We are what we eat

There's a lot of talk these days about what does and doesn't constitute racism (also sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, etc, but I'm focusing on racism today). Before I get going, let me first mention that as a white person, it is not up to me to decide what is and isn't racist. That goes for every other privilege I hold which bars me from gatekeeping what people of lesser privilege find offensive to them as human beings. Privileged people do not get to decide what is offensive to other groups, because our privilege shields us from fully understanding and acknowledging what can cause hurt to people of those groups. We don't get to tell someone what is and isn't hurtful to them - I can't slap a person and tell them it didn't hurt. But our privileged position in the world is also what makes us feel entitled to gatekeep these things - "well, it doesn't hurt me, so why would it hurt others?"

So, having acknowledged my own privilege, I'm now coming at this from a place of understanding of how sociological factors inform our language and our behaviour.

Trump's recent "go back to where you came from" comments are absolutely racist, and here's why:

If he was speaking about white people, these words would have never come out of this mouth. This is because white is the default - no one wonders where a white person is from. But in a Eurocentric North American country, we see a person of colour and tend to automatically assume they are from elsewhere. It's the same reason it is inherently racist to ask a person of colour where they came from, or where their family came from, or make any assumptions in this regard. There are generations of North Americans of colour who constantly have to defend their own Canadianness or Americanness, simply because they are not white. 

Trump's attack on these congresswomen is a perfect example of this; all four women are American citizens, and three of them were born in the States... sooo their country is America! The words "go back to where you came from" imply that they are not American, that they don't belong there. Again, it is unlikely he would have said these words to a white person of say, Irish heritage. So yes, this sentiment is indeed racially-charged.

How can I be so sure of racist intent? Because sociology. Because cultural hegemony. Because kyriarchy. Because time and time again this maddening excuse for a President has proven that he is a fucking racist, or at the very least wants to appeal to his demonstrably racist base.

We like to think that we are unique beings with our own self-guided ways of thinking, and it's really hard for people to recognize that this isn't the case; we are all products of the society in which we were brought up. We learn our culture's norms and we internalize them. This is why racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, fat-phobia and all other internalized systems of oppression are so prevalent - yes, even in you. Even in me.

Whether we like it or not, our society was built in a certain way to cater most to a certain demographic, and this means that those of us within that demographic have been taught to think and behave in ways that harm others, and we don't even know we're doing it. Here is another reason we can't be the ones to gatekeep what is and isn't offensive - because we are blind to the ways we might offend someone... and we're not very good at recognizing personal fault because of course we're all perfect, kind, good human beings with no cruel intent. Well guess what: lack of intent to be cruel doesn't mean we're not being problematic, hurtful, or offensive.

I use words like pussy to describe weak people, even though I obviously consider myself a feminist and I know using words like this ascribes weakness to female attributions. This is an example of internalized misogyny - and I fucking love women! I know the female reproductive system is strong as hell - we can literally build, sustain and bring forth life with our uniquely amazing bodies. A pussy can withstand incredible trauma and is anything but weak.

My point here is this: we internalize what our culture instills in us, and North American culture is incredibly racist. American culture is incredibly racist - this is undeniable truth, and if you disagree you haven't been paying attention to its 500+ year history and current social climate.

And since language is inherently linked to culture, since each informs the other, we can be using racist language without knowing it, and we can behave in an offensive way without realizing it. All it takes is a little deconstruction, critical thought, and recognition of a broader societal picture to pick apart the meaning behind a simple string of words.

What we say, and who we say it to - and who we wouldn't say it to - matters. Cultural context matters. And in the context of a verifiably racist leader speaking venomous words with laughably inaccurate implications to a group of women of colour - yes, it's fucking racist.

TRC Calls to Action: #94

Reconciliation
Newcomers to Canada

94. We call upon the Government of Canada to replace the Oath of Citizenship with the following: 

I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada including Treaties with Indigenous Peoples, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen.

At this point the wording of the Oath of Citizenship hasn't yet been revised, but new language has recently been proposed. 

I especially appreciate these last two Calls - so many Canadians who were born and raised here aren't even aware of the history and legacy of residential schools and the genocide of Indigenous Peoples, nor the importance of reconciliation and decolonization. The fact that we are imparting these things upon new Canadians, that we are starting them off with the knowledge that so many born Canadians are either unaware of, ignorant to, or in denial about, gives me hope. Whether we want to admit it or not, what was done - and continues to be done - to Indigenous people in this country is a significant part of our past and present, and something that affects a major portion of our population.

We enjoy the privileges of this country because of this history, and it's up to each of us to do the work toward reconciliation and decolonization in order to make it better for everyone.

TRC Calls to Action: #93

Reconciliation
Newcomers to Canada

93. We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with the national Aboriginal organizations, to revise the information kit for newcomers to Canada and its citizenship test to reflect a more inclusive history of the diverse Aboriginal peoples of Canada, including information about the Treaties and the history of residential schools.

Changes to the Citizenship Study Guide are in progress.

TRC Calls to Action: #92

Reconciliation
Business & Reconciliation

92. We call upon the corporate sector in Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources. This would include, but not be limited to, the following: 

i. Commit to meaningful consultation, building respectful relationships, and obtaining the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples before proceeding with economic development projects.  
ii. Ensure that Aboriginal peoples have equitable access to jobs, training, and education opportunities in the corporate sector, and that Aboriginal communities gain long-term sustainable benefits from economic development projects.

iii. Provide education for management and staff on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.

While there has been some progress with this Call, the corporate sector has not collectively adopted UNDRIP, nor committed to the other areas of this Call.

TRC Calls to Action: #91

Reconciliation
Sports & Reconciliation

91. We call upon the officials and host countries of international sporting events such as the Olympics, Pan Am, and Commonwealth games to ensure that Indigenous peoples’ territorial protocols are respected, and local Indigenous communities are engaged in all aspects of planning and participating in such events.

While there is now some acknowledgement of Indigenous Peoples at some international sporting events, so far it has been minimal and without consultation of local Indigenous communities.

TRC Calls to Action: #90

Reconciliation
Sports & Reconciliation

90. We call upon the federal government to ensure that national sports policies, programs, and initiatives are inclusive of Aboriginal peoples, including, but not limited to, establishing: 

i. In collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, stable funding for, and access to, community sports programs that reflect the diverse cultures and traditional sporting activities of Aboriginal peoples.

ii. An elite athlete development program for Aboriginal athletes. 

iii. Programs for coaches, trainers, and sports officials that are culturally relevant for Aboriginal peoples.

iv. Anti-racism awareness and training programs.  

Beyond 94 considers this Call to have been completed.

TRC Calls to Action: #89

Reconciliation
Sports & Reconciliation

89. We call upon the federal government to amend the Physical Activity and Sport Act to support reconciliation by ensuring that policies to promote physical activity as a fundamental element of health and well-being, reduce barriers to sports participation, increase the pursuit of excellence in sport, and build capacity in the Canadian sport system, are inclusive of Aboriginal peoples.

Thus far nothing more than discussion has occurred around this Call.

TRC Calls to Action: #88

Reconciliation
Sports & Reconciliation

88. We call upon all levels of government to take action to ensure long-term Aboriginal athlete development and growth, and continued support for the North American Indigenous Games, including funding to host the games and for provincial and territorial team preparation and travel.

The Government of Canada has made significant investments to support and promote Indigenous athletes and the North American Indigenous Games.
The 2020 Indigenous Games are being held in Halifax, and the Province of Nova Scotia has independently committed funding to support the event.

TRC Calls to Action: #87

Reconciliation
Sports & Reconciliation

87. We call upon all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, sports halls of fame, and other relevant organizations, to provide public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history.

Canada's Sports Hall of Fame has launched an online exhibit which includes information about Indigenous athletes.

TRC Calls to Action: #86

Reconciliation
Media & Reconciliation

86. We call upon Canadian journalism programs and media schools to require education for all students on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations.

While some Canadian journalism schools require that students take a course on Indigenous history, not all are mandatory, and not all necessarily include all criteria cited in this Call. Here's a breakdown of where various schools are at with this.

TRC Calls to Action: #85

Reconciliation
Media & Reconciliation

85. We call upon the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, as an independent non-profit broadcaster with programming by, for, and about Aboriginal peoples, to support reconciliation, including but not limited to:

i. Continuing to provide leadership in programming and organizational culture that reflects the diverse cultures, languages, and perspectives of Aboriginal peoples.

ii. Continuing to develop media initiatives that inform and educate the Canadian public, and connect Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.

This Call has been completed and is ongoing.

TRC Calls to Action: #84

Reconciliation
Media & Reconciliation

84. We call upon the federal government to restore and increase funding to the CBC/Radio-Canada, to enable Canada’s national public broadcaster to support reconciliation, and be properly reflective of the diverse cultures, languages, and perspectives of Aboriginal peoples, including, but not limited to:

i. Increasing Aboriginal programming, including Aboriginal-language speakers. 

ii. Increasing equitable access for Aboriginal peoples to jobs, leadership positions, and professional development opportunities within the organization.

iii. Continuing to provide dedicated news coverage and online public information resources on issues of concern to Aboriginal peoples and all Canadians, including the history and legacy of residential schools and the reconciliation process. 

Beyond 94 considers this Call to have been completed.

TRC Calls to Action: #83

Reconciliation
Commemoration

83. We call upon the Canada Council for the Arts to establish, as a funding priority, a strategy for Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists to undertake collaborative projects and produce works that contribute to the reconciliation process.

As someone who works in the arts, I can attest to the fact that supporting Indigenous art is now a key priority for the Canada Council for the Arts. There are many grants and other programs in place to nurture Indigenous artists and arts organizations, and which encourage the development of Indigenous initiatives and connections within non-Indigenous arts organizations.

TRC Calls to Action: #82

Reconciliation
Commemoration

82. We call upon provincial and territorial governments, in collaboration with Survivors and their organizations, and other parties to the Settlement Agreement, to commission and install a publicly accessible, highly visible, Residential Schools Monument in each capital city to honour Survivors and all the children who were lost to their families and communities.

Winnipeg and Whitehorse are, so far, the only cities to install such monuments; it sounds like Edmonton has plans to build one, and other non-capital cities and communities have either built or plan to build memorial monuments as well.

TRC Calls to Action: #81

Reconciliation
Commemoration

81. We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Survivors and their organizations, and other parties to the Settlement Agreement, to commission and install a publicly accessible, highly visible, Residential Schools National Monument in the city of Ottawa to honour Survivors and all the children who were lost to their families and communities. 

At this point, no monument has been commissioned or installed. All the federal government page says on this subject is that work on this Call "is in early planning stages." To me, erecting such a monument seems like such a simple, easy gesture to make, especially considering how many monuments can be found around our country which celebrate people and events directly linked to the genocide of this land's original inhabitants...

TRC Calls to Action: #80

Reconciliation
Commemoration

80. We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.

The Trudeau government has committed to establishing such a day; current dates being considered are June 21 (formerly National Aboriginal Day) and September 30, which is currently observed as Orange Shirt Day. Orange Shirt Day commemorates the residential school experience, inspired by the story of Phyllis Webstad, whose shiny orange shirt her grandmother gave her was taken away from her on her first day at a residential school.

I found a really great article that discusses why a day to properly commemorate the history and legacy of residential schools is important.

TRC Calls to Action: #79

Reconciliation
Commemoration

79. We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginal organizations, and the arts community, to develop a reconciliation framework for Canadian heritage and commemoration. This would include, but not be limited to:

i. Amending the Historic Sites and Monuments Act to include First Nations, Inuit, and Métis representation on the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and its Secretariat.

ii. Revising the policies, criteria, and practices of the National Program of Historical Commemoration to integrate Indigenous history, heritage values, and memory practices into Canada’s national heritage and history. 

iii. Developing and implementing a national heritage plan and strategy for commemorating residential school sites, the history and legacy of residential schools, and the contributions of Aboriginal peoples to Canada’s history. 

Implementation of this Call is at varying stages of progress.
Check out the Government of Canada page to see where it's at.

TRC Calls to Action: #78

Reconciliation
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation

78. We call upon the Government of Canada to commit to making a funding contribution of $10 million over seven years to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, plus an additional amount to assist communities to research and produce histories of their own residential school experience and their involvement in truth, healing, and reconciliation.

The federal government has committed $10 million over seven years to the NCTR, but as of yet no additional funding toward community research has been provided or promised.

TRC Calls to Action: #77

Reconciliation
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation

77. We call upon provincial, territorial, municipal, and community archives to work collaboratively with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to identify and collect copies of all records relevant to the history and legacy of the residential school system, and to provide these to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Provinces, territories and municipalities have been cooperating with this Call and sharing relevant data with the NCTR; some churches have yet to share their records.

TRC Calls to Action: #76

Reconciliation
Missing Children & Burial Information

76. We call upon the parties engaged in the work of documenting, maintaining, commemorating, and protecting residential school cemeteries to adopt strategies in accordance with the following principles:

i. The Aboriginal community most affected shall lead the development of such strategies.

ii. Information shall be sought from residential school Survivors and other Knowledge Keepers in the development of such strategies.

iii. Aboriginal protocols shall be respected before any potentially invasive technical inspection and investigation of a cemetery site.

According to Beyond 94, there are a few parties involved in protecting residential school cemeteries, but they do not necessarily implement all principles from this Call.

This is the last Call under this subheader; the federal government's page states it has begun discussing and collaborating with various partners regarding strategies to "gain a better understanding of the range of Indigenous family and community needs and interests and about how best to move forward" with regards to all Calls under this subheader.

TRC Calls to Action: #75

Reconciliation
Missing Children & Burial Information

75. We call upon the federal government to work with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, churches, Aboriginal communities, former residential school students, and current landowners to develop and implement strategies and procedures for the ongoing identification, documentation, maintenance, commemoration, and protection of residential school cemeteries or other sites at which residential school children were buried. This is to include the provision of appropriate memorial ceremonies and commemorative markers to honour the deceased children.

As of March 2018, the federal government had not developed or implemented strategies to protect and commemorate residential school burial sites, although support has been voiced - and some action taken - by provinces, territories, and faith groups (such as the United and Anglican Churches of Canada) toward honouring this Call.

TRC Calls to Action: #74

Reconciliation
Missing Children & Burial Information

74. We call upon the federal government to work with the churches and Aboriginal community leaders to inform the families of children who died at residential schools of the child’s burial location, and to respond to families’ wishes for appropriate commemoration ceremonies and markers, and reburial in home communities where requested.

Funding has been committed toward this Call, and some provinces, communities and families - independent from any federal funding or support - are already in the process of having remains returned for ceremonial reburial.

TRC Calls to Action: #73

Reconciliation
Missing Children & Burial Information

73. We call upon the federal government to work with churches, Aboriginal communities, and former residential school students to establish and maintain an online registry of residential school cemeteries, including, where possible, plot maps showing the location of deceased residential school children.

Funding has been provided to start an online registry of residential school deaths.

TRC Calls to Action: #72

Reconciliation
Missing Children & Burial Information

72. We call upon the federal government to allocate sufficient resources to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to allow it to develop and maintain the National Residential School Student Death Register established by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Funding toward the National Residential School Student Death Register has been provided. According to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, the most accurate number as of October 2018 was 4200 children identified by name and unnamed death records.

TRC Calls to Action: #71

Reconciliation
Missing Children & Burial Information

71. We call upon all chief coroners and provincial vital statistics agencies that have not provided to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada their records on the deaths of Aboriginal children in the care of residential school authorities to make these documents available to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. 

Shockingly, as of March 2018, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has not received death records of Indigenous children in residential schools from most chief coroners and vital statistics agencies. This, of course, goes against the UN's Joinet-Orentlicher principles, ie the Right to Know.

TRC Calls to Action: #70

Reconciliation
Museums & Archives

70. We call upon the federal government to provide funding to the Canadian Association of Archivists to undertake, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, a national review of archival policies and best practices to:  

i. Determine the level of compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Joinet-Orentlicher Principles, as related to Aboriginal peoples’ inalienable right to know the truth about what happened and why, with regard to human rights violations committed against them in the residential schools.

ii. Produce a report with recommendations for full implementation of these international mechanisms as a reconciliation framework for Canadian archives.
 
A national review of archival policies is in progress.

TRC Calls to Action: #69

Reconciliation
Museums & Archives

69. We call upon Library and Archives Canada to:  

i. Fully adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Joinet-Orentlicher Principles, as related to Aboriginal peoples’ inalienable right to know the truth about what happened and why, with regard to human rights violations committed against them in the residential schools. 

ii. Ensure that its record holdings related to residential schools are accessible to the public. 

iii. Commit more resources to its public education materials and programming on residential schools.

The Joinet-Orentlicher Principles are a set of principles for the protection and promotion of human rights, one of these rights being for people who have been subjected to human rights violations to have access to the truth behind these violations (ie The Right to Know).

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has not yet formally released a statement regarding adopting and implementing UNDRIP, but has signed an agreement confirming the preservation and public access to records of residential schools. However, some of these records are still classified as restricted, making access to these documents rather complicated.

The LAC website does have a page dedicated to the history and legacy of residential schools.

TRC Calls to Action: #68

Reconciliation
Museums & Archives

68. We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, and the Canadian Museums Association to mark the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation in 2017 by establishing a dedicated national funding program for commemoration projects on the theme of reconciliation.

In a nutshell, this was not done.

TRC Calls to Action: #67

Reconciliation
Museums and Archives

67. We call upon the federal government to provide funding to the Canadian Museums Association to undertake, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, a national review of museum policies and best practices to determine the level of compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and to make recommendations.

Check out Beyond 94 and the Government of Canada page to see where we're at with this one.

TRC Calls to Action: #66

Reconciliation
Youth Programs

66. We call upon the federal government to establish multi-year funding for community-based youth organizations to deliver programs on reconciliation, and establish a national network to share information and best practices.

Starting in 2019/20, the federal government will be providing funding over the next three years for a pilot program to support Indigenous youth reconciliation initiatives, and three independent youth advisors have been appointed to study the needs of Indigenous youth.