Three Ways to implement Indigenous reconciliation in your daily life in 2022
Chief Ian Campbell offers three ways to implement Indigenous reconciliation in your life today, with a special focus on those involved in business relationships.
Chief Ian Campbell of Squamish Nation, IPSS event chair.
1) Partner in Indigenous Renewal.
At our first event in 2020, JP Gladu told attendees that Canada needs its first entrepreneurs.
Indigenous innovators in Canada have a storied history, with commercial trading and supply networks spanning from Saskatchewan to Mexico and beyond, long before the idea of confederation was whispered.
Yet until recently, Indigenous entrepreneurs had long been excluded from the halls of corporate Canada. For generations, a cycle of poverty clouded many First Nations communities.
How do we encourage full participation in the economy by First Nations and Indigenous people? How do we renew through reconciliation, and move beyond truth and acknowledgment about harmful historical events into practical action?
Economic reconciliation is the key. Indigenous communities and the business world should pursue partnerships that make the most of Indigenous communities’ natural advantages while ensuring a strong motivating factor for their enterprise partners.
Equity and shared ownership are forms of partnership quickly emerging as the new gold standard, representing the biggest growth area of the Indigenous economy. Equity isn't just financial — it's social, too. And "social" is the "S" in ESG, a metric of increasing importance in how investment decisions are made.
If we want our workplaces and communities to be truly inclusive for the ESG era, we need to encourage open dialogue between people from different backgrounds. One way is by creating opportunities through partnerships between our organizations and Indigenous communities. After more than two decades in First Nations leadership, I can tell you that partnerships with local First Nations including my own Squamish First Nation are the way to open new possibilities. It is how we learn from each other, help one another out, and develop a sense of community together.
Full participation in the economy by First Nations and Indigenous people must be based on relationships like these. But how can businesses start down the path of building and renewing these relationships — whether they are small, medium or large enterprises?
2) Be Connected.
To commit to economic reconciliation, personally or professionally, we need look no further than connecting with local organizations that are part of a larger movement. Whether or not they’re Indigenous-led, these groups are all working toward a brighter future for all Canadians. A great place to start is by reaching out and getting involved with one.
Successful partnerships between communities and business can help strengthen understanding and, ultimately, reconciliation. What First Nations are located in the area where you do business or where you are considering a project? Learn about their culture, traditions and ways of life. Reach out and be open about your aims. You’ll likely be surprised by how many people would love an opportunity to connect with others.
If you do reach out to an Indigenous government or economic development arm, it's a chance to be open and honest as the very first gesture in building a potentially transformative relationship.
There is no fast way or instant method. Respect must be demonstrated every step along the way. Be careful to avoid stereotypes, or assuming that all First Nations Peoples share certain characteristics. Acknowledging the different languages, traditions, and unique practices goes a long way to demonstrating respect.
Connecting with Indigenous organizations, governments, and leaders must be part of a long-term journey towards authentic engagement and real change for everyone involved. If commitment is demonstrated, the benefits will come in time.
3) Be Committed.
Non-Indigenous friends often ask me what individuals can do with respect to reconciliation. What does commitment look like, and what actions can people take in the workplace and in their daily lives to contribute to reconciliation?
My answer is that it starts by breaking down walls and engaging in dialogue. In the end, partnering in Indigenous renewal is impossible without connecting with one another and demonstrating a commitment to real reconciliation.
This is a personal choice, and it can have huge impacts. A personal commitment to reconciliation in this way can have transformative impacts on you and those around you. It can contribute to personal and community renewal.
This is the vision and the transformation that we seek to encourage at our conference, the Indigenous Partnerships Success Showcase. Participating in this hybrid (live and online) event held in Vancouver will help you grow your network and your knowledge. It also represents an opportunity for you to demonstrate your commitment to reconciliation. This May, I invite you to join us in celebrating Indigenous success and becoming a partner in this vision of renewal.
Ian Campbell is a hereditary chief of the Squamish Nation and served for sixteen years as an elected councillor. He was a lead negotiator on various resource projects and in the establishment of the MST Development Corporation, which oversees land development in a joint partnership between the Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation, and the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
Chief Campbell is governance chair of the Indigenous Partnerships Success Showcase to be held at Vancouver's Fairmont Pacific Rim on May 26 and 27, 2022. For more information, visit www.indigenoussuccess.ca