Articles by author: Brock University

• Goodman symposium to spark national dialogue on Canada’s trade future

  Thursday, October 30, 2025 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE — October, 30, 2025 — R0130

  As Canada faces a shifting global trade landscape, Brock University’s Goodman School of Business will host key voices from government, academia and industry next week to map out a co-ordinated strategy for resilience and innovation.

  Goodman’s 2025 CPA Ontario Centre for Public Policy and Innovation in Accounting symposium, “Global trade in transition: Meeting the moment,” will take place on Thursday, Nov. 6 from 8:50 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Brock’s Goodman Atrium.

  “Canada stands at a critical juncture in global trade, and it’s more important than ever that we convene leaders from across sectors to address the challenges and opportunities ahead,” said Goodman Accounting Professor Kareen Brown. “Hosting this dialogue ensures diverse Canadian perspectives are not only heard but also lead the way as we determine what’s next.”

  Flavio Volpe, President of the Automative Parts Manufacturers’ Association, will give the keynote address about the future of the Canadian automotive sector. Other topics covered throughout the day will include government policy response, lessons from negotiating with the U.S. in the age of President Donald Trump, unlocking Canada’s potential and advancing free trade, legal strategies to manage tariff uncertainty and trade barriers, and the impact of trade turbulence on business success.

  “The symposium is more than a gathering, it’s a catalyst for meaningful dialogue among experts, policymakers and our future leaders,” said Goodman Dean Barry Wright. “I’m incredibly proud that Goodman is at the forefront of this initiative, providing a space where Canadian voices can shape the future of international business.”

  The full-day event features speakers from academia, government and the business community, with panel moderation provided by Goodman faculty members.

  Among the day’s speakers are:

  • Brian Clow, Former Deputy Chief of Staff and Lead Canada-U.S. Relations for former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Office
  • Greg Kanargelidis, Senior Global Trade and Customs Lawyer
  • Warrington Ellacott, Chair, Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters (IE Canada)
  • Daniel Tisch Echevarria, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce
  • Brian Kingston, President and CEO, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association

  CPA Ontario members can receive six continuing professional development hours for attending the event. Cost to attend is $75 and interested participants can register on the event website.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  *Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483

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  Categories: Media releases

• Culture isn’t a costume: Brock expert on respectful Halloween celebrations

  Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | By Brock University

  EXPERT ADVISORY — October 28,  2025 — R0129

  As Halloween approaches, Sarena Johnson (Caldwell First Nation) is encouraging those planning on dressing up to apply a culturally sensitive perspective before donning their costumes.
  

  Traditional Indigenous clothing is not a “costume,” says Johnson, a Lecturer in Brock University’s Indigenous Educational Studies programs. 

  “The clothing worn by Indigenous cultures can be called regalia, but when worn by non-Indigenous people who are ‘dressing up,’ Indigenous culture is being discounted,” she says.  

  Johnson says the iconic Plains war bonnet, for example, is a sacred item for Indigenous leaders that is often appropriated as a costume for Halloween. 

  “The Plains war bonnet has been the most popular Indigenous ‘costume’ in pop culture and has become infamous at festivals like Coachella,” she says.

  Each eagle feather in the bonnet, often called a headdress, is sacred and represents a sacrifice for the community on the part of the leader, Johnson says. Despite its sanctity, she says it has, at times, “become a spectacle” when treated as an accessory or costume.

  “It has even been used by some Indigenous activists who are not from the Plains to get media attention, although in today’s Indigenous communities, most people know not to do this,” she says. 

  The negative impact of appropriating Indigenous clothing and regalia can be traced back to when settlers first came to North America, Johnson says, when public representations of Indigenous Peoples were purposely dehumanized to justify land theft and other violent acts.

  “Indigenous Peoples were shown as feathered monkeys in early colonial texts, so there could be no sympathetic identification with them by settlers and Europeans back home. In media, Indigenous Peoples have also been portrayed as the ‘savage,’” she says. 

  Historically, Johnson says, this problematic representation of being “less than human” created long-standing stereotypes that prevented settlers from relating to Indigenous Peoples, effectively separating Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

  “The use of negative and sub-human imagery has continued, and some of the main holdouts are sports teams’ logos and Halloween costumes,” she says. 

  In both instances, people might discount the negative impact by saying the use of Indigenous clothing or imagery is a “compliment” or “meant to be honouring,” she says, but those beliefs “are rooted in both Indigenous erasure and the colonial desire to control and represent Indigeneity.”  

  In recognition of the 10 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) first published its 94 Calls to Action, Johnson hopes old ways of “dressing up” in Indigenous clothing is a thing of the past.

  “Mutually honouring each other’s humanity is an important step in reconciliation,” she says. 

    

  Sarena Johnson, Lecturer in Brock University’s Indigenous Educational Studies programs, is available for media interviews on this topic.

  
  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  *Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483

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  Categories: Media releases