The Legacy of Nutritional Experiments in Residential Schools

Webcast sponsored by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and in partnership with the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, with support from the UBC First Nations House of Learning, the UBC Department of History and Kloshe Tillicum (Network Environments for Aboriginal Health Research). Shortly after WWII, when knowledge about nutrition was still sparse, scientists in Canada took advantage of already malnourished aboriginal communities by using them as research subjects to investigate the effects of different diets and dietary supplements. Evidence of these government-run experiments was brought to the forefront by food historian and UBC History alumnus Ian Mosby, and the research has gained widespread recognition. Sometimes the experiments involved decreasing food intake or withholding supplements. Hundreds of indigenous people across Canada were included in the experiments, of which they had no knowledge, and many of them were children in the Indian Residential School system.
The fallout from this unethical treatment is still having an effect today. Join us for a panel discussion about this distressing era in Canadian history and find out how UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems is working to address issues such as access to healthy, traditional food; food security for all; and land stewardship.
Shortly after WWII, when knowledge about nutrition was still sparse, scientists in Canada took advantage of already malnourished aboriginal communities by using them as research subjects to investigate the effects of different diets and dietary supplements. Evidence of these government-run experiments was brought to the forefront by food historian and UBC History alumnus Ian Mosby, and the research has gained widespread recognition. Sometimes the experiments involved decreasing food intake or withholding supplements. Hundreds of indigenous people across Canada were included in the experiments, of which they had no knowledge, and many of them were children in the Indian Residential School system. The fallout from this unethical treatment is still having an effect today.
Moderator
Jo-Ann Archibald, BEd(Elem)’72 - Associate Dean for Indigenous Education, UBC’s Faculty of Education
Presenter
Ian Mosby, BA’03 - Postdoctoral Fellow, L.R. Wilson Institute for Canadian History, McMaster University
Panelists
Chief Robert Joseph, LLD’03 - Hereditary Chief, Gwawaenuk First Nation; Ambassador for Reconciliation Canada and the Indian Residential School Survivors Society
Eduardo Jovel, MSc’96, PhD’02 - Director, Indigenous Research Partnerships; Associate Professor, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Jessie Newman - UBC Dietetics student
Gerry Oleman - Member, St’at’imc Nation

[@dawnandy7777]

When my kids were young I tried to teach them about the Indigenous people that lived in Canada before other people moved here. We lived in Toronto and it was pretty easy to go to "China town." "Modest clothing" was pretty easy to see in town. Etc. It was easy to speak about the diverse backgrounds of so many Canadians. But other than a few museum displays, there was very little to show the kids about the Native Tribes that lived in the area. E.g., I would have LOVED for them to have seen hoop dancing. They would have really appreciated the art if they tried the moves themselves. To hear more "native" music at the Jazz festival. KZbin makes things a little easier these days. But I think that if more displays were made of Native Tribal culture, not only would the broader community benefit, so would native kids that are in non-native foster care. There is SO much to be proud of, e.g., the world would benefit from the potlatch. The Jewish community has been very effective with media to tell their story, Fiddler on the Roof, Schindler's List, etc. The Indigenous community must do the same. At the very least to recognize that few people read books, let alone about topics that don't interest them. And maybe even make a little money out of the tragedy, that can be applied to help fix the painful legacy.

[@LouiseSanLorenzo]

48:05 "We wanna be your friends and your neighbours and your relatives and your country men. We wanna share the prosperity of this land." -Chief Robert Joseph This quote will certainly live in my heart for the test of time. What a moving speech by Chief Robert, it has certainly opened up profound nuances of social empathy and moral obligation for the collective of our society to be held accountable for healing the wounds of the past.

[@zuzannasymonowicz1752]

OMG, this guy is awesome. So much wisdom. All of these men.

[@saraboop4497]

It makes me so sad, so mad, to think of how many Indigenous Americans and First Nations are sick and suffering right now, from the european people's forced diet alone.

[@zuzannasymonowicz1752]

So true, not only quantity of food but the diet itself.

[@lorenzolangeli2123]

What are you talking about? No one is forced to eat like this anymore. You walk into a grocery store and have a choice. There is no one forcing a diet on them right now. It is called self-accountability. Everyone knows that kraft dinner and coca cola is not a healthy meal.

[@samuelhornetwolf1823]

*Samuel Hornet Wolf*