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Former Samson Cree Nation councillor and ongoing community leader Mario Swampy explores the intersection of historical trauma, family and community life, addiction and recovery, his Christian faith, and the way forward for truth, reciprocity and conciliation in Canada.

In this broadcast of a lecture series installment run by co-host Jessica Vandenberghe, Swampy reflects on his political career, a passion for serving his people, and why he's adopted a shoulder-to-shoulder mindset while working towards proper water infrastructure for First Nations.

"Treaty, yes, is about rights, but it's also about responsibility, and there's responsibility and rights that exist on both sides of that table," Swampy says. "When you're willing to look at it that way, then you stop looking at each other in an adversarial approach, and you start looking at each other like true partners."

Colonial government systems have perpetrated dependency and trauma for Indigenous people. Yet he notes that holding onto anger and pointing fingers can undervalue personal accountability and relationship building.

Swampy highlights his participation on the Samson Cree Nation Nipiy Committee. Nipiy, he explains, is the Cree word for water, derived from the phrase niya pimatisiwin, for I am life.

Also mentioned is Mario and his family's renewed battle with cancer. Listeners can donate via www.gofundme.com/f/marios-fight-against-cancer if they want to financially support the Swampys.

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Prominent music publicist and SiriusXM radio host Eric Alper explores the intersection of the music industry, systemic barriers for Indigenous artists and the way forward for truth and conciliation in Canada.

In this conversation with cohosts Jessica Vandenberghe and George Lee, Alper reflects on his 30-year career, his lifelong passion for the magic of storytelling in music, and why he adopts the mindset of a "shameless idealist" when fighting to get musicians heard.

"I keep saying yes to doing things for no other reason that I just like and love music, and I like being around people that make magic happen, because I can't play a single note," Alper says. "I've never written a song before. You stick me in a recording studio, I've absolutely no idea, zero, what and how anything is done."

But what he does know is that the entertainment industry has historically excluded and exploited Indigenous voices. At the same time, he notes that classifying Indigenous music as a distinct genre undervalues the breadth of musical styles within the scene today.

Among the Indigenous artists and acts Alper highlights are Francis Baptiste, Tom Wilson, Crystal Shawanda, Northern Cree, Susan Aglukark, Mattmac, Mike Bern, Duke Redbird and Donita Large.

Also getting a special shoutout is the non-Indigenous group Sultans of String and its cofounder Chris McKhool for their groundbreaking collaborations with Indigenous acts in Canada, resulting in the album Walking Through the Fire.

McKhool has "kind of been a beacon" for people trying to right the wrongs against Indigenous communities and individuals in Canada, Alper says.

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Have you ever stopped to think about what happens when you turn on the tap? University of Calgary researcher Kerry Black certainly has—and is keenly aware of how that access to clean, dependable water separates her from many First Nations families.

Cohosts Jessica Vandenberghe and George Lee sit down with the engineer and settler to discuss the great water divide and how it connects to persistent and destructive colonial constructs.

"If I can turn on the tap, and I can leave right now, and I can keep it on for the next 48 or 72 hours, no one's going to come to the door and go, are you OK? By the way, you're seriously wasting some water," says Kerry.

"They're just going to send you a bill (and say), do you have a leak in your faucet? There's no urgency to that. And that, to me, is the definition of water privilege."

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