Reconciliation Action Group sees lack of progress on Calls to Action
By Lethbridge Herald on October 3, 2022.
Herald file photo by Ry Clarke
The City raises Indigenous Flags in honour of Truth and Reconciliation last week at city hall.Ry Clarke – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Reconciliation Action Group (RAG) is bringing awareness to the many Calls to Action that have not been started and the lack of projects working towards national action plans outlined by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
“RAG started as a grassroots movement to change the name of Langevin School,” said Cat Schick, member of RAG. “We came together and worked on campaigns to get the name changed […] After that we decided there is more to do, not just school name changes, but systemic anti-racism changes that need to be made. We have been slowly working on different things, looking at the 113 pathways to justice Alberta Government has put out. We base our actions on the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and we also take the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples as our guide.”
RAG is bringing awareness to the fact that only 14 per cent of the 94 Calls to Action have been completed, and only 32 projects are underway with 19 Calls having not been started, seven years after the TRC released its final report with the Calls to Action in December 2015.
“Why does it always take the public to prod and poke? Change is difficult, there is willful ignorance involved, because we are dealing with difficult issues and a difficult past. Even just accepting the truth of our history is difficult for a lot of Canadians,” said Schick. “I don’t know why it is taking so long for the government to act. They are the ones tasked to keep the system rolling and I know they are just made up of people. But they are people who were elected by the people and they are expected to do something, their jobs.”
The group is also bringing light to topics like issues in child welfare, and education on authentic connections between Indigenous and settler communities, realizing how working to build towards reconciliation impacts our everyday lives.
“You always have to be hopeful,” said Schick. “Without hope everything is lost. A lot of us have been long-time activists, we know that we are in it for the long game, and that things don’t change quickly, but you cannot lose hope. We try to center Indigenous voices and listen to them.”
Based in Calgary, the group can be found on its Facebook page at facebook.com/ReconciliACTgr.
“There are tons of resources out there, a good place to start is the University of Alberta’s online course on Indigenous Studies. The free program is packed full of information, it is a brilliant way to start,” said Schick.
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I for one am getting tired of constant, in my face reconciliation demands along with accusations that had nothing to do with me or by me.
TheTruth and Reconciliation Commission made ‘recommendations’ for actions, not actions that were mandatory to be brought forward.
Money doesn’t grow on trees! The PM has promised over $60 billion in the last year and a half for the indigenous. When will this end?
This is not reconciliation, this abuse! When the country hits a debt wall ALL ministries will be slashed, including the indigenous. That is not far off!
Reconciliation is not holding a gun to someone’s head and trying to force it to happen! From all I have seen so far, it is all about money, period!
Give me, give me, give me!
What have you done to find out what reconciliation means to our Indigenous Brothers and Sisters? Which Elders have you spoken with? If so, what did you learn from then and about your responsibility for moving forward?
“ 14 per cent of the 94 Calls to Action have been completed, and only 32 projects are underway with 19 Calls having not been started”
Having worked in government, I see this progress as astonishing , not a failure.