A day to honor the truth and commit to reconciliation

“The truth hurts,?but silence kills.”

Rachelle Dominique, Innu of Pessamit

Reference: Anne Panasuk,?Auassat?: à la recherche des enfants disparus, édito, 2021

On September 30, 2022, Canada?honours?the missing children and thousands of survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. For over a century, these institutions have been a central instrument of Canadian Indian policy. A policy of "cultural genocide," according to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, whose main objectives were to eliminate Indigenous governments, ignore Indigenous rights, end treaties and, through a process of assimilation, ensure that Indigenous peoples ceased to exist as legal, social, cultural, religious and racial entities in Canada.?

Between 1831 and 1996, the federal government operated 140 residential schools. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission recalls that "Canada separated children from their parents by sending them to residential schools. This was not done in order to provide them with an education, but essentially to break the connection with their culture and identity." About 150,000 students would have attended these institutions, some of whom never returned. Since May 2021, over 1,100 unmarked graves have been discovered near former residential schools, bringing renewed pain to families and communities. And the searches are still going on, within the framework of this painful quest for truth.

The second edition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation gives us another opportunity to listen to the stories and testimonies of those directly or indirectly affected by the legacy of residential schools. An opportunity to learn about this tragic part of our history and to better understand the harmful and lasting impact of residential schools, which span several generations, including those born after these institutions were closed. Today is an opportunity to reflect, to commit ourselves further to the long road of reconciliation and healing.

Companies and investors respond to the call for reconciliation

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a good time to remember that investors and companies, like other stakeholders in society, have an essential role to play in reconciliation. We recall that in its final report, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls on companies to adopt the?United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which includes, among other measures, establishing a rigorous process for obtaining the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples before initiating projects affecting their rights, lands or resources; ensuring equitable access to jobs for indigenous peoples; and providing employees and management with information on the history and rights of indigenous peoples.

While many companies continue to turn a deaf ear, others have clearly heard the call to action and have taken their first steps towards reconciliation. For example, the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) announced on September 6, 2022 that the list of companies committed to building positive relationships with Indigenous businesses and communities is constantly growing. The CCAB congratulated more than a dozen companies on achieving new Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) certification. Among them was Sodexo Canada Energy and Resources, which was awarded RPP Gold certification for demonstrating "sustained leadership in Aboriginal relations" and demonstrating "best practice for those companies introducing Aboriginal relations to their business strategy or seeking to improve year over year." For their part, Deloitte Canada, Hudbay Minerals and Forbes Bros have achieved Silver PAR certification.?

PAR is the first corporate social responsibility program with a focus on Indigenous relations. It audits companies' initiatives and results in four performance areas: Leadership Actions, Employment, Business Development, and Community Relationships. As of December 2022, there were nearly 200 companies either certified or in the certification process, including mining and oil and gas companies such as Suncor, Syncrude, Imperial Oil and Cenovus.

For their part, responsible investors have continued to work to ensure that companies respect the rights of Indigenous peoples and respond to the call to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.?

In 2022, following a fruitful dialogue with the?Shareholder Association for Research and Education?(SHARE), which represented the Atkinson Foundation, the management of Toromont Industries supported a proposal asking it to explain to shareholders the extent to which its policies and practices concerning relations with Indigenous communities, the recruitment and advancement of Indigenous employees, internal training on reconciliation with Indigenous people and procurement from Indigenous-owned companies have been certified or compare to the standards developed by qualified Indigenous organizations. This proposal achieved an approval rate of 99.04%.?

This is reminiscent of the success achieved by SHARE in 2021, when an amended proposal from the Atkinson Foundation on reconciliation with Indigenous people garnered a 98% approval rate at the TMX Group's general meeting, after management recommended to support the proposal. It should be emphasized that the company is now engaged in PAR and is in the early stages of monitoring and managing its Indigenous relations strategies.

Finally, it should be noted that in 2022, a proposal submitted to Onex by the Catherine Donnelly Foundation, similar to the one approved by the management of Toromont Industries, received an approval rate of 16.6%, which is more than respectable for a social proposal opposed by management, especially since the Chairman and CEO of Onex, Gerald W. Schwartz, is also the major shareholder of the company.

Sources: Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business,?PAR Companies, ref. September 29, 2022, https://bit.ly/3SFMujS ; Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business,?Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business announces Canadian corporations to be recognized for achieving certification in Progressive Aboriginal Relations? (PAR), September 6, 2022, ref. September 29, 2022, https://bit.ly/3E64NL8

Reading suggestions to better understand the experiences of Indigenous people

In an epistolary exchange with Innu poet Natasha Kanapé Fontaine about racism between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, Quebec-American novelist Déni Ellis Béchard writes that?"to better understand the experiences of Indigenous people, Non-Indigenous people need to read and listen to their stories."?In this spirit, we suggest some of our favorite pieces to discover and to give as a gift.

For those who want to read testimonials from residential school survivors or engage in an exciting, thought-provoking, and enlightening discussion about racism and Indigenous/Non-Indigenous relations:

Anne Panasuk,?Auassat?: à la recherche des enfants disparus, édito, 2021.

Déni Ellis Béchard and Natasha Kanapé Fontaine,?Kuei, My Friend: A Conversation on Race and Reconciliation, translated by Deni Ellis Béchard and Howard Scott, Talon Books Ltd, 2018.

For everyone, a must-read graphic novel, a "window book" that allows you to hear the very real voice of Brianna Jonnie, a 14-year-old Ojibwe girl who wrote an open letter to the Winnipeg Police Chief in 2016 to implore him to do better when his force investigates cases of missing Indigenous People:

Brianna Jonnie and Nahanni Shingoose,?If I go missing, illustrated by Neal Shannacappo, James Lorimer Limited, 2019.

For those who want to understand the realities of Indigenous people through stories or novels:

Naomi Fontaine,?Shuni, Mémoire d’encrier, 2019.

Naomi Fontaine,?Manikanetish, Mémoire d’encrier, 2017.

Michel Jean,?Kukum, éditions Libre Expression, 2019.

Michel Jean,?Atuk?: elle et nous, éditions Libre Expression, 2021.

Michel Jean,?Tiohtià:ke, éditions Libre Expression, 2021.

Michel Jean,?Le vent en parle encore, éditions Stanké, 2015, "10 sur 10", 2022.

Finally, to educate and raise awareness among children through accessible, yet powerful works of courage, resilience and hope, as well as being beautifully illustrated:

Mélanie Florence,?Stollen Words, illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard, Second Story Press, 2017.

Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton,?When I Was Eight, illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard, Annick Press, 2013.

Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton,?Fatty Legs (10th Anniversary Edition), illustrations by Liz Amini-Holmes, Annick Press, 2020.

Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton,?A Stranger At Home, illustrations by Liz Amini-Holmes, Annick Press, 2011.