Reconciliation Regina Community Action Plan 2020
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Reconciliation Regina, Inc. Community Action Plan 2020/2021 CONTENTS 04 Acknowledgement Statement 06 Message from the Mayor 07 Message from Reconciliation Regina Board Chair 08 Message from the Office of the Treaty Commissioner 10 History of Indigenous Peoples in Regina 16 Reconciliation Regina 16 Vision, Mission & Values 18 Logo History & Meaning 20 A Step Towards Reconciliation 22 Initiatives & Projects 26 City of Regina Actions 28 Reconciliation Regina Community Action Plan 30 Public Survey Results 32 Action Plan Document 41 Appendix Acknowledgement Statement This Acknowledgement Statement represents an act of reconciliation, honouring the land and Indigenous heritage and history that dates back thousands of years. To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory we reside on, and a way of honouring the Indigenous people who have lived here for thousands of years. It is important that we understand our history that has brought us to reside on the land, and to seek to understand our place within history. Reconciliation Regina acknowledges that we are on traditional lands of the Treaty 4 Territory, a Treaty signed with 35 First Nations across Southern Saskatchewan and parts of Alberta and Manitoba and the original lands of the Cree, Saulteaux (SO-TO), Dakota, Nakota, Lakota, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation. 4 | RECONCILIATION REGINA, INC. COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN RECONCILIATION REGINA, INC. COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN | 5 On behalf of City Council assured that we will be creating a On behalf of the Reconciliation We have much more to do by and the residents of Regina, stronger, more supportive city for Regina, Inc. Council, we are way of helping others tell their it is my pleasure to join the generations to come. pleased to offer the Community truths and reconcile in their own Reconciliation Regina, Inc. board Action Plan, in partnership with, way. However, we are confident in presenting our Community This will be a multi- and recognition of Reconciliation that our commitment, resilience, Action Plan. Regina’s 70-plus Community generational effort, Champions. Our plan is a ...a journey that can This plan represents the requiring the dedication of made-in-Regina community culmination of more than two blueprint or action plan that be difficult, yet so years of hard work by the City of every citizen of Regina. will ensure reconciliation rewarding ... Regina, the Office of the continues to be a living process, Treaty Commissioner, and the based on information sharing more than 70 “community and coordination of joint champions” that make up the activities and initiatives that membership of Reconciliation Thank you and congratulations reflect a celebration of diverse and respect for every individual Message from Regina. It is tangible evidence to the Reconciliation Regina Message cultures, resilience, healing and in our community will lead us to the Mayor of the passionate commitment board and all of the community from the strengthened partnerships for a strengthened, more inclusive, that Regina residents feel for organizations and partners that the wellbeing of all people living vibrant community shared reconciliation and our desire to have helped guide us to this Reconciliation in our community. equally by all. move forward to heal and momentous achievement. strengthen our community. Regina Board We respectfully present this Sincerely, Plan as the beginning of a long Our first goal as Reconciliation Chair journey, for which there is no Regina was to work towards roadmap; a journey that can a community-based and be difficult, yet so rewarding Gillis Lavalley community-created action plan in terms of the benefits for our Chair that speaks to our city’s needs youth, for whom we leave to and desires. The culmination Michael Fougere continue our legacy. of this goal represents only Mayor the first step of a very long walk. This will be a multi- generational effort, requiring the dedication of every citizen of Regina. Reconciliation must be a conscious, willful effort to achieve equality and improve the lives of all of our residents. It may be difficult at times, but we can rest 6 | RECONCILIATION REGINA, INC. COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN RECONCILIATION REGINA, INC. COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN | 7 were still forming and emerging. Metis and non-Indigenous Message from We worked with the City of leaders with experiences and Regina and others to facilitate lessons to share with each other. the Office of the initial Reconciliation In September 2019, the OTC Regina meeting in April 2017, released a Vision of Truth and the Treaty bringing together roughly Reconciliation through Treaty 60 community champions to Implementation, an attempt to Commissioner encourage honest conversations reflect the voices of thousands about the nature of successful of Saskatchewan citizens asked The Office of the Treaty Reconciliation in Regina. to describe a better future for Commissioner (OTC) has Those initial meetings in 2017 their children. It states that we been working since 2014 to brought together First Nations need to seek progress in develop a framework for Truth and Métis Knowledge Keepers, four overlapping areas: and Reconciliation through Indian Residential School Understanding our Treaty Implementation in Survivors, 60’s Scoop Survivors, Shared History; Authentic Saskatchewan. The work is and community leaders from Relationships; Vibrant based on a “Collective Impact” Regina’s Métis, First Nation and Cultures and Worldviews; approach, which suggests that non-Indigenous community. and Systems that Benefit complex issues cannot be solved Representation was sought from Us All. We’ve also been by any one group, individual, or business, faith groups, non- going through the TRC level of government, but that profits and governments of all Calls the Action, MMIWG real change requires diverse levels. Together, those Regina Calls to Justice, the UN people and perspectives working champions identified shared Declaration on the Rights together. From this, the OTC goals and principles for how best of Indigenous Peoples, has progressed three main to work together. and other important strategies: documents, to collect outcomes We are excited to see the release and indicators which can serve • To seek consensus and of Reconciliation Regina’s Action as a common framework for mobilization around a common Plan. It is the result of significant organizations, communities, vision of what success looks like; work from many members of the our province and our country Community Champions community. And it is a framework to measure whether we are • To facilitate and support on which to build the important making progress to Truth and REACH coalitions of diverse community work left to be done. Reconciliation through Treaty REACH has a human resource practice that aims to reflect the community that we are a part of, therefore we strive to have Indigenous “champions” for Truth and Implementation. In these ways staff and Board Members and volunteers. Currently 30% of our Board and 25% of our staff are Indigenous. It is also our policy to Reconciliation – building trust encourage and support leadership development for our Indigenous staff who are currently all in supervisory or management positions. and relationships that lead to The OTC looks forward to and more we will humbly offer to It is our goal to increase the Indigenous leadership and members in our organization both at the Board level and with staffing levels. action; working with Reconciliation work with Reconciliation Regina This is an operational decision of the current Executive Director and approved by the Board. Regina and its members to begin and its members to progress the REACH is dependent on partnerships for our existence; we do not exist if not for our partnerships. We currently work with and provide • To develop tools to measure to actualize and progress on Calls to Action and the Calls to support to a number of Indigenous organizations and First Nations. progress and share stories of community needs in Regina. Justice, and to create a society in We work with each group, organizations and First Nations to design and adapt our service for their needs. We continue to expand our success. There are now ten coalitions which we find the mutual benefit partnerships with various Indigenous organizations. of Truth and Reconciliation intended in the original Spirit and Board and Staff have a strong relationship with Circle Project and have partnered with them in 16 hours of training, so that we are better The OTC began working with champions across the province, Intent of Treaty. at understanding the hurt of the past, understand ceremonies and will be more open to attend Indigenous events and ceremonies. community leaders in Regina in a growing group of First Nations, 2016, back when these strategies We partner with Circle Project every year in providing a National Indigenous Peoples Day Event, to highlight Indigenous Culture and to say THANK YOU! 8 | RECONCILIATION REGINA, INC. COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN RECONCILIATION REGINA, INC. COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN | 9 Residential Schools History of Roots of the Residential School System Indigenous Peoples Sir John Colbourne and Sir Francis Bond Head supported policies to assimilate First Nations people through segregation (reserves) and education. Treaties The 1842-1844 Bagot Commission proposed that The Numbered Treaties are 11 treaties signed Indigenous children be removed from their parents’ between the Dominion of Canada and First care to better achieve assimilation through Nations people between 1871 and 1921. education. These schools were known as Indian Excerpt from Treaty No. 4: Industrial Schools. By 1847, Egerton Ryerson, the These treaties allowed the Crown to settle on That the principal conditions of the Treaties may be Superintendent for Education, recommended briefly stated as follows: and obtain resources from the land in question in religious instruction as the foundation for the 1st A Money present to each Chief of $25; to exchange for promises and goods, including reserve schools.