Blog

The Wetʼsuwetʼen protests in 2019 and 2020 were widely reported on and sparked public interest around one of many misconceptions of Hereditary Chiefs and Elected Chiefs, and what differences they have in an Indigenous community. When the elected chiefs voted TransCanada, now known as TC Energy, to allow Coastal GasLink to begin construction through their territory, the resulting reactions from the traditional hereditary chiefs, an Indigenous governance that pre-dates colonialism pushed back the project, causing costly delays for the company.

It begs the question, how can a nation have both? What happens in these instances, where they may disagree?

A frequent misconception is that Indigenous Peoples are all the same in Canada but there is a clear diversity amongst Indigenous Peoples. Linguists refer to groups of languages that are clearly distinct, yet share enough “cognate vocabulary” to suggest common ancestry and origin, as “language families”. Canada is home to eleven distinct Aboriginal language families, of which seven exist in British Columbia. Each language family is completely distinct; the specific languages within a family may be as similar as French is to Spanish and a different as Czech is to Welsh.

Language has the power to respect and honour, or, hurt and offend and that is particularly true when working across cultures. Within that frame of reference, we respectfully recommend that when working with Indigenous Peoples you have an understanding of how the historical context of certain phrases can affect your communication and relationships with Indigenous Peoples.

When communicating cross-culturally there are certain sensitivities around the language used in the letter and expectations placed on the recipient of the letter. In this article we focus on some guidelines for writing a letter to request a meeting with an Indigenous leader and provide some tips, as well as some do’s and don’ts.

When the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report was published in 2015 it revealed the reality of residential schools, the damage the schools have done to the survivors, their families, their culture, their identity, and the ongoing impacts of that damage. The TRC Report also included 94 Calls to Action (CTAs) for governments, institutions, and organizations to support reconciliation.

The TRC Report has motivated many in the public and private sectors to look within and find ways and means of enacting the relevant CTAs. Since 2015, there have been some inspiring and heartening examples of reconciliation actions, particularly in the recognition of traditional or treaty land acknowledgement at the beginning of government and corporate meetings, art events, sports events, and educational facilities.

We’ve talked about the definition of Indigenous Peoples and the constitutional significance of Indigenous or Aboriginal. In this article, we drill down on guidelines for usage. Terms for Indigenous Peoples have evolved over time and are continuing to evolve.

The First Peoples of this land now known as Canada formerly had unique communities with unique names - there wasn’t a need for collective nouns or complicated terminology. With European contact and ensuing colonization, the government required people to be defined and labelled for ease of governing.

“Which is correct? Indigenous or Aboriginal” is a frequently asked question for us at Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. The federal government’s move to first change the name of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development to Crown-Indigenous Relations Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) indicates the intent of a changing relationship with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. But it has people confused and asking which is correct. Indigenous or Aboriginal? We really appreciate the question and the motive behind the question - to respect Indigenous Peoples by using the correct terminology.

This is an article about the impact words and communications have on the recipient. I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it, the words we choose impact people. If you choose words Indigenous Peoples are comfortable with then you'll be more successful.   

Indigenous Elder or senior? Which one do you choose? When it comes to effective communications with people, not just Indigenous people, which are the focus of this blog, picking the right words can mean the difference between being effective, being mediocre, or getting yourself into outright trouble. Consider our article on Columbus discovering the new world. Clearly a case where choosing the wrong words has led to outright trouble. See our articles on the usage of "Stakeholder" and "Crown Lands" for other examples.