Welcome to the third installment in our webinar series Balancing Safety and Access in Regulations for Psychedelics, where we explore this complex issue in various contexts and from different perspectives.

The use of psychedelic plants for ceremony and healing is a tradition that is thousands of years old and has its roots in Indigenous communities all over the globe. As such, it is essential that models of psychedelic healing have a deep understanding and respect for Indigenous healing practices and ways of knowing.

The government of Canada states that it “recognizes that all relations with Indigenous peoples need to be based on the recognition and implementation of their right to self-determination, including the inherent right of self-government.” The right of Indigenous peoples to use traditional and plant medicines for ceremonial and sacred use is also recognized.

As nations, including Canada, are moving forward with regulating psychedelics, medical models are being proposed with respect to psychedelic treatment for mental health.

What is the potential impact of these regulatory models on Indigenous approaches to healing? How can Canada’s federal and provincial governments learn from and respect Indigenous communities in this changing regulatory landscape?

Join MAPS Canada as we discuss these topics with Indigenous leaders, healers, and activists from Sacred Circle, an Indigenous health and wellness organization offering transformational healing programs for all, based on traditional Indigenous, holistic and modern health practices.

May be eligible for CE credits.

*Recording will be available for 30 days after the event for the same email address that was used to register

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn about how Sacred Circle approaches an Indigenous model of care with respect to psychedelic healing
2. Learn how Canadian laws, regulations and policies can impact safety and access in Indigenous community
3. Learn about how the Nation of Canada and policy makers can respectfully engage in consultation with Indigenous communities around policy changes
4. Learn about how more collaborative/community care models can inspire new ways of approaching psychedelic healing in the changing landscape of psychedelics in the Nation of Canada
5. Learn how the psychedelic community can support Indigenous ways of healing, as an ally, so Indigenous communities can strengthen their connection to the land, and center traditional healing practices for increased health and wellness.

Panelists:

Darwin Douglas

Sacred Circle

Darwin Douglas is responsible for strategic oversight, management and operation of All Nations, a leading Indigenous cannabis company. He is also co-founder of Sacred Circle, an Indigenous health and wellness organization, integrating plant medicine and Indigenous ways of healing. As former, long-standing council member for the Cheam First Nation and director of Cheam Enterprises Inc., Darwin is well-versed in First Nation’s politics, business development and strives to assist Indigenous Nations achieve economic independence.

Darwin is a leader in both his family and community. Throughout his life, his work has been driven by the legacy of his late Grandfather Chief Albert Douglas, a genuine leader who had a vision of wellness and prosperity for the Stó:lō people. The second oldest of seven siblings, Darwin is proud to have a strong entrepreneurial spirit that was passed down from grandparents, and follows in the leadership path his family created.

Darwin was a key player in assisting the Shxwhá:y First Nation to develop, build and licence a 30,000 square foot cannabis cultivation and processing facility on reserve land. This state-of-the-art facility will produce upwards of 4,000 kgs of premium cannabis products per annum which can be sold in national and international markets.

Darwin has a deep knowledge of Indigenous issues. He served as a researcher and manager in Aboriginal Rights and Title for both the Cheam First Nation and the Stó:lō Nation for several years. He also managed the Coqualeetza Cultural Education Centre, where he brought financial stability to the Centre and relocate archival materials to ensure they were preserved properly for future generations. Darwin owns two small businesses in the Fraser Valley: the Cheam Trading Post, which offers wild, local and fairtrade salmon and seafood products; and the Stó:lo Seafood Company, a business that operates a certified seafood processing facility.

Darwin has been a longstanding protector of Indigenous cultural knowledge and resources within his traditional territory for over 22 years. He holds a certificate in Cultural Resource Management from the University of Victoria.

Kim Haxton

Sacred Circle Advisor

Kim Haxton is Potowatomi from the Wasauksing First Nation in Ontario, and has worked across Turtle Island and abroad in various capacities, always emphasizing local leadership development.

Her deep understanding of the need for genuine restoration has far-reaching implications as leaders seek vision, and all people seek direction to address the mounting pressure of a system incongruous with the values of the natural world. Respect. Responsibility. Reciprocity. Equity.

She is in high demand with corporations, non-profit organizations and individual leaders who have come to trust her vision, wisdom and guidance. She provides one-on-one leadership coaching, creates and delivers workshops, and delivers keynote addresses for her corporate clients and others.

Her work is founded in land-based education and leadership; she has developed and facilitated programs in as many as ten countries and even more cultures. Kim works with Indigenous communities toward decolonization and liberation, and with groups interested in understanding Reconciliation.

Otis Jasper

Sacred Circle

Otis Jasper is Sto:lo from Soowahlie and Cheam Nations, married into and currently living in Tkemlups te Secwepemc. The founder of Sacred Circle, the Director of Business Development and Partner Relations with All Nations, an Indigenous Cannabis Company, and a well-respected cultural leader with his family and community, Otis’ vision is the preservation of our cultural healing practices for future generations.

Otis served ten years as an elected leader and Chief for his home community of Soowahlie, has earned his Master’s of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and upholds a strong cultural and ceremonial life for his family and children.

Moderator:

Michelle Scott, OT Reg. (Ont.)

MAPS Canada Policy and Advocacy Committee Lead

Michelle (she/her, aka Shel) Scott, is an occupational therapist working in mental health in Toronto Ontario. She also leads the Policy and Advocacy committe for MAPS Canada and engages in Drug Policy research with MAPS Canada and Heroic Hearts Project Canada.

Her goal is to expand access to above-ground psychedelic medicines in a way that’s ethical, sustainable, and responsible. Her interests include mental health, cognitive science, philosophy, neuroscience, Indigenous ontologies and worldviews, meditative and contemplative practices, dialectics, and the intersection between science and spirituality.