Reflecting on Truth and Reconciliation Day & Treaty Day: Honouring the Past; Committing to the Future

Many communities entered a space of big grief at the sudden loss of Carol Wall, a brilliant, vibrant, and loving legend of a person.

Workplace sexual harassment is an insidious issue that affects countless individuals, particularly women and vulnerable workers, inflicting emotional and psychological harm and costing organizations immense amounts of time, energy, and resources.

When I first started working as a caseworker in restorative justice, supporting “victim”/”offender” resolution within the criminal justice system, no one told me that the process we were using was rooted in Indigenous ways of being.

De-escalation is rooted in how we use our bodies in moments of conflict. Posture, body language, eye contact, and speed of movement all send powerful messages to those around us about our intentions.

There is a growing trend of organizations going to great lengths to insulate themselves from responsibility in a way that ignores the relational, human side of conflict. There are often ways to find meaningful resolution to problems without relying on legalistic or adversarial mindsets.

For many of us, we have become accustomed to entering group conversations with certain expectations. That is, colonial systems have socialized us to take our turn, raise our hands, and answer questions in a timely manner as directed.

Today, for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, I (Shila LeBlanc, founder of Restorative Approach) am using this time to reflect on my responsibilities and obligations as a queer settler, a treaty-land inhabitant, and as a leader working in restorative processes which are rooted in Indigenous ways of being.

We are so proud to celebrate one year of fabulous restorative work in the community! The delight of doing work aligned with our visions for the future is a privilege.

The easiest way to understand trauma-informed care is its singular goal: do no further harm.

We at Restorative Approach are deeply committed to acknowledging and honouring the Indigenous roots of the restorative lens.

Happy Pride Month! We at Restorative Approach are excited to mark this occasion given that we are a completely queer-owned and queer-run.