Next week, Canadians observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, or Orange Shirt Day, an important step on the road to remaking colonial relationships with Indigenous peoples.
There's always the risk that putting the date in the calendar will be taken as a sign of mission accomplished, but nothing could be farther from the truth.
In fact, recent moves by the federal and Ontario governments seem to be moving us backward, not forward. Bill C-5 in the House of Commons and Bill 5 in Ontario undermine the constitutional obligation to consult First Nations on natural resource development proposals. Mark Carney, Doug Ford and their governments have disrespected Indigenous peoples and not treated them as equal partners.
The rush to cut, dig and mine wilderness areas — many of which are Treaty territory or subject to land claims — put unions in a difficult position. On the one hand, high-paying jobs for our members would be welcome at this economically uncertain time.
But what of our obligations to support truth and reconciliation? Unions have worked hard on internal equity and being allies of Indigenous peoples. But the words of our land acknowledgements will ring allow if we desert first peoples to sit with governments and corporations to advance their interests rather than those of Indigenous peoples.
On September 30, let us all — individuals and unions — be mindful of the crimes of the past, recommit ourselves to the hard work of reconciliation, and work with and not against the aspirations of Indigenous peoples.
