Take part in the PSAC BC Reconciliation in Action project
A call-out for photos or other visual documentation of PSAC members, Committees, Component or Local actions in relation to Reconciliation
“Truth is Hard. Reconciliation is Harder”
I think there is a growing body of reasonable people out there who are trying to figure out what to do and what they can do to contribute to the process of reconciliation but the difficulty they face, the difficulty that Canada faces generally is that there is a group of very vocal, very influential people in Canada who hold significant positions of power who are working hard against reconciliation. People who are holding positions of privilege, who are benefitting from the riches of this country that have been taken away from Indigenous people. The people who have been taught to believe that they are superior to Indigenous people and don’t want to think they are not. I said at the end of the TRC report getting to the truth was hard but getting to reconciliation will be harder because I knew that there would be people working very hard, very forcefully, even violently against reconciliation.
“And so, one of the things I make sure non-Indigenous people understand is we don’t need you to help heal us, we need you to fix yourselves. We need you to get those people out there who are perpetrating this process of working against reconciliation under control. We need you to straighten yourselves out, we don’t need you to just step forward and say well here is what we can do for you because my question is always, what are you doing for yourself? What are you doing to get rid of that violent vocal force that is holding us all back, holding us all, holding this country back? Because that is what’s going to stop reconciliation.
From a speech by the Honorable Murray Sinclair
Inspired by the speech above by the Honourable Murray Sinclair, the Indigenous Caucus of PSAC BC Region, would like to put together a visual archive of reconciliation acts performed by PSAC members.
At times, the ugliness in our nation committed by very vocal and influential people of power and privilege, seems to overwhelm positive actions making reconciliation seem futile. We know there are very many of you working hard to advance reconciliation. We want to see and share your activities, as it would be healing and can be inspiring, not only to us, but likely to the nations’ communities as whole.
Please hear our call-out and provide us with visual documentation of your activities such as photos or posters. Please share this request with your component’s executive and at any committees you participate in. PSAC members nation-wide are invited to contribute to our archive.
On September 30, 2023, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we will share a presentation of the items received.
Information for our archive can be uploaded using the form below, or sent via email to Patrick Bragg, PSAC BC, Regional Political Communications Officer.
If you have any questions, please contact: Jill MacNeill, PSAC BC’s representative on the National Indigenous People’s Circle or Alan Otrosina, PSAC BC Regional Council, Indigenous Coordinator