Truth → Culture → Relationships → Action
Certified CCIB facilitator, verifier and Indigenous cultural awareness trainer.
THE biggest obstacle to reconciliation in Canada is ignorance. up to me aftwerwards stating "I DIDN'T KNOW". To be honest, Canadians cannot be expected to understand what they were never taught. Canadian school systems played a role in erasing Indigenous history. To understand reconciliation relative to Indigenous peoples, one must have an understanding of colonial history.
Most Indigenous cultural awareness training sessions are superficial in nature. To move beyond this level is strengthen the culture of your organization. This type of commitment moves Canada's reconciliation needle. Speaking uncomfortable truths is difficult, but avoiding them delays meaningful progress.
Cultural awareness is an introduction. Indigenous engagement is a much deeper discipline, informed by more than 160 years of Canadian law, policy, and Indigenous and Crown relations. It requires an honest examination of systemic racism, prejudice, privilege, Aboriginal rights and title, and the continuing effects of colonization.
Many municipalities, businesses, and organizations sincerely want to advance reconciliation, but too often they focus on symbolic actions rather than building the knowledge and relationships needed for lasting change. Every city, municipality and town in Canada has an Indigenous history and, in many cases, an Indigenous neighbour. Reconciliation should begin there.
Canada made profound mistakes during colonization and its consequences continue to unfold.
Strength of Indigenous Culture Test/Assessment
Awareness is easy to demonstrate. Meaningful Indigenous engagement is much harder to measure. The Indigenous Insight Strength of Indigenous Culture Assessment is designed to challenge organizations to look beyond land acknowledgements, statements, and good intentions. It examines whether Indigenous engagement is actually embedded within leadership, communication, accessibility, organizational thinking, and decision-making.
This assessment asks the questions organizations may not be accustomed to hearing, including the uncomfortable ones. Where does your organization truly stand, and is it prepared to move beyond awareness into meaningful engagement and action?
- Has your organization's leadership bought into the importance of Indigenous engagement?
- Does your organization’s leadership have a strong understanding of Canada’s colonization history and how it continues to shape Aboriginal rights and title and the challenges of meaningful engagement today?
- Does your organization advertise Indigenous ideas, concepts, accomplishments?
- Is your organization's Indigenous designate easily contacted?
- Does your organization believe traditional land and territory acknowledgments are sufficient?
- Has your organization identified a strategy beyond simple traditional land & territory acknowledgements?
Don't worry if you answered 'no' to most of these questions as the vast majority of organizations, governments, corporations (e.g., leadership in Canada) score low on this assessment. Let me help you navigate intiatives that correct this.
One city, one corporation, one chamber
Over the course of the next year, Indigenous Insight will mentor ONE city (FILLED), ONE corporation (FILLED) and ONE chamber of commerce committed to turning truth and reconciliation into measurable action. Guided by 94 Calls to Action and Tla'amin Nation - City of Powell River Community Accord, this mentorship will help participants move beyond performative reconciliation toward meaningful, lasting relationships with First Nations. One city and one corporation have been identified. However, this opportunity is still open. It isn’t too late to step forward and become a leader.
Every city should be negotiating intergovernmental relationship building agreements (e.g., Community Accords) with neighbouring Indigenous community. Opportunities are real, but reaching them requires courage, honesty, and a willingness to engage in difficult conversations. Mistakes have been made by all sides, yet First Nation communities are ready to build respectful, mutually beneficial relationships with organizations that are prepared to listen and learn.
Indigenous Insight's Indigenous Engagement e-Course will challenge your assumptions and, at times, make you uncomfortable. That discomfort is part of the learning process. Meaningful Indigenous engagement requires more than awareness. It requires commitment, critical thinking, and genuine effort.
Indigenous Insight Blog
TRIGGER WARNING ...
Indigenous Engagement content developed by Indigenous Insight is not for the faint of heart and settler-Canadians engaging with this material will find it challenging and emotionally-confronting. Discomfort is intentional and necessary. Meaningful understanding rarely grows in comfort but emerges through examination, critical thinking, and willingness to sit with difficult truths. This content is not aimed at every day Canadians but at leadership (e.g., political, corporate) both Indigenous and non-Indigenous. This content does not cater to what learners want to learn but what they must understand in order to grow in the Indigenous space. Truths should never burden the learner but expand perspective and spark reflection.
- About
- Training Options/costs
- COLONIZER REHAB
- Learning Resources
- E-Course Info
- Module 1: Intro & Basics
- Module 2: Colonization
- 2A: Indian Act
- 2B Indian Reserve System
- 2C Residential Schools
- 2D Band Office Colonial?
- Module 3: Land Question
- Module 4: Reconciliation
- Module 4A: Obstacles
- Module 4B: Examples
- Module 5: Implementation