Michaela McGuire (Jaad Gudgihljiwah) awarded prestigious SSHRC Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship

Congratulations to Michaela McGuire (Jaad Gudgihljiwah), who was recently named a Vanier Scholar by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). One of Canada’s most prestigious and competitive awards for doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships are awarded based on the merit of academic excellence, research, and leadership potential. Scholars receive $50,000 per year for three years of study and research.

A PhD student in the School of Criminology, McGuire is of the Gaag’yals KiiGawaay clan, and a citizen of the Haida Nation. She also has Irish, British, and Ojibwe ancestry. She lives, works, and researches from her home community of HlGaagilda (Skidegate), Haida Gwaii.

“Receiving the Vanier award is life-changing, as it means that for the next three years my focus will be on my research and that is an incredible privilege,” says McGuire.

McGuire describes her post-secondary and Vanier scholar journey as a bumpy road filled with failure, career changes, late nights, snacked-filled study sessions, and multiple meltdowns, but her resilience and perseverance paid off.

“I would like to acknowledge my mentors Jisgang (Nika Collison), Dr. Ted Palys, and Dr. Danielle Murdoch who continually support and encourage me,” says McGuire. “I also share this with my husband, my dog Milo, family, and friends who were there for me through all the ups and downs that come with pursuing a career in academia.”

McGuire’s awarded research proposal, “Decolonizing Haida Belonging”, builds off her MA thesis research “XaaydaGa Tll Yahda TllGuhlGa Decolonizing Justice: The Formation of a Haida Justice System”. 

“An unexpected finding of my MA research was the pervasive impact of being othered or not-belonging, feeling isolated, or ashamed,” says McGuire. “Through my present research, I am continuing this examination of justice and injustice through an analysis of belonging, self-determination, decolonization, and resurgence.”

McGuire hopes her research is beneficial for participants, and for the Haida Nation, and helps improve understanding of the complexities of belonging and identity, “I hope that this project helps to facilitate dialogue and promote healing while also informing policy and educating people about the depths of colonialism and continued state control.”