Reconciliation is a word that is often used, but is not always fully understood.

Reconciliation Canada, founded in Vancouver in 2012, is a leader in guiding conversations on what reconciliation means and how it can be achieved among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

Reconciliation Canada is the vision of Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, Hereditary Chief of the Gwawaenuk First Nation, who wanted to bring all Canadians, regardless of their culture, together. “Our future and the well-being of all our children rests with the kind of relationships we build today,” said Chief Joseph.

To foster the mutually respectful relationships that help reconciliation to flourish, Reconciliation Canada has been leading programs such as national reconciliation gatherings and dialogue workshops across the country. Its two-year project, Reconciliation in Action: A National Engagement Strategy, has been selected as one of the Canada 150 Pan-Canadian signature projects. This demonstrates the importance of reconciliation to healing the wounds of a past that is scarred by colonialism and the legacy of the residential schools.

Reconciliation Canada’s work also encompasses economic reconciliation by working with communities and organizations to create opportunities and partnerships that are based on a values-driven approach to community prosperity.

To mark National Aboriginal Day in 2015, the British Columbia government provided a two-year contribution of $300,000 to Reconciliation Canada for projects that would promote reconciliation dialogues. To date, they have used part of the funding to pilot a ground-breaking program to help leaders understand and incorporate values into their organizations that promote respect and understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

Called the Reconciliation Learning Leadership Experience, the pilot was attended by young B.C. Indigenous leaders and community partners. There are plans to run further workshops next year. Reconciliation Canada also helped the Haisla Nation to hold a successful open-house gathering and produce a booklet, The Meaning of Reconciliation: Haisla Nation History, that documents the experiences and history of the Haisla people and illuminates the importance of reconciliation.

“I believe that we will only have achieved reconciliation when we no longer have to explain what it means. It isn’t something we can just talk about. It has to be backed up by our actions. We need to acknowledge past wrongs and understand we can only move forward if we acknowledge each other as equals,” said John Rustad, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.

The year 2016 is the 20th anniversary of National Aboriginal Day, a day when Canadians come together to celebrate the diverse traditions and cultures of Aboriginal people. Reconciliation is at the heart of these celebrations and the British Columbia government is pleased to partner with Reconciliation Canada to further its important work.

Quick Facts:

• National Aboriginal Day was first proclaimed by 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 British Columbia, 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/