Reclaiming Lheidli: Towards indigenous planning in Prince George.

The objective of this thesis is to contribute to the emerging context of Indigenous planning, recognizing that it is both a theoretical framework and professional practice of resistance to historical colonial planning and the production of place/space relationships. Specifically my thesis employs an Indigenous research framework, whereby the participants are experts, respect for relationships is foremost and contribution to social change is part of the design (Smith, 1999). Through the use of Photovoice (Castleden & Garvin, 2008 Wang & Burris, 1997) as a participatory research framework of qualitative inquiry, participants examine place/space relationships between Lheidli T'enneh Nation Members and Lheidli (the now City of Prince George) in the specific contexts of (1) the colonial hegemony that has erased Lheidli history and (2) the wider neglect of planning policy in not meaningfully engaging with urban Aboriginal communities. Ultimately my thesis does not transcend Western research methods rather, it creates a political challenge to the Western model of the planning process by acknowledging an Indigenous planning methodology that is accountable to Indigenous communities. --Leaf ii.