We all have a role in reconciliation

Racism is still a daily occurrence, write Lemay and

We met on a sunny Saturday afternoon to talk about the progress of reconciliation ahead of the second National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, Sept. 30. A First Nations leader and a champion for Indigenous peoples, and a non-indigenous leader who strives to be an authentic ally, we wanted to write about hope and action.

We first met a decade ago at the 2012 Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference. Our team of conference delegates travelled through Saskatchewan discovering the warmth of a beautiful province often overlooked. We witnessed the emotional gathering of the Truth and Reconciliation event in La Ronge, and our team experienced the pain and trauma of First Nations survivors. At that time, so few non-indigenous people witnessed the daily battles of Indigenous peoples to share the truth, so it was a striking lesson for our team about the strengths of Indigenous cultures.

As we sat together recently to draft our thoughts on reconciliation, one of the worst massacres in Canadian history occurred on a First Nations community in Saskatchewan. We all reacted with disbelief and grief.

Many of us have gone online to learn more, and instead found nauseating racism, bigotry and ignorance in the comments sections. It is heartbreaking to know that Indigenous peoples expected it, but others are surprised at the vitriol against Indigenous peoples.

We are all witnesses to the pain and suffering that is occurring today and every day in communities across the country, from public places to professional settings.

Canadians purport to be among the most educated and compassionate people in the world. We are admired for our diversity, open-mindedness, and warmth. We have our first Indigenous Governor General, our first Indigenous Supreme Court judge, more and more Indigenous elected members from coast to coast to coast. We have made progress, and we still have a long way to go.

We also let racism occur against Indigenous peoples daily in this country.

As we acknowledge the past, we also need to act on the present.

We are all witnesses to the pain and suffering that is occurring today and every day in communities across the country, from public places to professional settings. We know from anecdotes and data that in addition to paying an emotional tax — the combination of being on guard to protect against bias because of race, ethnicity and gender and experiencing the associated effects on well-being and ability to thrive at work — only 39 per cent of Indigenous employees feel psychologically safe at work. We all have a role to play in changing that.

In leading up to Sept. 30, every Canadian needs to play an active role in reconciliation.

What can you do?

If you are a witness to racism and remain silent, you are part of the problem. Say something. Do something. Hold people to account when they express racism or racist sentiments about Indigenous peoples. Interrupt biased behaviours and encourage others to do the same.

Reflect on your own behaviour and continue to learn. We all hold unconscious biases. Recognize it, acknowledge it and grow constantly.

Reach out to a First Nations, Inuit or Métis person in your life to express support and check in. They are hurting. If you don't have Indigenous peoples in your network, ask yourself why.

Ask your workplace what they are doing to address reconciliation and hold leaders accountable for action. Get involved. Advocate. Respect the history and culture of First Nations, Inuit and Métis colleagues. Honour the burdens they carry.

We cannot change our history, but we are responsible for today and tomorrow. We all have a role to play— in upholding oppressive systems or working to change them.

Rose Lemay is Tlingit from British Columbia and the CEO of the Indigenous Reconciliation Group (the-irg.ca) which provides education and coaching in anti-racism and reconciliation. Julie Cafley is an ally and the Executive Director of Catalyst Canada (catalyst.org), an organization that builds more inclusive and diverse workplaces for women and all people through research, learning and events.