Right Relations

What A Non-Indigenous Person Can Do Toward Right Relations

(from Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Saskatchewan)

Learn about the residential school system and its ongoing impact:

Review the Truth and Reconciliation Act
Have discussions with your family and friends
Follow Indigenous authors
Listen to survivors and their families
Avoid requesting Indigenous peoples to provide emotional labour

Donate to organizations that support survivors and their families:
The Indian Residential Schools Survivors Society
The Orange Shirt Society
Indigenous led child welfare organizations
Language revitalization, cultural and land based programs
Indigenous led community organizations, such as First Nations Child and Family Caring Society
United Church of Canada Healing Fund

Contact your MP and other elected representatives to insist they take action:

Ask that perpetrators be held accountable for their actions
Demand a comprehensive search for unmarked graves for ALL residential schools
Demand that all residential schools be protected and funded as heritage memorial sites in accordance to the wishes of First Nations communities
Demand action to end ongoing colonial violence against Indigenous children
Demand action on the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system

Prioritize safety of survivors and their families when sharing these stories:

Understand many Indigenous peoples are traumatized right now
Avoid asking survivors to share their stories, unless otherwise indicated. Survivors will let you know who is available to speak
Provide content warnings

Demand action from the Catholic Church:

Demand an apology from the Pope and the Catholic Church
Demand lands owned by the church be returned back to Indigenous communities and people
Have discussions within your church communities

Be the Change!

Here are three locally-made videos you can view about Right Relations in the Antler River Watershed Region and the First Nations of Kettle and Stony Point, Aamjiwnaang, and Walpole Island. By Sarnia video-maker Dwayne Cloes.

We Are Still Here

Interviews with three women survivors of Residential School, including the late Geraldine Roberts

Aftershock – The Second Generation Speaks

Interviews with the children of survivors, about the continuing harmful legacy of Residential Schools.

Red Dog – Self Portrait

Video portrait of Aanishinaabe painter and musician Red Dog (Jeffrey George) of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation.

Oneida – A Way Forward

The Oneida United Church congregation at the Oneida Settlement tell their story. A United Church of Canada Minute for Mission.

…Or Read a Book

These are some recommended books on First Nations culture and stories, generally with a focus on what we call Ontario:

Richard Wagamese
A Quality of Light ISBN 0-385-25606-X
Keeper ‘N Me ISBN 385-25452-0
Indian Horse ISBN 979-1-55365-5
One Native Life ISBN-13 978-1553653127
One Story One Song ISBN 978-1-77162-000-2
James Bartleman
As Long As The Rivers Flow ISBN 987-0-307-39874-1
John Milloy
A National Crime ISBN 0-88755-646-9
TRC
What We Have Learned ISBN 978-0-660-02073-0
The Survivors Speak ISBN 978-0-660-01985-7
Thomson Highway
Kiss of the Fur Queen ISBN 0-385-25652-3
David D Plain
The Plains of Aamjiwnaang ISBN-10: 1425122736
Ways of our Grandfathers ISBN-10: 1425122760
1300 Moons ISBN-10: 1426995970
Jesse Thistle
From the Ashes ISBN-13 978-1982101213
Cherie Dimaline
The Marrow Thieves ISBN-13 978-1770864863
Bob Joseph
21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act ISBN-10: 0995266522
Indigenous Relations ISBN 9781989025642
Tanya Talaga
Seven Fallen Feathers ISBN 9781487002268
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
http://trc.ca/assets/pdf/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf
Final Report of The TRC Vol. 1. Summary ISBN-10-1-4594-1067X ISBN-13: 978-1-4594-1067-1
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
http://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/11/UNDRIP_E_web.pdf