September 30: A day for listening, learning and truth-telling

This coming Thursday, Sept. 30th, is Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Although it is a statutory holiday for all federally regulated employees, it is unfortunately not a statutory holiday for provincially regulated employees.

As the overwhelming majority of workers are employed in sectors that are provincially regulated, relatively very few workers in British Columbia will experience this statutory holiday.

I would hope that all workers, whether they get the day off or not, will take the time to become more informed about Indigenous issues. I recently came across an incredible organisation, Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. (ICT), founded in 2002 by Bob Joseph, a member of the Gwawa’enuxw Nation and a certified Master Trainer. Indigenous Corporate Training offers a wide variety of courses about Indigenous issues.

Since discovering this organisation, I have taken a number of their courses. I have found all of their offerings to be excellent and have learned a lot. Perhaps the best course was Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples.

We must all take the time to become familiar with the 94 Calls to Action [PDF] of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). This work continues to be furthered by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba, the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society, and former BC Child and Youth Advocate Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond who is now the Director of the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at UBC.

Other jurisdictions are also committing to observe this important day. BC, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and the Northwest Territories are giving the day off to provincial workers and schools, in some cases. The City of Vancouver is closing all City services and buildings to recognize and advance Reconciliation.

Although the legal profession is provincially regulated and none of my employees are entitled to the statutory holiday, I am giving all of them the day off with pay on condition that they take one of the courses offered by Indigenous Corporate Training.

Other companies are also observing the day in their own way. For example, Durant Barristers in Russell, Ontario are closing their offices to spend time learning more about the issues and participating in events. Their associate Leslie Anne St. Amour is offering a free online seminar to others in the legal profession to discuss the legal implications of the TRC’s Calls to Action.

It is long past time that non-Indigenous people become more aware of the terrible injustices inflicted by colonial systems on the peoples who originally inhabited this land, and better understand how to do our part to support healing, relationship-building and Indigenous self-determination. Marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by learning more is a good place to start.

I’m starting a monthly online series of progressive film nights, on the 4th Friday of the month. Join us for our next event, Friday October 22 at 7pm. More details are here: https://www.timlouis.ca/fireside/