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 settler, a treaty-land inhabitant, and as a person working in restorative processes which are rooted in Indigenous ways of being. I reflect on what it means to live, work, and benefit from my home on unceded (never surrendered) land. As many voices have expressed, there is no reconciliation without truth. We must all be willing to look honestly at what has happened in our past and sit in the discomfort of that reality. Without this knowledge we cannot repair the broken relationships that exist between colonial powers and Indigenous Peoples.

Today I'm reflecting on the fact that Mi'kmaw have lived right here in Nova Scotia for 13,500 years. For thousands of years before contact, Mi'kmaw cared for this place, always ensuring that there was balance and harmony and enough for future generations. And yet, in a matter of centuries thanks to the incredible destruction, greed, and violence of colonization we face many horrors collectively: unmarked graves of precious children, calls to action unanswered, continued environmental destruction, overrepresentation of Indigenous people in jails, overrepresentation of Indigenous children in child welfare and foster care, and a long long history of broken promises. Individuals and systems are responsible for these harms. Indigenous perspectives are what we need, now more than ever, to restore peace and balance in our relationships with each other and with nature. We must honour Indigenous sovereignty. I am deeply grateful for Indigenous folks who are brave enough to share their stories, especially with white people who don't appreciate or recognize the sheer magnitude of that work. We settlers are so, so lucky to learn from you and yet we continue to break trust and silence you.

We at Restorative Approach commit to working on the calls to action around education (calls 62-66) to “redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation” by:

• Offering the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, a wonderful first step in treaty education, and commit to offering it on a very flexible sliding scale to all groups requesting it, so financial barriers do not impact a desire to learn

• Offering Indigenous sharing circles, led by Elder Billy Lewis, so we can experience the beauty of decolonized connection

• Prioritizing, amplifying, and centering Indigenous voices wherever possible

• Acknowledging and expressing gratitude for Indigenous contributions to the work we do in all gatherings and projects

• Continuing to build and stand in solidarity with Indigenous people and groups here in Nova Scotia and beyond

If you are new to this kind of learning, here are some helpful questions that have supported me in my journey. As individuals, employees, community members, and leaders, we can ask ourselves:

• Do I know the history of the people, nations, and treaties of the land I currently live on? What can I do to uphold the treaties where I live?

• Do I learn from, follow, read, and listen to Indigenous voices? How can I add more sources of Indigenous perspectives to my social media, book lists, TV, etc?

• How can I take in and appreciate Indigenous culture?

• What have I done to support Indigenous folks in my own community? Is there more that I can do? Can I hire Indigenous folks? Can I push for education and professional development in this area? Can I donate to Indigenous-led projects?

• What calls to action align with my talents? What specific call to action can I focus on?

• What, in my actions, supports social change?

Today you will find Billy and I at the waterfront in Halifax, appreciating the Friendship Centre’s event series. In closing I share one of my favourite quotes from a Lakota elder, in Nerburn’s The Wolf at Twilight: An Indian Elder’s Journey through a Land of Ghosts and Shadows:

“I’m not saying any of this is your fault or even that your grandparents did any of it. I’m saying it happened, and it happened on your people’s watch. You’re the one who benefited from it. It doesn’t matter that you’re way downstream from the actual events. You’re still drinking the water.”

Wela’lin!!