What should Truth and Reconciliation look like for universities?

Panelists gathered at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) discussed the complexity of reconciliation in the university community and beyond.

The purpose of the panel, “Cultivating safety and belonging,” was to engage in “meaningful conversations about reconciliation.” Held on September 26, four days before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the panel was structured around a series of questions put to four panelists invited to speak by the university’s Human Rights office.

Todd Ross, of Red River Métis ancestry, works for the Piluwitahasuwin’s (Associate Vice-President of Indigenous Engagement) office at the UNB Saint John campus.

For Ross, “Indigenous people often carry a lot of the weight” in the practical work of Reconciliation. Ross reminded the public of “the suffering that’s still happening in Indigenous communities,” referencing the recent tragic shooting deaths in communities and disappearances. Ross also commented that people must think about Indigenous issues when heading to the ballot boxes.

Next year is the tenth anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Report and “there’s a lot of work to be done.” UNB is “working to revise their own action plan,” said Ross.

Central to that action plan are a “Wabanaki Education Centre on both campuses” and “a strong relationship with First Nation communities in New Brunswick,” according to Ross. Ross stated that, for example, language is crucial and some Indigenous communities “can’t pay the language teachers enough because the government funding has been cut.”

Dr. Nadia Richards is the Associate Vice President Human Rights and Equity at UNB.

Richards stated, “we’re often not given a platform to talk about Indigenous experiences.” Panels like this “provide us time to reflect on the lives of Indigenous people and the effect of residential schools.”

Richards feels like her “responsibility is that her family is aware of the history of Indigenous peoples and that they are present and alive and part of the community.” She specified that this could come from discussions, films or other places.

Richards underlined that “it’s difficult [for BIPOC] to be the only one” in thinking about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) employment practices.

“To be the only one in trying to diversify a space is very trying,” she added. Other universities have cluster hiring practices that allow for community to be built. For Richards, this is a good practice.

Richards added, “there’s a lot of work to be done, a lot of reaching out” and “non-Indigenous people need to step up.” She added: “People are pigeon-holed into places (…) it created a systemic divide,” and concluded: “The more we engage, the more we can dismantle the divides.”

Reid Lodge is the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) lead in UNB’s Office of Research Services where they work as a program officer.

Of “White settler” descent, Reid Lodge, said that “not very much” was what they learned about Indigenous communities in the Education system. In their role as Research officer, they are often “thinking about two-eyed seeing approach in their research” and how academic research can sustainably partner with Indigenous communities.

Lodge was “surprised” that some calls to action previously asked for had already been treated but there needs to be “more than symbolic institutional change” in order to fully comply with TRC calls.

Lodge was “surprised” that some EDI calls to action previously asked for had already been treated but there needs to be “more than symbolic institutional change” in order to fully comply with EDI calls.

Besides the voluntary opportunities, there needs to be mandatory training for members of the university community about racism and EDI issues. One of the ORS asks and goals is to have an “Indigenous Research Board” to examine projects that touch on that area in any way at UNB.

Yusuf Mohamed Shire is president of the New Brunswick African Association.

Shire, as an immigrant, said he did not know much about Indigenous people. Shire shared an experience of being thirsty at a friend’s house and having to go buy water in an Indigenous community. That experience “connected [him] with where [he] came from.” As a child he had to bike for kilometres to get water in Somalia. According to Shire, “refugee camps are just like the reserves” and this is the first shock of immigrants to Canada.

For Shire, boxing “all experiences of racism up as shared” is dangerous. The New Brunswick African Association stood by Indigenous groups that refused to participate in the New Brunswick Commissioner for Systemic Racism’s study.

Shire stated, “we need to be able to move from research” to practical work, since too many files are collecting dust on government shelves. People need to “push this agenda and the cause of the Indigenous brothers and sisters.”

The panel was expertly moderated by Joanne Owuor, UNB’s Human Rights, Equity Advocacy and Education Officer. Owuor reminded the participants that this is the first of a series of panels about “Cultivating safety and belonging” on the UNB campus.

Sophie M. Lavoie is a member of the NB Media Co-op’s editorial board.

Correction: This article has been updated to clarify a quote from Reid Lodge regarding the EDI calls to action. We updated this article at approximately 8:54 a.m. on Thursday, October 3, 2024.