September 30th marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour Indigenous children who attended residential schools and reflect on the impacts of these schools. It’s one day of reflection and action in a long process of reconciliation, between survivors of residential schools & Indigenous nations and the Canadian government & non-Indigenous Canadians.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is also a day to discuss the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and what steps have been taken towards reconciliation. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was created to document the stories and experiences of residential school survivors and learn how reconciliation might be achieved in Canada. The Commission published 94 Calls to Action, which provide material steps for the Canadian government and non-Indigenous Canadians to “redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation.”
Reconciliation is a huge task, one that will take lifetimes of work. It’s also urgent and extremely necessary, especially when we see that inequalities and injustices continue against Indigenous people today. The 94 Calls to Action aren’t a roadmap to reconciliation – in many ways, they’re just the first steps needed to move forward in a better way. But for this reason, these steps need to be taken before Canadians can talk about achieving any sort of reconciliation.
So, this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we’re reflecting on the work Mediate BC has done to meet the Calls to Action and our next steps forward. We hope that sharing these reflections will hold us accountable to our commitments to reconciliation and encourage others to reflect on their own work. So far, we’ve focused our efforts on two Calls to Action that are especially relevant to Mediate BC.
Call to Action 27:
We call upon the Federation of Law Societies of Canada to ensure that lawyers receive appropriate cultural competency training, which includes the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal-Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.
While Mediate BC is not directly implicated by Action 27, which speaks to the responsibility of Law Societies, we recognize that our role as a roster organization for mediators imports an analogous obligation to ensure that mediators receive appropriate cultural competency training. Given our mandate to serve and protect the public by facilitating access to safe, ethical, and professional collaborative decision-making processes, we believe it’s essential that all mediators have a foundational knowledge of Indigenous history and can support culturally safe conflict resolution processes.
In 2020, Mediate BC established the Calls to Action Committee to guide its Board and staff. On the Committee’s advice, Mediate BC added a mandatory requirement that all Registered Roster Mediators (RRMs) complete “skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism” in direct response to Article 27.
This new requirement will benefit Indigenous individuals, families, and communities throughout BC, as they will have increased access to mediation that is culturally safe and effective. Additionally, this increased access to mediation will support the self-determination of many First Nations, as mediation is the recommended dispute resolution mechanism in many First Nations’ land codes and matrimonial property laws.
Under the leadership of our new Board member, Kelly Douglas, Mediate BC is developing a course on Indigenous Intercultural Awareness for all RRMs. The focus of this course is on Indigenous history and its connection to mediation, UNDRIP, and the importance of cultural safety in mediation. Our training will include facilitated discussions and highlight the experiences and teachings of Indigenous mediators across BC. Our next steps are finalizing and delivering this training to over 200 RRMs.
For more information on the Indigenous Intercultural Awareness for Mediators course see our Courses page.
Call to Action 43:
We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to fully adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the framework for reconciliation.
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) is an international declaration and human rights instrument that was ratified by the Canadian government. It helps guide Canadian law, government, and other institutions to meet international human rights standards for Indigenous people in Canada.
The Calls to Action Committee has drafted a resolution on Mediate BC’s commitment to and application of UNDRIP which the Board will review for adoption at its next meeting. The Committee has highlighted UNDRIP Articles on the importance of Indigenous people participating in decision-making through their own representatives and decision-making institutions (Article 18), the need for states to attain Indigenous people’s free, prior, and informed consent (Article 19), and the importance of Indigenous people determining priorities and strategies for development (Article 23).
These Articles also guide Mediate BC in supporting Indigenous people’s decision-making processes and modes of resolving conflict. They remind us of the importance of taking tangible steps to support Indigenous conflict-resolution and decision-making, such as partnering with Indigenous Nations to support developing conflict resolution processes. Our next steps include adoption of the Committee’s resolution on UNDRIP and ensuring that Mediate BC takes the actions laid out in the resolution.
If this work sparks ideas or aligns with the work of your Nation, please feel free to reach out to indigenous.initiatives@mediatebc.com to explore potential collaborations.
How are you working towards meeting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action? We encourage you to read, discuss, and commit yourself and/or your organization to fulfilling them.
— Julie Daum, Indigenous Initiatives Lead, and Talia Holy, Collaborative Decision-Making Navigator Project
On behalf of Mediate BC’s Calls to Action Committee
Mediate BC serves communities across the lands of many Indigenous peoples, unceded, unsurrendered, and treaty. We are committed to advancing Indigenous sovereignty, inherent rights and self-determination. In order to do this, we commit to deepening our understanding of the histories and cultures of Indigenous peoples and the ongoing effects of colonization. Further, we commit to developing meaningful dialogue and relationships founded on respect.
