Reflections of a settler on July 1st...

Canada...

As I reflect as a settler this July 1st, I acknowledge:

• There are 12,000+ years of human history on the land that I call my home. It is colonialism that enables me to call it so. It is imperative that this history and its multiple narratives are shared, that Indigenous voices are a driving force in its teaching, and that we reflect, talk about, learn from, and act based on our experiences in engaging with it.
• That we have long known about the pain both present and past being experienced by Indigenous peoples and the trauma of residential schools. How? They told us. Public record. Physical evidence. All reliable and recognized sources in History, Anthropology, Law, Sociology, Forensics, and “society”. Many of us have not listened, been acutely aware or have not seen what was right in front of us.
• The inequity of my access to the clean water that flows through the pipes of my condo in abundance, while Indigenous communities go without. This is unacceptable. If anything, this past 16 months have proven that we can act quickly, with nimbleness, with resourcefulness, and with efficacy. We just need to want to. Let’s just do it.
• The inclusion and representation gap of Indigenous talent in the workforce. As a leader in the talent acquisition and career education space, I know, I/We can ensure Indigenization is a part of best practice in cultivating a vast, inclusive, and effective talent pipeline. Quite simply, there is opportunity to do better.
• My generation has inherited and benefitted from systemic racism. Our governments are complicit and have failed to act. Religious institutions have not been held fully accountable. This is cultural genocide. There is a road map to reconciliation - 94 calls to action. It has been there since 2015. What is my part to play? What is yours? How will we bring about the implementation of the Calls to Action from the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (see link above)? How will we show our commitment to truth and healing?

I was lucky enough to have Peter Gzowski once tell me over coffee (well, I had hot chocolate and hoped he wouldn’t comment) that "...the problem with Canada is that "people love it too da*n much". He said that "we see what we want to be…not what we actually are". He was right.

Canada can and has represented a beacon of change and hope. It has contributed positively to the world. As Pride month has drawn to a close, I am mindful that we were amongst the first (of only 29 nations in the world) to have legalized same-sex marriage. Many have come to Canada to escape persecution and hardship - some of them even became our newest citizens today. Peace is a part of our global mandate. Our scientific discoveries and innovation are aiding others and building to the collective knowledge of the world around us in meaningful ways. Our artists, authors, and actors are enriching the lives of others.?

* The examples above include the resilient and brilliant voices/contributions of Indigenous people, creators, scientists and leaders within Indigenous communities - it is important to learn about, recognise, and experience these in addition to the trauma and pain that is a part of the Indigenous experience in Canada.

Yet, it is possible to have a relationship of love and gratitude, see the awesome… and, still be disappointed sometimes, acknowledge the imperfections, bare witness to the hurt, and wonder about the ways to heal the pain and inequity being inflicted upon communities.

It can feel big. Why? Because it is. I take comfort and find the inertia to act by reminding myself, that I have access to wonderful minds, resources, Indigenous colleagues/friends, and a network of allies. It only takes one match to ignite a flame... and I'm lucky and honoured to have a 'whole pack of 'em'.

So, today… I am asking a series of questions that I often ask the career seekers I get to work with everyday… What do I want to be known for? What do I/we want Canada to be known for? What would “one step better” look like? How can we get there? And, then take another step?

What action will I/you take today to get us closer to actually being what we aspire to as an ally? An inclusive leader? An industry? As a nation?

How will I stand in support of and amplify the voices of Indigenoous peoples? Not just today. Not just in the month of June. Not just when a story hits the news… but, everyday.

If you made it this far, I thank you for indulging my reflections and musings. They have been rattling in my head these past few weeks and needed an outlet to put clarity around them.

Be safe, Be well. Learn. Reflect. Act.