Background

I received my Ph.D. from Queen’s University (1989), specializing in urban social geography. I held a faculty position at Queen’s University for ten years before moving to the University of Saskatchewan as a Canada Research Chair. I teach and conduct research on urban topics, focusing in particular on issues concerning urban First Nations and Métis communities.

At Queen’s I worked for a number of years in the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, doing research and helping to organize conferences on Aboriginal self-government issues. In 1994-5 I worked as senior policy analyst on urban perspectives for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, Government of Canada. I am currently treasurer for the Native Canadian Study Group of the Canadian Association of Geographers. I am on the editorial boards of Native Studies Review, Canadian Journal of Urban Research and The Canadian Geographer. I am also a board member of the CanadaWest Foundation, the Commission on Indigenous Knowledges and Rights of the International Geographic Union, and the Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Committee, City of Saskatoon.

Research

My research has focused on urban First Nations and Métis issues and self-government. One of the themes in this work addresses contemporary implications for state policy-making of colonial definitions of Aboriginal people, which assigned authentic Aboriginal culture to nature and history. While a number of researchers have explored how the Western city is gendered, racialised and seen as a heterosexual place, there is little work which explores how the definition of the city excludes Indigenous peoples and cultures. Another theme in my research emphasizes that geography matters in policy-making and program development. Programs have implications on the ground, in particular contexts. Finally, I am involved in creating an international research network that addresses urban Indigenous issues.

A particular challenge in this area of research is to produce work that addresses the priorities of First Nations and Métis community groups as well as moving forward academic agendas. I have linkages with a variety of Nations and Métis organizations locally and nationally. Some of the projects involving community groups for which I currently hold funding are:

• National Association of Friendship Centres, Socio-demographic characteristics of populations in Friendship Centre catchment areas
• SSHRC, Strategic Research Grant, Urban First Nations and Métis Identities. Partners: Central Urban Métis Federation Inc., Gabriel Dumont Institute, Saskatoon Indian and Metis Friendship Centre, Saskatoon Tribal Council
• SSHRC and NHI, Strategic Research Grant, Hidden Homelessness: Prince Albert First Nations. Partner: Prince Albert Grand Council

Selected Recent Publications

• PETERS, E.J. and V. Robillard, 2007 ‘Urban Hidden Homelessness and Reserve Housing’. In: J.P. White, P. Maxim and D. Beavon (eds.) Aboriginal Policy Research. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing Inc. (189-206).

• PETERS, E.J. 2007 Urban Reserves. Ottawa: National Centre for First Nations Governance. Available from: http://www.fngovernance.org

• PETERS, E.J. 2007. ‘First Nations and Métis people and diversity in Canadian cities’. In: K. Banding, T.J. Courchene, and F. Leslie Seidle (eds.) Belonging? Diversity, Recognition and Shared Citizenship in Canada. (Ottawa: Institute for Research on Public Policy) (207-246).

• PETERS, E.J. 2006 ‘Geographies of Urban Aboriginal People in Canada. Implications for Urban Self-Government’ in M. Murphy (ed.) State of the Federation 2003:39-76 (Kingston, Ontario: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, Queen’s University).

• PETERS, E.J. 2006. ‘“[W]e do not lose our treaty rights outside the … reserve”: Challenging the Scales of Social Service Provision for First Nations Women in Canadian Cities’. Geojournal. 65:315-327.

• KOSCHADE, B. and E.J. PETERS. 2006 ‘Aboriginal Notions of Jurisdiction: Inserting Indigenous Voices into Legal Spaces’. Geografiska Annaler. 3, 88B:299-310.

• PETERS, E.J. and O. STARCHENKO 2006. ‘Changes in Aboriginal Settlement Patterns in Two Canadian Cities: A comparison to Immigrant Settlement Models’ Canadian Journal of Urban Research, 14, 2:315-337.

• PETERS, E.J. 2005. Atlas of Urban Aboriginal Peoples. (web atlas) http://gismap.usask.ca/website/Web_atlas/AOUAP/

• PETERS, E.J. 2005 Progress in Planning: Indigeneity and Marginalisation: Planning for and with Urban Aboriginal Communities in Canada. 63 (4):325-404.

• WILSON, K and PETERS, E.J. 2005 ‘”You can make a place for it.” Remapping Urban First Nations Spaces of Identity’ Society and Space, 23:395-413.

• NEWHOUSE, D. and PETERS, E.J. eds 2003 Not Strangers in These Parts: Aboriginal People in Urban Areas (Ottawa: Privy Council Office)