TRC report brings communities together to change course

At a special reception Tuesday night to mark the unveiling of the Queen’s Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Task Force final report and recommendations, Principal Daniel Woolf told the crowd of students, staff, faculty, alumni, and local Indigenous community members that, “Today, our communities come together to change course.”

“By taking steps to ensure that Indigenous histories are shared, by recognizing that we can all benefit from Indigenous knowledge, and by creating culturally validating learning environments, we can begin to reduce barriers to education and create a more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse university,” said Principal Woolf.

The special event, held at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, and the TRC report represent a significant milestone for Queen’s and the local Indigenous communities, signalling a broad and sustained effort to build and improve relations, and to effect meaningful institutional change. The recommendations in the report span everything from hiring practices and programming, to research, community outreach, and the creation of Indigenous cultural spaces on campus. (More detailed list of recommendations below.)

Principal Woolf reiterated his commitment to fulfilling the recommendations in the task force’s final report, and to illustrate that commitment, he announced that the university will be creating an Office of Indigenous Initiatives in the coming months – an announcement met by a loud round of applause from the audience.

“This is just one of the task force’s many recommendations that I am committed to implementing across campus, and because I believe that we are stronger together, I welcome the rest of the Queen’s community to join me in that commitment,” he said.

Principal Woolf also stated his commitment to the TRC recommendations in a on March 7, where he acknowledged “Queen’s own history as an institution that participated in a colonial tradition that caused great harm to Indigenous People.”

‘We are making history’

Bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members, Tuesday’s event was hosted by TRC Task Force co-chairs Mark Green and Jill Scott and showcased the importance of ceremony – with a traditional Mohawk opening presented by , presentations by , an Anishinaabe Honour Song performed by the Four Directions Women Singers, and to end the evening, a Haudenosaunee Round Dance, led by performers from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, that brought guests together in a huge circle, hands linked.

“Ceremony reminds us that what we do today is important, impacting the relationships and responsibilities that we carry forward, and woven into our memory as a community,” said Dr. Brant Castellano, a member of the task force, Queen’s alumna, and pioneer and champion of Indigenous rights and education.

“We are making history,” Dr. Brant continued. “In creating the task force, Queen’s has stepped up to ask of itself: What can we do to advance reconciliation? … The task force has brought together voices from the Queen’s community saying: We can do this. We have a responsibility to do this. The report is presented to the principal, who speaks on behalf of the university. In this ceremony, all who are present become witnesses to Queen’s acknowledgement of past errors and commitment to walk together with Indigenous Peoples and others of good mind to restore and maintain a relationship of peace, friendship, and respect.”

“I would like to thank you all here today because by being here, you are showing me that you acknowledge the truths of our past, that you stand in support of these recommendations, and that you will make a commitment to seeing the recommendations through"
~ Lauren Winkler

Lauren Winkler, student and president of the Queen’s Native Student Association, as well as deputy commissioner of Indigenous affairs for the Alma Mater Society and member of the TRC Task Force, spoke about the experiences of Indigenous students and the challenges and racist encounters they face on Queen’s campus.

"Our education system has failed and is failing to educate our students at the cost of Indigenous students. The university recognizes this – it’s one of the truths in our truth and reconciliation process," said Ms. Winkler, who went on to thank Principal Woolf for his acknowledgements of the history of mistreatment of the Indigenous community and Queen’s role in perpetuating the mistreatment.

"I would like to thank you all here today because by being here, you are showing me that you acknowledge the truths of our past, that you stand in support of these recommendations, and that you will make a commitment to seeing the recommendations through," said Ms. Winkler.

The TRC Task Force’s final report, which includes reproductions of artwork included in the Indigenous art collection at the Agnes, outlines recommendations and timelines for implementation – in particular, the formation of an implementation team that will work with faculties, schools, and shared service units to expedite recommendations. The task force asks for five-year plans from the faculties, schools, and other units to be completed by fall 2017.

Queen’s Truth and Reconciliation Task Force

Read the Truth and Reconciliation Task Force Final Report (PDF 4 MB)

The Queen’s task force formed in April 2016 to begin the work of responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s final report on the history and legacy of Canada’s residential school system for Aboriginal children. Composed of Indigenous and non-Indigenous faculty, staff, students, senior administrators, and community members, the task force considered how to meaningfully respond to the TRC’s calls to action.

In addition, the task force explored how the university can play an active role in addressing the broader themes of the TRC report, including relationship-building, changing perspectives and policy, and promoting an awareness of the rights, histories, and contemporary issues of Indigenous Peoples.

The final report is titled in three languages:

Yakwanastahentéha (Mohawk)
Aankenjigemi (Ojibway)
Extending the Rafters (English)

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In the final report, and in addition to the creation of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, the task force calls for, among other things:

Continued efforts to develop and strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities in the Kingston region.
Proactive efforts to ensure that selection and nomination processes of candidates for senior administration positions and governance bodies do not unintentionally limit Indigenous candidates from consideration.
The expansion of advancement strategies to increase philanthropic funding for Indigenous initiatives, as well as the development of partnerships to proactively advocate and engage with government for system-wide programs and policies that support Indigenous students.
The creation of culturally validating spaces by incorporating Indigenous art and languages into public spaces and signage, planting traditional Indigenous plants to honour the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe Peoples, and the creation of Indigenous spaces for ceremonies and events.
The creation of new bridging and pathway programs to increase access to post-secondary education for Indigenous youth, as well as expanded recruitment and outreach initiatives into Indigenous communities. Faculties are to ensure an Aboriginal admission policy is developed to improve access in all undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.

More work to increase the number of Indigenous staff and faculty, as well as to explore ways in which to recognize traditional knowledge as a valid means of scholarly achievement in hiring practices.
Raising awareness of Indigenous-focused research occurring on campus and ensuring the necessary supports are in place to allow research in these fields to flourish.
Every program offered at Queen’s to include significant and meaningful Indigenous content, so that graduating students gain a basic understanding of Indigenous knowledge systems relevant to their discipline.
All students to receive appropriate cultural awareness training to understand the complex histories and modern realities faced by Indigenous Peoples. Additional training and resources for faculty members are required to ensure instructors are comfortable promoting dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students on Indigenous issues.
The incorporation of Indigenous ceremonies and practices into university events will also serve to foster a sense of inclusion for Indigenous students and increase awareness of Indigenous practices among non-Indigenous students, staff, and faculty.

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