Reconciliation: A Cornerstone of Vibrant Systems

The pain and injustice that Indigenous peoples in Canada experience was evident to me from a young age. From that young age, I saw how important their teachings and goodwill were to the building of Canada as a country. I also saw how that goodwill was betrayed through colonial actions – the impacts of which are still reverberating through the country today. 

In my studies and later on in my career, intergenerational trauma and systemic oppression always made an appearance. There is a lack of awareness about not only the psychological and social influences of trauma held within the bloodline, but also of the legalities that surround First Nation, Inuit, and Metis rights in this country. 

This ignorance often manifests as judgment or aggression, even when hopeful or beautiful stories of Reconciliation are shared. 

It is as if people were to accept the enduring mistreatment of Turtle Island’s First Peoples, they would have to accept the guilt of that mistreatment as well. However, in denying their big, uncomfortable, and painful reactions to this guilt, the mistreatment of Turtle Island’s First Peoples continues.

There is also a paralysis that exists in the Reconciliation space – and this is a paralysis I am guilty of. 

Even if a non-Indigenous person is rightfully outraged by the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples during colonization and today, there is a fear of misstepping. However, we cannot ask Indigenous peoples to do the emotional labour of hand-feeding us the ABCs of allyship. If we don’t know how to be the “perfect ally”, many of us choose not to become a vocal ally at all. 

I am very thankful for the many Indigenous Elders I have met over the years in my studies and my career, who generously shared with me their teachings and worldview. I am grateful for the experience I had working with Cree consultants, such as SevGen Consulting Inc., who coached me on the ways I needed to open my mind and heart to work with Indigenous communities in a good way. 

I am also grateful for the number one Reconciliation lesson that I eventually absorbed: relationships are the key to Reconciliation, and building relationships requires that we are willing to make mistakes in the process, with the understanding that we will learn through them. 

Being willing to be seen as a beginner – being willing to be seen as human – is key to building reciprocal relationships. 

In many ways, we are all just beginning. 

But where we are going – where our relationship-building will take us – is entirely worth the effort and the discomfort of being that beginner. 

In Vibrant Systems, whether I am working with Indigenous or non-Indigenous clients, Reconciliation is a cornerstone of the work I do, because I know that helping build bridges towards healed relationships can bring us all into a brighter future. Whether I am helping a First Nation community strengthen their community health system, or assisting a business with establishing their shared values, the positive effects of that work ripple out into the broader fabric of Canadian society. The work I do improves health, well-being, and economic opportunities of not just my clients, but the communities they are part of as well.

Reconciliation seeks to break down walls and build bridges between those who have been separated by our collective history. These bridges support our cultural fabric and sense of belonging in our diverse and beautiful country. 

My values have been positively and permanently shaped by the teachings, wisdom, and stories graciously shared with me by Cree, Blackfoot, Ojibwe, Kwa Kwaka'Wakw, Inuit, and Metis Elders I have crossed paths with throughout my life. Throughout Turtle Island, there is a wealth of traditional knowledge that contributes to environmental, economic, social, and judicial systems. We all have so much to learn if we are willing to listen.

It is this deep valuing of Reconciliation that I bring with me into every room I enter and every workshop I host.

Reconciliation As A Way Of Life

Turtle Island’s First Peoples, Settlers, and Newcomers to Canada are not the only ones with fraught histories and deep scars. 

In fact, as people, there will always be factions generating conflict. Our success comes from our ability to mediate and find peace within these conflicts. Unfortunately, this work is neglected in today’s ever-moving world. Instead, outrage is leveraged like currency in the media, with no thought to how inflammatory headlines are affecting community cohesion and well-being. 

The same lessons I learned by participating in Reconciliation-based action are relevant to each conflict we are navigating today. 

At Vibrant Systems, I have grounded myself in a non-partisan, human-focused lens. Of course, we may have conflicting opinions. But, at the end of the day, we are each just people. At the end of the day, our companies, non-profits, and communities function better when we can collaborate for a vibrant and thriving system.

This means that I am moving forward as a consultant capable of weathering the intense emotions surrounding polarizing topics and wicked problems. It also means that no matter how different our backgrounds are, if we root in respect and a desire to collaborate towards a solution, our differing experiences will only be of value to the process.

Why is this worth it? 

Because we all have people we love. When we focus our efforts on creating stronger systems that serve the people living within them, we are better able to protect and support the people we love.

All it takes is setting aside our judgments, grounding in respect for the diversity that exists around us, and understanding that even if we make mistakes, we can always learn to do better. 

Every story has a conflict. It’s in learning to overcome that conflict that we create a story that captures the attention of generations to come. Let’s make your story a vibrant one.