Meet the Authors: Valley of the Birdtail
Date: Jun 20
7:00 pm
- 8:00 pm
Where: Theatre
Evening Talk
Join Judy A. White, K.C., in conversation with authors Douglas Sanderson, attending virutally, (Amo Binashii) and Andrew Stobo Sniderman to discuss their acclaimed book, Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town and the Road to Reconciliation.
Valley of the Birdtail is about how two communities became separate and unequal—and what it means for the rest of us. The story of these two communities reflects much of what has gone wrong in relations between Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous Canadians. It also offers, in the end, an uncommon measure of hope.
This program is free but a ticket is required. Please reserve your free ticket online or by calling 709-757-8090.
About the Authors:
Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii) is Beaver Clan, from the Opaskwayak Cree Nation. He is a Fulbright Scholar, and holds the Prichard Wilson Chair in Law and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law. Professor Sanderson has served as senior Advisor to the government of Ontario, in the offices of the Attorney General and Aboriginal Affairs.
Andrew Stobo Sniderman is a writer, lawyer and Rhodes Scholar from Montreal. He has written for the New York Times, the Globe and Mail and Maclean’s. He has also argued before the Supreme Court of Canada, served as the human rights policy advisor to the Canadian minister of foreign affairs, and worked for a judge of South Africa’s Constitutional Court.
Judy A. White , K.C. is a Mi’kmaq and member of the Flat Bay Band. Ms. White completed a Bachelor of Laws degree from Dalhousie Law School with particular emphasis upon Aboriginal Law. Ms. White also completed the Intensive Program of Lands, Resources and First Nations Government at Osgoode Hall Law School. Ms. White has recently completed the Leading Peoples and Investing in Sustaining Communities, an Indigenous certificate program at Harvard Business School. Ms. White has completed the Chartered Directors Program at McMaster University. Ms. White has vast board and governance experience and has served many agencies and in various capacities. Ms. White is currently serving as Director General at Indigenous Services Canada. Ms. White is the Chair of the Inuvialuit Arbitration Board. Ms. White serves as Chairperson of the NL Human Rights Commission, as well as Co-Chair of Equal Voice- NL. Ms. White was the 2022 Recipient of the Governor General Person’s Case Award.
Events & Programs
Get to know the artifacts and material culture from The Rooms Collections better through drawing. This new weekly series is designed for creatives who want to sketch independently and draw from a unique collection of artifacts and objects from our six vaults.
Each session of Drawing from Our Collections will feature a new curated selection of artifacts and material culture from our extensive archives, art gallery, and museum vaults. It will be a rare opportunity to observe and draw from items that are not usually accessible to the public.
This series is for those comfortable with drawing independently in a supportive and engaging environment. Bring your sketchbook and pencils and join us for a creative adventure that will deepen your connection to art and history.
4 sessions: October 29, November 5, 12, and 19 from 2 – 4 pm
Cost: $80 plus HST for 4 sessions. 10% discount for Rooms members. OR can be purchased individually for $20 plus HST per session.
Suitable for ages 15 and up. Spaces are limited. Register online or by calling (709) 757-8090.
Prefer an evening time slot? There is also a 6:30 – 8:30 pm session offered.
Peoples of Newfoundland and Labrador
Stroll across land and sea, and through time, to meet the peoples who have made Newfoundland and Labrador home for the past 9,000 years.
Each tour is approximately 30 – 40 minutes and is included in the cost of admission. Free for Rooms members.
Get to know the artifacts and material culture from The Rooms Collections better through drawing. This new weekly series is designed for creatives who want to sketch independently and draw from a unique collection of artifacts and objects from our six vaults.
Each session of Drawing from Our Collections will feature a new curated selection of artifacts and material culture from our extensive archives, art gallery, and museum vaults. It will be a rare opportunity to observe and draw from items that are not usually accessible to the public. Prepare to gain valuable knowledge about our collections along with others who are keen to draw, sketch, and learn.
This series is for those comfortable with drawing independently in a supportive and engaging environment. Bring your sketchbook and pencils and join us for a creative adventure that will deepen your connection to art and history.
4 sessions: October 29, November 5, 12, and 19 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Cost: $80 plus HST for 4 sessions. 10% discount for Rooms members. OR can be purchased individually for $20 plus HST per session.
Spaces are limited. Suitable for ages 15 and up. Register online or by calling (709) 757-8090.
Prefer an afternoon time slot? There is also a 2 – 4 pm session offered.
Celebrating the release of two anticipated works of non-fiction from Breakwater Books, join authors Debbie McGee and Jen Winsor in conversation about the ups and downs of writing about personal relationships and representing real life in print. Debbie McGee’s intimate memoir Cautiously Pessimistic is one woman’s personal account of her husband’s death and what it means to die in the public eye. Jen Winsor’s collection Ship Moms tells the beautiful, complicated, behind-the-scenes stories of the lust, love, and pregnancy of cruise ship crew members and the babies they brought into the world.
This is a free event but a ticket is required. Register online or by calling (709) 757-8090.
Presented in partnership with Breakwater Books. Books will be available for sale in The Rooms Giftshop on Level 1.
About the Authors:
Debbie McGee made her first film in Vancouver in 1983, and her last film in St. John’s in 2013. In between those markers, she worked as a writer and director of short dramas and NFB documentaries before joining the Media Unit at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador as Producer/Director. She has been an active volunteer with arts organizations throughout her career, serving on many boards, juries, and councils. Debbie is a mother and a grandmother. She lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with her adorable puppy, Cammie.
Jen Winsor is an arts administrator who has worked in the Newfoundland and Labrador arts scene for almost 20 years, focusing on music and literature. Jen left the province to travel with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Arts and Entertainment Division, but her plans were cut short when she got pregnant, with a crew member 12 years younger than her. Returning to her home province, she happily became the Executive Director of WritersNL. When she’s not lost in a book or typing up funding applications, you’ll find her hiking the East Coast Trail, enjoying a drag show, or experiencing some live music. Jen lives in St. John’s with her son, Gabriel, and his Brazilian dad, Luiz.