Reconciliation: a Future of Hope
On Monday, we came together in Withrow Auditorium to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Students and staff wore orange shirts in recognition of the more than 150,000 children forced to attend residential schools. Our speaker, Dr. Niigaan Sinclair, shared that September 30th was chosen as Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation because it was historically the day when First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation children were taken from their homes.
We learned that our speaker, Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair is Anishinaabe and was born on St. Peter's (Little Peguis) Indian Settlement in southern Manitoba. A professor at the University of Manitoba, Dr. Sinclair is also a renowned author, writer and speaker on Indigenous issues, with an award-winning column in the Winnipeg Free Press.
Speaking to our community, Dr. Sinclair explained how deepening our understanding of Indigenous history, cultures, traditions while working towards Truth and Reconciliation is vital for our future as Canadians. Indigenous population growth is outpacing average growth across Canada. As First Nations, Inuit and Metis populations grow in size, so too will they grow in influence and importance. Deepening our students’ understanding of Indigenous culture and ways of knowing prepares them for a future of shared action as they enter the workforce. Dr. Sinclair believes that educating students who represent the economic future of our country is vital. Education will ensure they are ready to build mutually beneficial relationships and work in partnership with Indigenous peoples. It is through partnership that we can create sustainable growth and economic prosperity, thereby strengthening the fabric of our nation. It was an optimistic message that pointed to a future of hope.
Also during the assembly, students and staff listened to a video of a residential school survivor speaking about the lasting impact residential school had on their life and their community. We observed a moment of silence while the names of children who died in Canada’s residential schools were displayed, and then listened to a moving performance of “Lost and Found,” composed by UTS Composer-in-Residence Cris Derksen for UTS students, played by the Junior and Senior Strings Ensemble. Cris is an internationally respected Indigenous cellist and composer from Treaty 8 Northern Alberta, and an example of one of many extraordinary Indigenous Canadians making a difference in our country.
After the assembly, our academic Department Coordinators met with Dr. Sinclair to discuss how to bring Indigenous perspectives into our school as a whole. Students and staff were given the opportunity to reflect on the keynote, and asked to commit to one action they can take this year to play their part in working towards Reconciliation, as well as to provide input on what we can do as a school.
At UTS, our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation is a mindset that we hope will encourage a more equitable school community and a more sustainable world. As families, we all have an opportunity to consider what we can do to help further the process of Reconciliation for the good of our country.
