Peter’s Indigenous heritage includes St’at’imc and Celtic. His scholarship centres on Indigenizing the academy, research, narrativity, ecoliteracy, ecotechnology, methodology and orality. He has worked as an Associate Professor at the University College of the North (UCN), Head of First Nations Education, University of Victoria (UVic), and Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies, York University. His work includes course and program design and development, including the Aboriginal & Northern Studies program at UCN, and the Developmental Standard Teaching Certificate (DSTC) at UVic with four First Nations communities. Peter has played a key role in initiating the dialogue on Indigenous research with SSHRC since January, 2001.
Peter’s research focuses on regeneration of traditional ecological knowledges, languages and practices in Canada and Peru.He is Co-Advisor of the MEd specialization in Ecojustice & Sustainability Education, and Co-Director of the Peru Summer Institute: Ecology, Technology & Indigeneity in the High Amazon (2103, 2015). Peter is the author of Coyote and Raven Go Canoeing: Coming Home to the Village (MQUP Press, 2006) written in poetic, dramatic and storytelling voices breaking new ground by foregrounding orality as the foundation of his scholarship. He is also a Co-Editor of Speaking for Ourselves: Environmental Justice in Canada (UBC Press, 2010).
Note: The woman in the photo behind Peter is his great grandmother Madeleine August Douglas (born 1835 Sachteen, died 1942 Mission City). She was also known as Granny Cole. She sold baskets that she wove door to door in Mission and other parts of the Fraser Valley communities.