden: https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/beats-of-burden/1451387846 

Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance, Manulife, and MBNA Mastercard: https://www.unb.ca/alumni/benefitsandservices/index.html