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The First 42 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

By: Biola Agunbiade, Natalie Ashton, Clare Bekenn, Denise Bhargava, Darren Gresch & Julia Riddle; December 8, 2015

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Faculté des sciences sociales | Faculty of Social Sciences

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Introduction

•  Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) – Indian Residential School Settlement

• Other commissions and inquiries – Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996) – Phoenix Sinclair Inquiry (Manitoba, 2012)

• Goal: Identify the initiatives related to the first 42 Calls to Action (CTA) of the TRC

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Outline

1.  Introduction a.  Methodology

2.  Areas of Study a.  Child Welfare b.  Language and Culture c.  Education d.  Health e.  Justice

3.  Summary

3

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Methodology

•  Environmental scan of public sources – Government websites and reports –  Class presentations –  Non-governmental organizations’ websites and reports

• Non-Exhaustive

– ~200 hours of research

•  148 Initiatives –  14 in Child Welfare –  39 in Education –  10 in Language and Culture –  25 in Health –  60 in Justice

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Example # Recommendation Initiative Relevant

Organization Summary of Initiative Corresponding

Theme Relevant

background information

12 We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to develop culturally appropriate early childhood education programs for Aboriginal families.

Aboriginal Early Childhood Education (AECE) Program

Native Education College-BC

The Native Education College AECE Program trains Early Childhood Educators and care providers with a specialized Aboriginal cultural perspective. Upon completion of 500 hours of paid or volunteer work, they can apply to the ECE Registry for certification. The certificate courses are also transferable to the post-basic ECE programs in Infant and Toddler Care and Special Needs Education offered at many local colleges.

Education Child Welfare

http://www.necvancouver.org/programs/aboriginal-early-childhood-education/

First Nations Partnership Programs

University of Victoria. British Columbia Ministry of Education

This is a university accredited program of Early Childhood and Youth Care training that leads to a Diploma from the School of Child and Youth Care at the University of Victoria. It was originally developed in 1989 through a partnership between the University and the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, and uses a Generative Curriculum Model, which helps to ensure the cultural representation of communities. To date, more than 78% of students have completed the program, and 65% of graduates have initiatied new programs for children and youth.

Education http://fnpp.org/home.htm

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Child Welfare (CTA 1-5)

• Overarching goal: –  Reducing children in care

•  14 Specific Initiatives

# Recommendation Initiative Relevant Org.

Summary of Initiative Theme

1.2 Providing adequate resources to enable Aboriginal

communities and child-welfare organizations to keep

Aboriginal families together where it is safe to do so, and to

keep children in culturally appropriate environments, regardless of where they

reside;

Kwen’an’latel Intensive Parenting Program (KIP)

Hulitan Family and Community Services in Victoria

KIP works to promote healing for families to strengthen and/or maintain their cultural identities and provides culturally appropriate holistic supports to heal from the intergenerational effects of colonization and residential schools, while enhancing parenting skills.

Child Welfare

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Education (CTA 6-12) • Overarching goal:

–  Eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians

•  39 Initiatives

•  Additional Example: –  First Nations Partnership Program

•  Meadow Lake (University of Victoria)

# Recommend-ation

Initiative Relevant Org.

Summary of Initiative Theme

10.2 improving education attainment levels and

success rates

District Aboriginal Alternative Programs

Vancouver School Board

The Aboriginal Program and Services are delivered to enhance the student’s educational experiences which align with the stated goal areas of the Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement. Three District Aboriginal Alternative Programs provide enhanced support for students including counselling services, social workers, probation officers, and mental health workers.

Education

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Language & Culture (CTA 13-17) • Overarching goal:

–  Aboriginal language rights must be established and protected

•  10 Initiatives # Recommend-

ation Initiative Relevant

Org. Summary of Initiative Theme

14 We call upon the federal

government to enact a Federal Language Act

Official Languages Act-Northwest Territories

NWT Government

In June of 1984, the Legislative Assembly of the NWT passed its first Official Languages Act. Modeled on the federal Act of the same name, it had two essential purposes: the Act guaranteed equal status for the use of French and English by members of the public using government programs and services; and the Act officially recognized the Aboriginal languages in use in the NWT.

Language and Culture

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Language & Culture

•  Example initiatives: –  Aboriginal Language Initiative (Canadian Heritage) –  Provincial & Territorial Language Acts

•  Northwest Territories •  Nunavut •  British Columbia

– Maori Language Act (New Zealand)

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Health (CTA 18-24) •  25 Initiatives • Overarching goal:

–  Need to close the health outcome gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians

# Recommendation Initiative Relevant Organization

Summary of Initiative Theme

22 We call upon those who can effect change

within the Canadian health-care

system to recognize the value of Aboriginal

healing practices and use them in the

treatment of Aboriginal patients in collaboration with Aboriginal healers

and Elders where requested by

Aboriginal patients

British Columbia Tripartite Framework Agreement on First Nation Health Governance

Federal Government (Health Canada) Government of British Columbia (Ministry of Health) First Nations Health Authority First Nations Health Council

Enable First Nations in BC to participate fully in the design and delivery of these services. Decision-making will be brought closer to home through recognizing and involving First Nations decision-making and service delivery processes, structures, and institutions at provincial, regional and local levels. In particular, the Partners will nurture the partnerships between First Nations in all regions and each provincial Regional Health Authorities

Health

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Health

•  Example initiatives: –  Aboriginal Health Human Resources Initiative (Health

Canada) –  Aboriginal Healing Foundation –  Traditional Medicine Initiative (First Nations Health

Authority) –  Aboriginal Health & Wellness Strategy (Government of

Ontario)

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Justice (CTA 25-42) •  60 Initiatives • Overarching goal:

–  To eliminate the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in custody

# Recommendation Initiative Relevant Organization

Summary of Initiative Theme

30 We call upon federal, provincial, and territorial governments to commit

to eliminating the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in

custody over the next decade, and to issue

detailed annual reports that monitor and

evaluate progress in doing so.

R. Vs Gladue Supreme Court Decision

Supreme Court of Canada Department of Justice

(As) an Aboriginal person, there are special cultural considerations that the court must take into account in assessing your case. This applies to all Aboriginal peoples of Canada, including status and non-status Indian, Inuit, and Métis and whether living on or off reserve.

Justice

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Justice

•  Example initiatives: –  Youth Justice FASD Program (Asante Centre – Maple

Ridge BC) –  Community Safety Development Plans (Public Safety

Canada) –  Continuum of Care (Correctional Services of Canada)

•  8 Healing Lodges

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In summary

• Many initiatives exist across the country

•  Address underlying causes

• Uneven geographic distribution

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Questions?