Blog

As Family Day in a number of provinces across Canada approaches in February, it is important to remember the importance of family of all kinds, whether that be maternal, paternal or chosen. You can help Indigenous families out by doing small gestures to show that you care and are committed to reconciliation. Here are 6 low-cost ways of including Indigenous learning with your family.

In December of 2021, the winds of generosity rushed through the mountains and streams of British Columbia. Indigenous Corporate Training, the brainchild and prodigy of Bob Joseph, a future hereditary Chief of the Gwawaenuek First Nation, opted to donate more than $100,000.00 to various organizations. Amongst the worthwhile entities, Vancouver’s Covenant House was chosen. 

Did you know November 8 is Indigenous Veterans Day? If you are new to the knowledge of the significant contributions of Indigenous veterans during the First and Second World Wars, and the Korean War, here are some facts to pique your interest and build your knowledge.

Indigenous Peoples in Canada have fought on the front line of every major battle Canada has been involved in, and have done so with valour and distinction. It is estimated that 7,000 First Nations People served in the First and Second World Wars, and the Korean War; an unknown number of Métis, Inuit and non-Status Indians also served. However, it was not until 1995, fifty years after the Second World War that Indigenous Peoples were allowed to lay Remembrance Day wreaths at the National War Memorial to remember and honour their dead comrades.

The descendants of European settlers are brought up believing that it was their ancestors who celebrated the first thanksgiving after surviving the harsh weather, and overcoming the uncertainty of ingesting unknown plants and animals of their new “home”. This is not true. But where did it begin? Here’s a brief look at its origins.

It is vital that the commitment to Truth and Reconciliation does not fade just a few weeks after the first National Day.

Orange is the New Symbol of Truth & Reconciliation

The recent discoveries of 215 unmarked graves at a former Residential School near Kamloops, British Columbia and subsequent discoveries at other Residential Schools have brought the issue of Truth and Reconciliation sharply back into focus. While most Canadians were made aware of the excesses and degradations visited upon Indigenous children through such announcements as Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Statement of Apology in 2008, the Idle No More movement, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission with its 94 calls to action, few non-Indigenous people knew just how horrendous these “schools” were.

Written in response to the 215 unmarked graves discovered in BC in May 2021.

Trigger Warning: This article includes information about Residential School experiences