Indigenous Engagement Online Training App
Indigenous cultural awareness training v. Indigenous engagement training? There is a difference.
One reason why reconciliation moves so slowly in Canada
Indigenous cultural awareness training is one reason progress on Truth and Reconciliation in Canada has been slow. Since landmark decisions such as Delgamuukw, governments and organizations have increasingly required non-Indigenous Canadians to participate in cultural awareness training. While well-intentioned, mandatory awareness alone is not reconciliation.
Cultural awareness provides only a basic introduction to Indigenous history and culture. Indigenous engagement is a much broader and more complex field, shaped by more than 160 years of Canadian law, policy, and Indigenous-Crown relations. It requires a deeper understanding of issues such as systemic racism, prejudice, power imbalances, Aboriginal rights and title, and the lasting impacts of colonization.
Meaningful reconciliation requires more than completing a cultural awareness course. It demands curiosity, critical thinking, and a willingness to engage with difficult truths. Progress will remain limited unless Canadians move beyond the minimum requirements and commit to a deeper understanding of Indigenous realities.
Most asked questions by non-Indigenous Canadians usually includes:
- Why do Indigenous people receive so much federal, provincial government attention and consideration?
- What does reconciliation mean in Canada? and why does it move so slowly?
- why so many Indigenous relations and reconciliation departments, ministries, agencies, and commissions in every province?
- Why the following terms can be confusing: Indigenous, native, Aboriginal, First Nation, status Indian, Métis and Inuit?
Indigenous Insight Blog
TRIGGER WARNING ...
Indigenous Engagement content developed by Indigenous Insight is not for the faint of heart. Much of the dialogue traces back to 2017, when the Advanced Business Match “Uncensored” model was first being developed.
Maynard collaborated with the ABM team during the creation of this initiative. At the time, it became clear that an uncensored forum was urgently needed to address difficult issues such as the Colten Boushie murder in Saskatchewan, the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), and many other sensitive Indigenous topics affecting Indigenous communities.
For many participants, particularly settler Canadians, engaging with this material can be challenging and emotionally confronting. That discomfort is intentional and necessary. Meaningful understanding in the Indigenous engagement space rarely grows in comfort. It emerges through honest examination, critical thinking, and a willingness to sit with difficult truths. The content presented here does not rely on opinion but instead prioritizes factual representation and lived realities.
This material is not directed at any specific individual in Canada. Rather, it offers direct and candid insights intended for leadership audiences, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous. The purpose of this program is not to tell people what they might prefer to hear, but to focus on what must be understood in order to grow. These truths are not meant to burden the listener. They are meant to expand perspective and spark meaningful reflection.
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- E-Course Landing Page
- 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