(June 3, 2025) — Laurentian University is celebrating a proud moment in its academic community as Dr. Candace Brunette-Debassige, Assistant Professor, School of Indigenous Relations, receives national recognition for her powerful debut book.

Brunette-Debassige, a Mushkego-Ininew Cree woman with Cree and French settler lineage born and raised in Cochrane (ON), has been awarded one of the 2025 Canada Prizes by the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS). Her book, Tricky Grounds: Indigenous Women Administrators’ Experiences in Canadian Universities, was selected as the best scholarly book of the year by a first-time author, an honour that places her among five distinguished Canadian authors recognized this year.

The award was presented on June 3, 2025, during the 94th edition of Congress, Canada’s largest academic gathering that is underway May 30 to June 6 at George Brown College in Toronto (ON). The event marks a historic milestone as the first Congress hosted by a college, inspiring attendees to explore new avenues of interdisciplinary learning, and bridge the gap between colleges and universities for meaningful discourse and collaboration. This year’s Congress brings together more than 7,000 scholars, students, policymakers, and community members from across the country.

Brunette-Debassige’s deeply personal, ground-breaking book explores the often-overlooked experiences of Indigenous women who have taken on senior university leadership roles as part of reconciliation and Indigenization efforts in Canadian post-secondary institutions. Drawing from her doctoral research and years of professional experience as a leader in higher education, she documents the profound challenges and emotional labour involved in leading systemic change within colonial, Eurocentric and male-dominated institutions.

“This award is validating in ways that are hard to put into words,” said Brunette-Debassige. “When you’re an Indigenous person, you’re often told—implicitly or directly—that your experience and reality doesn’t matter. So to have this work recognized is powerful. It means these stories do matter, and for me, that’s rewarding, not only for myself but for the women I sat with as part of this research.”

Tricky Grounds emerges from Brunette-Debassige’s own career trajectory and from the voices of eleven Indigenous women in senior university roles across the nation. Through an Indigenous feminist decolonial storytelling lens, the book reveals the complex realities these women face as they try to implement institutional policy promises within environments that have not been structurally prepared for change. It also sheds light on how these leaders preserve their agency and enact resistance, often while working in isolation, and under immense pressure of being the “first” or “only” in their positions.

Brunette-Debassige describes how the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 2015 report marked a turning point in Canadian higher education. Many universities, eager to respond, created new senior roles focused on Indigenization. These roles were often filled by Indigenous women—sometimes without adequate institutional support and often without the necessary preparatory work of decolonization. The book, which she describes as “conversational,’ honours the courage and insight of the women who shared their stories with her. “The experience doing this work was healing,” she said. “Many of us [Indigenous] women in leadership had been struggling in isolation, and sitting together to speak openly about our realities helped us grow…. I’ve received an overwhelmingly positive response from readers and while I don’t solve the problems, I think it [my book] provides insight into ongoing challenges that can manifest when universities aren’t taking seriously the voices of Indigenous peoples and communities.” 

Dr. Brunette-Debassige joined Laurentian University earlier this year, where she teaches in the Master of Indigenous Relations and Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work programs. Her academic and administrative experience spans nearly two decades and includes leadership roles at Western University such as Director of Indigenous Education and Acting Vice-Provost, Indigenous Initiatives. Her research is located in the areas of Indigenous and decolonial approaches to education with a deep commitment toward advancing Indigenous theorizing, Indigenous methodologies in research, and Indigenous pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning. She is also passionate about advancing Indigenous educational leadership approaches and policy theories and practices that contribute toward transformative decolonial change in various educational settings, most notably, in higher educational settings.

The Canada Prizes, awarded annually by the FHSS and made possible thanks to the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, honour inspiring, impactful Canadian scholarly books in the humanities and social sciences. This year’s prizes spotlight work that enriches our understanding of community, storytelling, and resistance, shining light on everyday pursuits of justice, recognition, and belonging.

“Dr. Brunette-Debassige’s work is a powerful contribution to both scholarship and the ongoing work of reconciliation in higher education. Her recognition with a Canada Prize is a moment of pride not only for Laurentian University, but for all institutions striving to better reflect Indigenous voices, leadership, and knowledge. We are honoured to count her among our faculty and deeply inspired by her commitment to transformative change,” said Dr. Tammy Eger, Vice-President of Research at Laurentian University. 

As Laurentian continues its commitment to reconciliation and Indigenous excellence in scholarship and teaching, Dr. Brunette-Debassige’s recognition signals the strength and significance of Indigenous perspectives in shaping Canada’s academic and social landscapes.