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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
