With gratitude to Victoria Delorme for the contributions to this writing.
September is when we recognize and remember those individuals, families and communities affected by the Indian Residential and Day Schools. 2025 is the 10th anniversary of the release of the and the . The upcoming on September 30 brings to mind a conversation I had with one of the TRC Commissioners and recipient in 2017, Marie Wilson, in June. Wilson highlighted the importance of the Commission’s . As I reflected on that conversation, I realized that, while I strive to support collaborative efforts toward reconciliation and contribute to the 雅伎著’s, and society’s, responses to the Calls to Action, I had paid little attention to the Principles. This month, I invite you to also familiarize yourself with the .
Reconciliation in Canada begins with the , adopted by the UN in 2007, and is identified as the first of the 10 Principles of Reconciliation. UNDRIP served as the framework for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s work. UNDRIP’s unique place in Canadian law was confirmed by the in 2021, a distinct statute that is now part of Canadian law. The inherent rights of Indigenous peoples are rooted in the land and are connected to their territories, resources, self-determination and cultural practices as sovereign nations. Through the strategic use of policy, Indigenous peoples are reclaiming their inherent rights. These collaborative tools specify obligations, compelling governments, institutions and sectors to safeguard Indigenous rights while encouraging respectful, reciprocal and consensual practices. Reconciliation involves remembering past systemic injustices against Indigenous peoples, addressing them, and supporting work that recognizes their inherent rights. For the 雅伎著, the principles are reflected in Braiding Past, Present, and Future; 雅伎著 Institutional Indigenous Strategic Plan.
Throughout the implementation of Braiding, I have been privileged with many opportunities to work collaboratively with incredible humans across the university community. Since 2022, the 雅伎著 continues to support Indigenous focused initiatives that support Indigenous students, encourage respectful research practices with Indigenous communities and build respectful community relationships. The Principles of Reconciliation point to the intricacy, and complexity, of implementing Braiding. For example, the inclusion of goals outlined in Braiding in plans such as Shape: A Strategic Plan of Impact 2023-33, Forward with Purpose: A Strategic Plan for Innovation 2023-33, Igniting Purpose: Student Experience Action Plan 2023–26, the People Strategy 2024–34, and A Culture of Care: 雅伎著’s Safety Action Plan (2023–25) are one demonstration of Principle 9, that says reconciliation requires joint leadership, and prevents Indigenous-focused commitments from being isolated, putting them at the heart of institutional change.
One of the roles that I have as Vice-Provost (Indigenous Programming and Research) is to share the narrative of the 雅伎著’s responses to the TRC Calls to Action. Today, I am honoured to announce the launch of the Braiding Interim Report Card, an interactive report card that aims to track the progress of Braiding’s goals and strategies. The Interim Report Card highlights the initiation and/or progress of work that has occurred between July 1, 2022, to December 31, 2024, across many institutional spaces. I acknowledge the Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members who’ve contributed to implementing Braiding and recognize the leadership of deans, administrators, and community partners.
While three years have passed since the unveiling of the 雅伎著’s inaugural Indigenous-led Indigenous Strategic Plan, Braiding Past, Present and Future; two years since the release of the TRC Report to Community Dashboard in September 2023; and 10 years have passed since the release of the TRC’s Calls to Action, the Braiding Interim Report Card provides a report on the collective work of the 雅伎著 community’s journey in living out the Principles of Reconciliation.