British Columbia is leading the way in creating conversations on reconciliation by partnering with Reconciliation Canada and the Academy of System Change to create a new program that will help leaders live, work and breathe values that promote respect and understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

The Reconciliation Leadership Learning Experience program was developed as part of B.C.’s two-year contribution of $300,000 to Reconciliation Canada on National Aboriginal Day last year. The program has been piloted with a group of young B.C. Indigenous leaders, decision-makers and community partners.

The aim of the program is to use guided conversations where participants talk about their experiences in order to develop a deeper sense of reconciliation. This kind of leadership learning experience initiative can be used by organizations around the world who want to embrace reconciliation as a core value. The outcomes from the Reconciliation Leadership Learning Experience will provide them with the knowledge and experience they will need as leaders to make reconciliation a part of their organization’s culture and actions.

Over the next year, Reconciliation Canada will continue to further the reconciliation dialogue through workshops across British Columbia.

Quotes:

John Rustad, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation –

“I believe this is the first time in Canada that this kind of program has been developed. By understanding people’s experiences, we see how reconciliation can transform the lives of individuals and how that can influence the culture of organizations. That’s an exciting prospect and I am pleased B.C. is providing the foundation for this ground-breaking program.”

Chief Robert Joseph, Reconciliation Canada –

“We need to build reconciliation into the fabric of our lives, at home and at the workplace. It is my hope that this program will help future leaders embrace reconciliation as a fundamental value of their organizations so that we can continue to take positive steps forward in this journey we are taking together.”

Quick Facts:

• National Aboriginal Day was first proclaimed by the former governor general of Canada, Roméo LeBlanc on June 13, 1996.
• There are 203 First Nations communities in British Columbia, with 34 languages and 61 dialects, more than any other province in Canada. Of the more than 232,000 Aboriginal people in B.C., the 2011 National Household Survey reported that 67% are First Nations, 30% are Métis and just under 1% are Inuit.
• Aboriginal youth are the fastest growing demographic in British Columbia.

Learn More:

Reconciliation Canada: reconciliationcanada.ca/

Academy for Systemic Change: academyforchange.org/