DOING THE RIGHT THING
Feb. 9, 2018, is a painful date in the memory of the province. The issuing of the verdict in the Gerald Stanley trial brought to a head the tensions that had been building for months
— if not generations. The pain and anger was revealed in outpourings of emotion, as protesters took to the streets, social media lit up with confrontations and tense exchanges were held over family dinners.
A year later, the fractures in Saskatchewan society are still as evident as they were on the day Stanley was found not guilty in the 2016 shooting death of Colten Boushie, a 22-year-old Cree man.
As the Saskatoon Starphoenix and Regina Leader-post put together a collection of reflections on the trial, it is evident many do not think a great deal of change has taken place in the past 12 months when it comes to reconciliation. There is, however, a strong centre of hope for a better future in what was gathered here. And it is that glimmer of hope to which we need to cling.
The University of Saskatchewan is among the institutions leading the way in how to effect change. Indigenization is not laid out as an individual goal in the institution’s new plan; rather, aspects of Indigenization are embedded and woven throughout the strategy.
As the Starphoenix’s Andrea Hill reported in October, the new plan, which intends to guide the university’s direction over the next seven years, prioritizes “courageous curiosity, boundless collaboration, and inspired communities.”
Boundless collaboration is an important ideal for the entire province to embrace, especially in light of the societal divisions revealed by the Stanley trial.
After a naming ceremony for the university, president Peter Stoicheff said his institution does not want to call attention to its actions in making these efforts. Being named as a leader in Indigenization, or calling attention to efforts at the U of S, does not interest him.
“I hear from Indigenous elders frequently that that’s not what we should be interested in; we should just be interested in doing the right things and doing the things that are necessary and doing the things that are called for … I believe that we need to be a leader, but this is not one of the things that this university is choosing to necessarily be ranked upon. It’s just: Are we doing the right thing with and for Indigenous people?”
Quietly doing the right thing will make an enormous amount of difference. It also seems like a manageable task to place in front of the residents of Saskatchewan at this moment.