Municipal Calls to Action
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Final Report calls on municipalities to deliver specific outcomes for the following 5 Calls to Action:
| Call to Action | Description | Specific Outcome |
| C2A # 43 | UN Declaration (UNDRIP) | Fully adopt and implement UNDRIP as the framework for reconciliation |
| C2A # 47 | Royal Proclamation and Covenant | Repudiate Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius |
| C2A # 57 | PD and Training for Public Servants | Provide education to civil servants on Indigenous issues, histories and treaties |
| C2A # 75 | Missing Children and Burial Information | Develop and implement strategies and procedures for ongoing identification, documentation, maintenance, commemoration and protection of residential school cemeteries |
| C2A # 77 | National Centre for Truth and reconciliation | All archives to collaborate with National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation on collection of all records |
City of Regina Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation
In 2022, the City of Regina created an Indigenous Relations department that has been hard at work addressing our commitments to the Truth & Reconciliation’s Calls to Action for municipalities. One of the things we completed was the Indigenous Procurement Policy which as a floor of 20% of contracts being at least 50% Indigenous owned/employed.
In addition, we are currently in development of an Indigenous Framework that will weave Indigenous worldview (perspective, ways of knowing, being, learning) with the City’s western worldview via policies, practices, procedures, and programming. This work is not expected to be completed until Fall 2024 when it will go to City Council for approval.
Reconciliation Regina
In 2016, Regina City Council unanimously approved a Referral Motion moved by Mayor Fougere to honour, acknowledge, accept responsibility and participate in actions to address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada 94 Calls to Action.
The City of Regina partnered with the Office of the Treaty Commissioner and many community leaders and organizations to develop a broader community response to the Calls to Action. This led to the creation of Reconciliation Regina, the beginning of our community-led reconciliation journey now comprised of over 85 community organizations (Community Champions) – working towards the fulfillment of the Calls to Action and actions that may not directly respond to the TRC Calls to Action but have still helped increase understanding and respect towards Indigenous peoples and culture in our community.
Reconciliation Regina “Community Action Plan 2020-2021”
VISION
Reconciliation in Saskatchewan is each citizen of the province taking personal responsibility to do what they can to create an interdependent and fair society
MISSION
To encourage, advocate, support, promote, take action and facilitate truth and reconciliation initiatives at the local level, in collaboration with community stakeholders.
Click on the above link to read all 18 actions with their 46 related deliverables
Section 1 – Relationships
- Reconciliation Regina Community Action Plan Advisory Committee is formed and actively monitors action plan development and implementation.
- Maintain and build reciprocal relationships with Indigenous and non- Indigenous people, communities and organizations that benefit all and support positive reconciliation outcomes.
- Acknowledge and celebrate local, provincial, and national Indigenous dates and initiatives
of significance to strengthen and maintain relationships between Reconciliation Regina, Indigenous peoples, organizations and the community. - Raise internal and external awareness of the CAP to promote reconciliation across our community and in the surrounding region.
- Ongoing consultation and connection with Community Champions regarding our shared commitments to reconciliation in our community.
- Support external stakeholders to strengthen their commitment to reconciliation.
- Preserve the history and role of Reconciliation Regina in advancing reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and the broader community.
Section 2 – Respect
- Investigate opportunities for Indigenous cultural learning and development opportunities to increase understanding and appreciation of Indigenous peoples cultures, histories and achievements.
- Investigate opportunities for education and awareness training on the Calls to Action and engage the community in these learning opportunities.
- Increase awareness and support for campaigns that promote the advancement of reconciliation through the development of a communication strategy.
- Demonstrate respect for Indigenous peoples, communities and organizations by embedding cultural protocols in all aspects of our work.
Section 3 – Opportunities
- Investigate opportunities to engage leaders and decision-makers in the community (i.e. policy-makers, educators, influencers, etc.)
- Explore opportunities to promote and support reconciliation focused outcomes.
- Promote and support the incorporation of the TRC Calls to Action into community initiatives and events.
- Reflect on existing best practices and identify gaps and opportunities to support the future inclusion of cultural considerations and the TRC Call to Action into our work.
Section 4 – Tracking and Reporting
- Build and support the Reconciliation Regina Community Action Plan
- Report Action Plan achievements, challenges and learnings.
- Review, refresh and update the Community Action Plan
Note: The Community Action Plan 2020-2021 defers many actions to Community Champions and therefore does not provide concrete details on specific actions
City of Regina Progress in Advancing Truth and Reconciliation: 2 out of 5 = 40%
| Call to Action # 43 The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Aboriginal Peoples We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to fully adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the framework for reconciliation |
| Partial: Value statement as part of Reconciliation Regina Community Action Plan 2020-2021 p. 17 Recognition and implementation of the principles of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). |
| Call to Action # 47 Royal Proclamation and Covenant of Reconciliation We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to repudiate concepts used to justify European sovereignty over Indigenous peoples and lands, such as the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius, and to reform those laws, government policies, and litigation strategies that continue to rely on such concepts. |
| No. Not directly acknowledged by Community Action Plan 2020-2012 The Office of The Treaty Commissioner statement “welcomes today’s (March 30, 2023) formal repudiation from the Vatican of the “doctrine of discovery,” theories backed by 15th-century “papal bulls” that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Indigenous lands and form the basis of some property laws today. |
| Call to Action # 57 Professional Development and Training for Public Servants We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism. |
| Limited. Not mandatory. Community Action Plan (2020-2021) p, 45:“ Aboriginal Awareness Seminar: In response to Call to Action #57, and to meet the intent of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) MOU, City Administration organized a June 2017 Aboriginal Awareness Seminar. The seminar covered topics including terminology, demographics, Treaty rights and obligations, Metis history, the Indian Act, taxes, residential schools and reconciliation. Due to the success of this seminar, further sessions were offered. Since 2017 the City of Regina has provided training around Indigenous Awareness approximately ten times, with three additional dates being offered in 2020. The training is now broken up into two modules:Module 1- provides historical information from the first contact with Europeans to residential schoolsModule 2- is interactive and discusses reconciliation encouraging individuals to look at what they can personally do to work towards reconciliation.” |
| Call to Action # 75 Missing Children and Burial Information We call upon the federal government to work with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, churches, Aboriginal communities, former residential school students, and current landowners to develop and implement strategies and procedures for the ongoing identification, documentation, maintenance, commemoration, and protection of residential school cemeteries or other sites at which residential school children were buried. This is to include the provision of appropriate memorial ceremonies and commemorative markers to honour the deceased children. |
| Yes. Community Action Plan 2020-2021 specifically identifies the Regina Indian Industrial School Regina Indian Industrial School (RIIS) Commemorative Association: As a result of community engagement between the RIIS Commemorative Association and the City, strategies and procedures have been developed for the maintenance and protection of the RIIS cemetery. The cemetery was designated as a Municipal Heritage Property on September 26, 2016. The cemetery designation bylaw provides a detailed description of the maintenance requirement, which is the responsibility of the property owners. In 2017, the Saskatchewan Government also designated the cemetery as a Provincial Heritage Property. The City will continue to work with the RIIS Commemorative Association to ensure the heritage value of the RIIS cemetery remains. This can be achieved by enforcing its maintenance and by supporting RIIS on funding applications for commemorative and educational initiatives. The City and Stantec consulted Noel Starblanket, Life Speaker, for guidance and to ensure Indigenous protocols were followed when the City’s Trunk Relief Initiative involved invasive inspection of the area around the RIIS cemetery. |
| Call to Acton # 77 National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation We call upon provincial, territorial, municipal, and community archives to work collaboratively with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to identify and collect copies of all records relevant to the history and legacy of the residential school system, and to provide these to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. |
| No. Not directly acknowledged by Community Action Plan 2020-2021 |
Other Calls to Action
How the City of Regina address additional Calls to Action
| Call to Action # 5 Child Welfare We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to develop culturally appropriate parenting programs for Aboriginal families |
| No. Not directly acknowledged by Community Action Plan 2020-2021 |
| Call to Action # 12 Education We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to develop culturally appropriate early childhood education programs for Aboriginal families. |
| No. Not directly acknowledged by Community Action Plan 2020-2021 |
| Call to Action # 17 Language and Culture We call upon all levels of government to enable residential school Survivors and their families to reclaim names changed by the residential school system by waiving administrative costs for a period of five years for the name-change process and the revision of official identity documents, such as birth certificates, passports, driver’s licenses, health cards, status cards, and social insurance numbers. |
| No. Not directly acknowledged by Community Action Plan 2020-2021 |
| Call to Action # 22 Health We call upon those who can effect change within the Canadian health-care system to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices and use them in the treatment of Aboriginal patients in collaboration with Aboriginal healers and Elders where requested by Aboriginal patients. |
| No. Not directly acknowledged by Community Action Plan 2020-2021 |
| Call to Action # 23 Health We call upon all levels of government to:Increase the number of Aboriginal professionals working in the health care field.Ensure the retention of Aboriginal health-care providers in Aboriginal communitiesProvide cultural competency training for all health-care professional |
| Not directly. Community Action Plan 2020-2021 addresses Indigenous employment in general Aboriginal City Employees (ACE): Assist the City with inclusion and retention, as well as encourages and supports employees. ACE’s five-year Strategy (2017-2022) has four main goals: * To promote ACE within the organization; * To increase Indigenous representation within the organization; * To ensure Indigenous employees are engaged through inclusion in training, social and cultural events; * To educate and inform all City employees in their knowledge, understanding and positive working relationships with Indigenous employees and within the community. |
| Call to Action # 55 National Council We call upon all levels of government to provide annual reports or any current data requested by the National Council for Reconciliation so that it can report on the progress towards reconciliation. The reports or data would include, but not be limited to: * The number of Aboriginal children—including Métis and Inuit children—in care, compared with non-Aboriginal children, the reasons for apprehension, and the total spending on preventive and care services by child-welfare agencies. * Comparative funding for the education of First Nations children on and off reserves. * Educational and income attainments of Aboriginal peoples in Canada compared with non-Aboriginal people. * Progress on closing the gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities in a number of health indicators such as: infant mortality, maternal health, suicide, mental health, addictions, life expectancy, birth rates, infant and child health issues, chronic diseases, illness and injury incidence, and the availability of appropriate health services. * Progress on eliminating the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in youth custody over the next decade. * Progress on reducing the rate of criminal victimization of Aboriginal people, including data related to homicide and family violence victimization and other crimes. * Progress on reducing overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in justice and correctional systems |
| No. Not directly acknowledged by Community Action Plan 2020-2021 |
| Call to Action # 66 Youth We call upon the federal government to establish multi-year funding for community-based youth organizations to deliver programs on reconciliation, and establish a national network to share information and best practices. |
| No. Not directly acknowledged by Community Action Plan 2020-2021 |
| Call to Action # 76 Missing Children and Burial Information We call upon the parties engaged in the work of documenting, maintaining, commemorating, and protecting residential school cemeteries to adopt strategies in accordance with the following principles: The Aboriginal community most affected shall lead the development of such strategies. Information shall be sought from residential school Survivors and other Knowledge Keepers in the development of such strategies. Aboriginal protocols shall be respected before any potentially invasive technical inspection and investigation of a cemetery site. |
| Yes. Community Action Plan 2020-2021 specifically identifies the Regina Indian Industrial School p. 44 Regina Indian Industrial School (RIIS) Commemorative Association: As a result of community engagement between the RIIS Commemorative Association and the City, strategies and procedures have been developed for the maintenance and protection of the RIIS cemetery. The cemetery was designated as a Municipal Heritage Property on September 26, 2016. The cemetery designation bylaw provides a detailed description of the maintenance requirement, which is the responsibility of the property owners. In 2017, the Saskatchewan Government also designated the cemetery as a Provincial Heritage Property. The City will continue to work with the RIIS Commemorative Association to ensure the heritage value of the RIIS cemetery remains. This can be achieved by enforcing its maintenance and by supporting RIIS on funding applications for commemorative and educational initiatives. The City and Stantec consulted Noel Starblanket, Life Speaker, for guidance and to ensure Indigenous protocols were followed when the City’s Trunk Relief Initiative involved invasive inspection of the area around the RIIS cemetery. |
| Call to Action # 87 Sports and ReconciliationWe call upon all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, sports halls of fame, and other relevant organizations, to provide public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history. |
| No. Not directly acknowledged by Community Action Plan 2020-2021 |
Land Acknowledgement
Located on the Reconciliation Community Action Plan 2020-2021
This Acknowledgement Statement represents an act of reconciliation, honouring the land and Indigenous heritage and history that dates back thousands of years. To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory we reside on, and a way of honouring the Indigenous people who have lived here for thousands of years. It is important that we understand our history that has brought us to reside on the land, and to seek to understand our place within history.
Reconciliation Regina acknowledges that we are on traditional lands of the Treaty 4 Territory, a Treaty signed with 35 First Nations across Southern Saskatchewan and parts of Alberta and Manitoba and the original lands of the Cree, Saulteaux (SO-TO), Dakota, Nakota, Lakota, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.
| NOTE: All content was submitted to the City of Regina to ensure accuracy and currency as of the time of posting. The City of Regina responded to our correspondence. Managing Editor: Douglas Sinclair: Publisher, Indigenous Watchdog Lead Researcher, Timothy Maton: Ph.D |