Observing the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation

September 30th?is the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.?It?is easy to make broad statements about reconciliation. However, it is difficult to create meaningful change in the face of Canada’s centuries of colonialism.??

The Learning Partnership is observing the day by offering our staff focused time?to gather, learn and reflect. We’ve pulled together?a variety of?activities, based on staff input,?to support?that learning. Some of us will wear orange shirts and learn about what the day was created for. Some of us will read the?Calls to Action?in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s?Report and think about ways we can heed them in our work and personal lives.?Some of us will engage through video, podcasts?and readings.?We are all in different places on our journey and I have invited our staff to take part in whatever way resonates with them.?

During the century-plus when?Canada's residential school systems operated, thousands of Indigenous children died and thousands more were abused.?These atrocities went on?until the?last?residential school closed in 1996.?As The Learning Partnership?reflects on the historical and ongoing relationship between Canada's education system and Indigenous Peoples, we are highly aware how much work there is to do to repair the relationship with Indigenous students, parents, families and communities.?

At The Learning Partnership, our goal is to reduce inequities in?publicly-funded?education, especially for?Indigenous students, Black students, and students?of?colour.?We are committed?to?taking?the lessons we learn?and making changes to?our systems and practices, and?to?actively foster?anti-racism?in our?organization?and?in?our programs, within our networks and with our partners both in and outside of the education system.?

Reconciliation and accountability?is?a process not just a day.?Like any good student would,?The Learning Partnership promises?to?listen,?learn, ask questions?and take concrete?steps?to?do?better. We hope you will join us! I'd love to hear about your ways of knowing and learning on this day and every day.

Deep gratitude to Three Things Consulting for their excellent Overview for Employers in Ontario which helped us shape our approach.