Above: Members of Assiniboine Credit Union’s Indigenous Leadership Circle wear orange to honour the thousands of children who were sent away to residential schools. Pictured, from left, are Kirstin Witwicki, Terri Moar, Erica Lindell, Ross Kozielec and Brian McIvor.
Reconciliation
Over the course of a century, until the 1970s, tens of thousands of Indigenous children were taken from their parents and placed on trucks or buses. Parents were forced to surrender their children to Indian agents, parish priests, or RCMP officers under the threat of prosecution. The children were thrust into a world where their family connections, culture and language were systematically suppressed, and where they faced violence, illness and malnutrition. Some were shipped by train, thousands of kilometres from their homes, to be placed into institutions that were tragically foreign to them. Some never returned. This was the Canadian residential school system.
After hosting events throughout Canada, including seven large events in different cities, and collecting testimony from over 6,000 witnesses, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) presented its report in June 2015. The report detailed the strength and courage of survivors of the residential school system and shocked Canadians with stories of hardship and atrocity. The report detailed 94 specific Calls to Action, across numerous aspects of Canadian life, that are necessary to address the harms inflicted. It also sparked reconciliation efforts across the country.
After hosting events throughout Canada, including seven large events in different cities, and collecting testimony from over 6,000 witnesses, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) presented its report in June 2015. The report detailed the strength and courage of survivors of the residential school system and shocked Canadians with stories of hardship and atrocity. The report detailed 94 specific Calls to Action, across numerous aspects of Canadian life, that are necessary to address the harms inflicted. It also sparked reconciliation efforts across the country.
The Journey to Reconciliation — Me-Dian Credit Union
Above: Winnipeg’s Me-Dian Credit Union has led the way in reconciliation education for its employees. Pictured, from left, are David Lowen, Lending Analyst; Severina Curtis, Manager of Administration; Maria Almeida-Grift, Senior Administrator; and Randy Dagasdas, Interim CEO.
Originally founded in 1978 as the Métis Credit Union of Manitoba, Me-Dian Credit Union is Canada’s first Indigenous full-service financial institution.
It was previously a closed bond credit union, where all members share a distinct association based on religion, profession, culture, or other criteria. Over time, it opened up membership to the entire Indigenous population of Manitoba to include First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people.
Fast-forward to 2009 and Me-Dian opened its membership to those who are not of Indigenous heritage. Truly in the spirit of reconciliation, Me-Dian
is leading the charge to build inclusion, awareness, and respect for all Manitobans.
“The reconciliation journey is especially important to Me-Dian, as it directly ties into our values and mission,” says Interim CEO Randy Dagasdas. “But, more importantly, it deeply affects our members.”
Severina Curtis has worked with Me-Dian Credit Union for 16 years and has a wealth of experience working with its members.
“We have served many survivors of residential schools. When I first started, the majority of our staff were Indigenous.” Now that Me-Dian also employs many who do not identify as Indigenous, “we have to make sure we are being educated to have the proper understanding and compassion for our members.”
Dagasdas agrees that compassion is essential.
“We want to have a reasonable understanding of the residential schools and not be afraid to discuss them, and their legacy, when members bring up
the topic.”
Me-Dian engaged an Indigenous consultant to explain the history of the separation of Indigenous peoples from their land and culture. “We feel the process is necessary in order to move forward and we are very happy to be making real efforts in this regard,” Dagasdas says.
Me-Dian plans to continue expanding its reconciliation education efforts for staff. “Our board members are adamant that we have continuing reconciliation learning incorporated into our training.”
Dagasdas hopes reconciliation efforts across Canada and, more importantly, in Manitoba, will have a profound effect on the rest of the province and country. “But that will only happen if, as a society, we come together, acknowledge the past, and move forward with kindness.
It was previously a closed bond credit union, where all members share a distinct association based on religion, profession, culture, or other criteria. Over time, it opened up membership to the entire Indigenous population of Manitoba to include First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people.
Fast-forward to 2009 and Me-Dian opened its membership to those who are not of Indigenous heritage. Truly in the spirit of reconciliation, Me-Dian
is leading the charge to build inclusion, awareness, and respect for all Manitobans.
“The reconciliation journey is especially important to Me-Dian, as it directly ties into our values and mission,” says Interim CEO Randy Dagasdas. “But, more importantly, it deeply affects our members.”
Severina Curtis has worked with Me-Dian Credit Union for 16 years and has a wealth of experience working with its members.
“We have served many survivors of residential schools. When I first started, the majority of our staff were Indigenous.” Now that Me-Dian also employs many who do not identify as Indigenous, “we have to make sure we are being educated to have the proper understanding and compassion for our members.”
Dagasdas agrees that compassion is essential.
“We want to have a reasonable understanding of the residential schools and not be afraid to discuss them, and their legacy, when members bring up
the topic.”
Me-Dian engaged an Indigenous consultant to explain the history of the separation of Indigenous peoples from their land and culture. “We feel the process is necessary in order to move forward and we are very happy to be making real efforts in this regard,” Dagasdas says.
Me-Dian plans to continue expanding its reconciliation education efforts for staff. “Our board members are adamant that we have continuing reconciliation learning incorporated into our training.”
Dagasdas hopes reconciliation efforts across Canada and, more importantly, in Manitoba, will have a profound effect on the rest of the province and country. “But that will only happen if, as a society, we come together, acknowledge the past, and move forward with kindness.
The Journey to Reconciliation — Assiniboine Credit Union
Employees at Assiniboine Credit Union (ACU) are also learning about the personal pain and trauma Indigenous peoples suffered as a result of the cultural genocide they experienced.
“Learning is one part of our reconciliation journey,” says Brendan Reimer, Strategic Partner, Values-Based Banking. “The TRC Calls to Action include education, employment and economic impacts.”
ACU’s vision statement includes a sustainable future for all, which, when matched with one of its corporate values, diversity and inclusion, is aligned to the spirit of reconciliation.
“Reconciliation is imperative,” says Reimer. “Our vision cannot be achieved without healing harms, inequities and injustices. We need to build healthy and respectful relationships between all peoples. This journey is extremely important and valuable for the well-being of our employees, our members, and our communities.”
“Learning is one part of our reconciliation journey,” says Brendan Reimer, Strategic Partner, Values-Based Banking. “The TRC Calls to Action include education, employment and economic impacts.”
ACU’s vision statement includes a sustainable future for all, which, when matched with one of its corporate values, diversity and inclusion, is aligned to the spirit of reconciliation.
“Reconciliation is imperative,” says Reimer. “Our vision cannot be achieved without healing harms, inequities and injustices. We need to build healthy and respectful relationships between all peoples. This journey is extremely important and valuable for the well-being of our employees, our members, and our communities.”
Above: ACU staff participate in the KAIROS Blanket Exercise
Responding to the TRC Calls to Action, ACU has implemented a number of initiatives within their organization to help empower Indigenous employees and members, and to educate non-Indigenous employees. They include:
• Making both an internal and external commitment to engage in the journey of reconciliation.
• Forming an employee-led Indigenous Leadership Circle to guide the journey.
• Being a founding signatory to the Winnipeg Indigenous Accord.
• Using treaty acknowledgements at annual meetings, board meetings, and staff meetings.
• Participating in the Downtown Biz’s Indigenous Welcome Decal Program. All branches and business units now display them.
• Expanding partnerships with Indigenous employment development organizations to increase opportunities for employment at ACU.
• Expanding financial empowerment programs in partnership with Indigenous community organizations to increase financial literacy, confidence, and access to fair and affordable financial services as members of ACU.
• Attending emotionally impactful and intellectually challenging events each year, such as the Treaty 1 tour at the Manitoba Museum, sessions with elders, and the Kairos Blanket Exercise (a unique, participatory history lesson — developed in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers and educators — that fosters truth, understanding, respect and reconciliation among Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples).
Reimer says there has been very strong participation from ACU leadership at events, which demonstrates that reconciliation is a priority at ACU, and employees are very engaged.
“Our employees are learning about these brutal practices and how they resulted in stolen land and resources, lost languages and culture, broken nations and families, and inter-generational legacies of trauma. They’re also learning about Indigenous world views, cultures and traditions, medicines and food, languages, and their political, legal and human rights.”
• Making both an internal and external commitment to engage in the journey of reconciliation.
• Forming an employee-led Indigenous Leadership Circle to guide the journey.
• Being a founding signatory to the Winnipeg Indigenous Accord.
• Using treaty acknowledgements at annual meetings, board meetings, and staff meetings.
• Participating in the Downtown Biz’s Indigenous Welcome Decal Program. All branches and business units now display them.
• Expanding partnerships with Indigenous employment development organizations to increase opportunities for employment at ACU.
• Expanding financial empowerment programs in partnership with Indigenous community organizations to increase financial literacy, confidence, and access to fair and affordable financial services as members of ACU.
• Attending emotionally impactful and intellectually challenging events each year, such as the Treaty 1 tour at the Manitoba Museum, sessions with elders, and the Kairos Blanket Exercise (a unique, participatory history lesson — developed in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers and educators — that fosters truth, understanding, respect and reconciliation among Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples).
Reimer says there has been very strong participation from ACU leadership at events, which demonstrates that reconciliation is a priority at ACU, and employees are very engaged.
“Our employees are learning about these brutal practices and how they resulted in stolen land and resources, lost languages and culture, broken nations and families, and inter-generational legacies of trauma. They’re also learning about Indigenous world views, cultures and traditions, medicines and food, languages, and their political, legal and human rights.”
“This is a journey, not a project. One that will last our lifetimes and beyond. The goal is full healing and justice — full reconciliation.”
When asked if employees are learning anything about themselves through ACU’s reconciliation journey, Reimer said, “This is a more personal question, but what I hear from our employees who participate in these events is that they often were uninformed about the history, the cultural genocide, and the deliberate political policies driving it. They’re learning about the pain, trauma and abuse caused by settlers and our governments and the legacy of it all that lives on today.”
As a result, one major point — perhaps one of the biggest goals of the TRC starting the reconciliation journey in the first place — seems to have hit home for ACU employees.
“They are learning that while they may not have inflicted this pain and injustice themselves, they have gained the benefits and privileges afforded by it, and therefore have a responsibility to do the hard and courageous work of reconciliation.”
“We don’t set goals (for reconciliation) in a traditional sense,” says Reimer. “This is a journey, not a project. One that will last our lifetimes and beyond. The goal is full healing and justice — full reconciliation.”
As a result, one major point — perhaps one of the biggest goals of the TRC starting the reconciliation journey in the first place — seems to have hit home for ACU employees.
“They are learning that while they may not have inflicted this pain and injustice themselves, they have gained the benefits and privileges afforded by it, and therefore have a responsibility to do the hard and courageous work of reconciliation.”
“We don’t set goals (for reconciliation) in a traditional sense,” says Reimer. “This is a journey, not a project. One that will last our lifetimes and beyond. The goal is full healing and justice — full reconciliation.”