Reconciliation Canada

Zachary Mullin, Grade 6 Student, Queen Elizabeth Elementary

Sep 19, 2014

Eleven year old Zachary Mullin learned some important life lessons while completing a recent school project.

While conducting research for a Heritage Fair project, Mullin had the opportunity to meet both Chief Robert Joseph and Robbie Waisman, a Holocaust survivor. He found both their characters and approach to reconciliation particularly inspiring.

“Chief Robert was a really warm, inspirational character. I asked him if there was anything that I could do to get involved with Reconciliation Canada,” says Mullin. “He said the best things I could do were to volunteer and spread awareness.”

Mullin took the advice to heart, and attended Reconciliation Canada event as an Outreach Volunteer over the summer.

“I think the biggest thing that I learned from doing this project is that it doesn’t matter how many things you go through in life, you can still be a great person. Chief Robert Joseph was really mistreated [while in the residential school system],” he says. “It shows that it doesn’t matter what your background is or who you are, you can still be a great person.”

Mullin’s project taught him a great deal about the importance of sharing stories and experiences for reconciliation. “Reconciliation means to me you have to recognise and listen to the survivors of events and hear their stories,” he says. “You need to spread awareness and make sure that everyone knows about it. Then you need to fix the problem and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“Learning about Reconciliation Canada, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission have definitely changed the way I think every day,” he says. “It’s so important that we all care for each other. Just doing this project has amplified that feeling by like, times ten.”

Although Mullin has completed his project – and earned an excellent grade – his work with reconciliation is far from finished.

“I plan to keep on volunteering and spreading awareness because I think that it’s really important for people my age to learn about things like [reconciliation].” He says. “We are the next generation and it’s really up to us.”

For more information:

Mullin’s project on Canada’s Jewish War Orphans Project, displayed at his school’s Heritage Fair in April 2014

Beau Dick, Northwest Coast Artist

Beau’s eyes and calm voice light up when he tells the story of Raven, the trickster whose teachings are very important to the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast.

One morning Raven woke up frustrated and confused. He was lonely and did not have someone to talk to. So he flew to the beach and sat down on a piece of drift wood. He started talking to a rock. After some time Raven noticed that the rock wasn’t responding to him. He got very angry and started punching the rock. When he saw the blood trickling down the rock, Raven lifted up his fists in victory. That’s when he realized the blood was coming from his own fist! This was a defining moment for Raven; he realized that he was only hurting himself by venting and lashing out in anger. Raven appreciated the lesson he had just learned so he bowed and thanked the rock. He then flew off and had a wonderful day.

Beau says we often act like Raven when we are angry or frustrated but even when we feel like this we need to care for each other. That is why it is crucial to reconcile. For Beau, reconciliation means “to reconnect with the Creator, no matter what religion you follow; to reconnect with Mother Earth and our responsibility to protect it by living in harmony with our fellow beings; and most of all to reconnect with each other as human beings.”

Beau believes that reconciliation is about acknowledging and accepting the truth. There are many layers and issues. Beau says “one truth is that our oceans are in crisis: overfishing, marine pollution and climate change”. Another truth is that we are on unceded territory that was taken away from Indigenous peoples through deliberate actions by the government, including the use of infectious disease to “annihilate the population on the coast and solve the Indian problem”. The Haida nation population went from an estimated 14,000 to less than 600 by 1863. The high standard of living of that civilization was crushed. The survivors were forced into submission and became underprivileged. How do we reconcile with this painful history? Beau’s answer is “if people would start realizing the truth of the injustice and what we have endured, then we are that much closer to reconciliation. When the truth is recognized it has a healing power.”

When the Idle No More movement emerged, Beau performed the copper breaking ceremony in front of the British Columbia Parliament Building in Victoria and Canadian Parliament Buildings in Ottawa “to bring attention to the social injustices and the attack on mother earth”. Copper is a symbol of truth, justice and balance. Breaking it is a reaction and a challenge; restoring it is reconciliation. Beau believes “it’s just not a First Nations issue anymore; it involves all of us together, all across the world”. Reconciliation is about truth and unity. He says “I am happy to carry the truth and reconciliation message, we are all in the same boat, we are all one: Namwayut. I am hopeful.”

For more information:

Talks from Chief Dr. Robert Joseph

Mar 2, 2014

Part 1: Culture and Ancestry

In honour of the Jack P. Blaney Award presented to Chief Dr. Robert Joseph in January 2014, the Simon Fraser University Centre for Dialogue produced a series of videos around the themes of culture and ancestry, residential schools, reconciliation and dialogue. More information about the award: www.sfu.ca/dialogue

View them all here:

Part 1: Culture and Ancestry: Chief Joseph discusses his childhood memories of Kwakwaka’wakw culture and explains why understanding the context of culture and ancestry is critical in the present day.

Part 2: Residential School Experience: Chief Joseph describes his experience at St. Michael’s Indian Residential School and how the trauma of the residential school system affected him as a young man.

Part 3: Reconciliation: Chief Joseph describes the concept of reconciliation and what this means for relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.

Tribute Video: Celebrating Chief Joseph, recipient of SFU’s 2014 Jack P. Blaney Award for Dialogue for a lifetime of outstanding achievements promoting reconciliation among Canada’s Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples.

What is Dialogue? : Chief Joseph discusses his views about the importance of dialogue and improved mutual understanding

Chief Joseph Video Tribute by SFU

Feb 18, 2014

A tribute video for Chief Robert Joseph, presented by Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Dialogue. Chief Joseph is presented with SFU’s 2014 Jack P. Blaney Award for Dialogue on January 15, 2014, for a lifetime of outstanding achievements promoting reconciliation among Canada’s Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples.