Director General and Vice President, Collections, Research, Exhibitions, and Repatriation at the Canadian Museum of History
Jonathan Dewar, PhD, has spent most of his 20+ year career directing research and knowledge translation initiatives for national Indigenous-led organizations. During that time, his work has had particular focuses on Indigenous arts and cultures, governance, strategic planning, health and wellbeing, research ethics, and truth, healing, and reconciliation.
Jonathan is currently the Director General and Vice President, Collections, Research, Exhibitions, and Repatriation at the Canadian Museum of History.
Before joining the Museum, Jonathan was the CEO of the First Nations Information Governance Centre, a national organization that supports First Nations in asserting data sovereignty and the First Nations principles of OCAP®.
From 2012 to 2016, Jonathan served as the Director of the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre and Special Advisor to the President at Algoma University. From 2007 to 2012, Jonathan served as Director of Research at the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, a national Indigenous organization dedicated to addressing the legacy of Canada’s Residential School System, where he led the Foundation's research and evaluation efforts.
He received a doctorate from the School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies at Carleton University and holds an appointment as Adjunct Research Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
Jonathan is descended from French-Canadian, Scottish-Canadian, and Huron-Wendat grandparents.
