Call to Action #92
Why Your Organization Needs To Understand The TRC Call To Action 92, United Nations Declaration On The Rights of Indigenous Peoples & Bill 41 and It's Guiding Principles
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission described reconciliation as establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada. Despite the seven years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report and calls to action were first announced, the implementation of the recommendations across all levels of Canadian government and society has been slow to adopt.
The 94 Calls to Action in and of themselves speak to the vast array of negative societal impacts which Indigenous people in Canada have been living with for generations. For example, ICLD staff have personally met elders of communities that were forcibly removed from their traditional territory to locations more convenient to the living quarters of an Indian Agent; moved across open water, in dug out canoes, carrying everything they owned, and experiencing much loss of life on the journey. These such incidents are within living memory.
For non-Indigenous people, particularly those who may have had limited interactions with Indigenous people, there can be a level of shame, embarrassment, fear, and overall lack of understanding of how to engage with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action. This is very understandable. There has however, never been a more opportune time in Canada’s history to seek a change in how Indigenous to non-Indigenous relationship are developed and nurtured well into the future.
Indigenous Community for Leadership & Development can provide support to organizations to help navigate the conversations that will help create a safe environment to incorporate change in an inclusive and meaningful way. With the first hand lived experience of Indigenous facilitation, engagement with Indigenous people who are directly impacted by the work of the organizations, the process of Reconciliation can move forward to actionable items and goals being set and a pathway laid out towards success.
THE FOUR PILLARS
APPROACH THAT OUR PROJECT TEAM UTILIZES TO GUIDE PROJECTS/RESEARCH AND TRAINING:
Knowing that the Indigenous Experience is unique vs. general societies experience.
Learning of the cause and effect of Indigenous experience with the colonial processes (intentional and supported process evidenced today).
Becoming aware of the systemic violence, gaining education, accurate testimonials & information (Indigenous authors), statistics of failed system (child welfare, corrections), eliminating the colonial gaze and replacing with a more in-tunedness and being informed from Indigenous experience and worldview teachings.
Actively applying new knowledge and supportive approaches that honors the Indigenous experience.
Cultural Awareness Training
ONE OF THE MOST STRAIGHTFORWARD STEPS ANY ORGANIZATION CAN TAKE TOWARDS RECONCILIATION IS PROVIDING CULTURAL AWARENESS TRAINING TO ITS TEAMS.
- Explain the importance of acknowledging the traditional territory of the original people
- The whole story was kept secret; it was intentional; what can we do now?
- How to be a good Ally and start creating relationships with local Indigenous Communities
- Understand how to provide a culturally safe workplace
Indigenous cultural awareness training is essential for Individuals, business, private and public corporations. Working with Indigenous people and their communities has become an integral factor for success in today’s world, it requires sustained public education and dialogue about the history of Canada and Indigenous relations, as well as the historical and contemporary contributions of Aboriginal peoples to Canadian society and current laws and policies guiding Indigenous relations in Canada
ICLD’s Indigenous Cultural awareness training is the first step in the process of reconciliation and understanding and provides meaningful dialogue and efforts to improve the relationship between Indigenous people and Canada.
