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 Saskatoon Commitment to Reconciliation

TRC Calls to Action Update: January 2020

Highlights of 2019 Initiatives:

• Development of the Indigenous Technical Advisory Group (ITAG). The purpose of ITAG is to respond to Call to Action #92 and is to help ensure that the unique interests and perspectives of Indigenous peoples are acknowledged, affirmed and implemented throughout the decision-making processes of City initiatives
• The City integrated an Indigenous Procurement Protocol within its new Purchasing Policy. City staff will endeavor to purchase goods and services that have positive environmental and social attributes by considering environmental and social factors in the procurement process. The purpose of this protocol is to provide guidelines and set out the roles and responsibilities to support Indigenous procurement and in response to TRC Call to action #92
• In response to TRC Call to Action #57, the City in partnership with community stakeholders created a Communications Guide called “ayisiyiniwak Communication Manual” aimed to increase understanding, respect and awareness of Indigenous culture to facilitate improved relationship building. This is a living document that will continue to develop as our relationships and understanding grow. The first edition of the guide recently won a National Planning Excellence Award of Merit from the Canadian Institute of Planners in the category of Planning for Reconciliation.

Administration

• City Administration in partnership with Saskatoon Tribal Council, and a group of Indian Residential School Survivors applied for funding under the national Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund and created The Saskatoon Survivors Circle. The Saskatoon Survivors Circle have been meeting monthly and have been actively sharing knowledge and continuing their wellness journey. The Circle has been instrumental in addressing community concerns and actively taking a leadership role as a good place for guidance, support, and ceremonial teaching for community groups such as Reconciliation Saskatoon initiatives
• On October 25, 2019, the City signed a Protocol Agreement, Sharing Prosperity through Reconciliation, with the Saskatoon Tribal Council Chiefs. Outlined in the protocol agreement are common interests of improving the quality of life for all people living in the Greater Saskatoon area.
• The City has created an Indigenous Engagement Procedure which will be used as cooperative and respectful approach to engage with Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Engagement activities should build and enhance relationships, build knowledge of Indigenous matters and foster growth in Indigenous communities

Next Steps

In addition to the ongoing work related to the City ‘s response to the TRC s Calls to Action, the following activities are planned in 2020:

• Establishing an Interdepartmental Strategic Steering Committee (ISSC), made up of a group of leaders in the organization that champion success. This committee will be responsible for leading the internal strategic direction in relation to fulfilling the mandate of their Calls to Action. They will also lead the measurement and reporting out on the impacts and the internal changes and challenges experienced within each department, and will act as a liaison with various departments to support their journey towards fulfilling their mandates relating to the TRC Calls to Action
• Along with our community partners, we will plan an Indigenous Community Gathering/Consultation in 2020. The goal will be to effectively engage, take stock, provide feedback, and allow the opportunity to hear from the community regarding programs and services, advocacy, and overall Indigenous engagement initiatives. This process will provide a measurement of success and assist in the on-going relationship building with the Indigenous community and the City.
• SPD will continue working with CSKA to develop the career-long cultural competency training that includes components specific to police services, and will continue to offer an on-site cultural awareness learning
• Currently the Public Engagement team, Indigenous Initiatives and our many community partners are developing a specific procedure for Indigenous Engagement at the City which is planned to be completed in 2020. The detailed procedure will be appended to the Administrative Engagement Procedure once is has been completed. Engagement strategies specific to Indigenous Engagement  will address how the strategy has been developed through an Indigenous lens in order to identify potential systemic or institutional discrimination and the remediation of these so that the end strategy is inclusive to Indigenous people.

In 2023, the City launched a new Reconciliation Definition and Visual Identity. The definition reads:

“The City of Saskatoon and its employees are committed to (re)conciliation through remedying past wrongs, restoring and establishing honourable relationships, and respecting inherent and treaty rights for a thriving shared future and miyo-pimâtisiwin (The Good Life).”

The City of Saskatoon Reconciliation Visual Identity was created by a Métis graphic artist local to Saskatoon. They worked in extensive consultation with Indigenous persons of different ages, backgrounds, and lived experiences, including several Knowledge Keepers, Residential School Survivors, and Elders. The final design appears as follows:

The Reconciliation Visual Identity was installed in Council Chambers directly behind the Mayor’s dais in fall 2023.

The City of Saskatoon continues to champion and model implementing the TRC Calls to Action by working with community partners to foster and support collective movement. In doing so, the City collaborates and invests in various initiatives including Reconciliation Saskatoon. 

The City of Saskatoon co-chairs Reconciliation Saskatoon which is a collective of over 115 organizations, businesses, non-profits, faith communities and more who have come together to initiate a citywide conversation about reconciliation and provide opportunities to engage in the TRC Calls to Action.

Internally, the City has worked with a Community of Practice to assess and advance the City’s journey towards truth, reconciliation and Treaty implementation. 

The activities listed are not an exhaustive report of all of the work the City of Saskatoon is doing with respect to responding to the Calls to Action, but rather is a response to specific Calls to Action. 

Reconciliation Saskatoon 

Reconciliation Saskatoon is a collective of over 115 organizations, businesses, non-profits, faith communities and more who work to actively engage people in reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. The city’s municipal responses are found in The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action and the City of Saskatoon’s Response that summarizes the municipal strategy towards implementing the C2As and its initiatives towards collaboration. The document was recommended to City Council for their 2016 Business Plan and Budget deliberations.

The report supports the long-term strategy under our “Quality of Life” strategic goal to strengthen relations with local Aboriginal organizations. The 4-year priority to develop partnerships and programs with Aboriginal organizations that will assist in enhancing economic, employment and training opportunities is also supported.

TRC Recommendations Relevant to Municipal Governments

The following summarize the TRC’s calls to action most relevant to the City and its relationships with Aboriginal citizens:

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

Yes. In Progress. The TRC: CTAs and the City of Saskatoon’s Responses (2016) acknowledges:Adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples supporting Aboriginal rights to culture, employment, health, education and other issues, and facilitate their full participation in all matters that concern them.Actions:See “City of Saskatoon’s Response to the TRC Calls to Action and Responsibilities – January 2020 Update for complete details on current and planned actions.

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.

Limited. TRC Calls to Action Update: January 2020 Recommendation of the Committee That the Administration be directed to permanently install the Treaty Six and Métis flags within City Council Chambers and other City of Saskatoon owned and operated facilities as appropriate to recognize the importance of Treaty Relationship as a foundational basis for mutual cooperation in Saskatoon and the importance of working with Indigenous Governments toward the benefit of the whole community.

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.

Yes. Only mandatory for police officers The “TRC Call to Action Update – January 2020 states:The City developed a series of professional development workshops aimed at learning and addressing racism and discrimination in the workplace along with understanding the TRC’s Calls to Action. The new series is called Pathways to Reconciliation and has a total of five courses. Below is a list of the courses and how many City employees have been through each course: Pathway to Reconciliation Reconciliation # of Staff Participated % of staff taken training Indigenous Awareness 2917 63% Fundamentals of Cultural Competency 568 12% Understanding Racism 218 4% Resolving Conflict 465 10% Blanket Exercise 122 4% The Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Coordinator in conjunction with community partners developed an Equity and Inclusion Policy Review procedure in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, which is an initiative to review City policies and programs with an equity lens to identify potential systemic or institutional discrimination, and recommend updates to these documents to ensure they are inclusive of Indigenous people and other diversity groups. Actions: See “City of Saskatoon’s Response to the TRC Calls to Action and Responsibilities – January 2020 Update  “for complete details on current and planned actions.

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.

Not applicable.  The “TRC: C2As and the City of Saskatoon’s Response (2016)” states that “Residential schools were not located in Saskatoon and residential school children are not believed to be buried within Saskatoon. No action required.

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.

Yes. The “TRC: C2A and the City of Saskatoon’s Response (2016)” states: “Work with the City Archivist to identify any relevant material and forward these to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.”

1. Eliminate over-representation of Aboriginal people, particularly youth, in custody (#30, #38).
2. Create Aboriginal-specific victim services (#40).
3. Adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which supports Aboriginal rights to culture, employment, health, education, and other issues and facilitate their full participation in all matters that concern them (#43).
4. Reform laws and policies based on European sovereignty over Indigenous peoples and lands (#47).
5. Collaborate to develop and implement an action plan, promote public dialogue for reconciliation, and monitor and report annually on reconciliation efforts (#53).
6. Provide annual reports or any current data requested by the National Council for Reconciliation (NCR) so it can report on progress towards reconciliation (#55).
7. Educate public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples, inter-cultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism (#57).
8. Participate in a strategy to commemorate Aboriginal peoples’ history and contributions to Canada (#79).
9. Ensure Aboriginal peoples have access to jobs, training and education opportunities; and they benefit from economic development (#92).
10. Provide inclusive information about Aboriginal peoples to newcomers (#93).

City of Saskatoon Progress towards Truth and Reconciliation: 2.5 out of 4 = 62.5%

Other 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 explicitly stated in the TRC: C2A and the City of Saskatoon’s Response (2016) or in the 2021 update

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 explicitly stated in the TRC: C2A and the City of Saskatoon’s Response (2016) or in the 2021 update. The municipality delivers self-directed programs through White Buffalo Lodge and Saskatoon Tribal Council Education Corporation (STCEC) (21 June 2021): “Saskatoon Tribal Council’s (STC’s) Education Department provides educational programs and services to children and youth in Member First Nations through the STCEC. As Saskatoon’s only First Nations controlled Education Department, STCEC delivers on its mandate by supporting urban and member First Nation communities, to succeed in Education. Rather than directing the activities of its members’ local schools, STCEC recognizes the differences across communities and collaborates with them to deliver a full range of education services from Kindergarten to Grade 12”.

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.

Yes, application fees are waved.  The TRC: C2A and the City of Saskatoon’s Response (2016) states: The City does not issue official identity documents. If citizens would like to change the legal name displayed on the Assessment Notice and Property Tax Notice, they submit an application and an affidavit to Information Services Corporation (ISC). No fee is charged.

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.

Yes. Saskatoon Health region commits to reconciliation Saskatoon Health Region recognizes that First Nations and Métis people have a holistic view of health and well-being, including traditional medicines and practices that have existed since time immemorial. Health and well-being includes the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of an individual. We commit to honoring the traditional worldview, knowledge and practices of First Nations and Métis people for health and well- being.We commit to honoring the traditional worldview, knowledge and practices of First Nations and Métis people for health and well- being.

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 communities * Provide cultural competency training for all health-care professional

Yes. Saskatoon Health region commits to reconciliation The City does not have direct responsibility for health-care services in the Saskatoon region. However, we collaborate with the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR) on common Aboriginal inclusion initiatives.  The TRC: C2A and the City of Saskatoon’s Response (2016) states: * Ensure Aboriginal peoples have access to jobs, training and education opportunities; and they benefit from economic development (#92). The Director of Aboriginal Relations co-chairs the Saskatoon Regional Intersectoral Committee (SRIC)’s Saskatoon Aboriginal Employment and Economic Partnership (SAEP) Committee with Aboriginal organizations, other governments, Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA), training institutions, and other service providers to increase Aboriginal employment.  Saskatoon Health Region states: “We commit to increasing the number of First Nations and Métis employees within the Saskatoon Health Region”. The “TRC: C2A and the City of Saskatoon’s Response (2016) states: Highlights of City Activities to Increase Aboriginal Inclusion: g) The City partners with STC, GDI and other organizations on the delivery of the Urban Aboriginal Leadership Program to build capacity leading to employment.” Additional Actions to Address Recommendations: e) Implement Phase Two of Saskatoon Aboriginal Employment and Economic Partnership (SAEP) to connect Aboriginal people with employment and economic opportunities and continue to build capacity of employers in Saskatoon to develop more representative workforces.

Call to Action # 55       National CouncilWe 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

Yes. The “TRC: C2A and the City of Saskatoon’s Response (2016) states: In collaboration with OTC and community partners, report data requested by the NCR and report on progress towards the Action Plan.

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.

Yes. City of Saskatoon’s Response to the TRC Calls to Action and Responsibilities – January 2020 Update “Social Development” sits on both the partnership table and operations table for the White Buffalo Youth Lodge. The mission and vision of White Buffalo Youth Lodge (WBYL) is dedicated to improve the quality of life and heath for children, youth, young adults and their families in the inner city through integrated, holistic support services.

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.

Not applicable.  The “TRC: C2As and the City of Saskatoon’s Response (2016)” states that “Residential schools were not located in Saskatoon and residential school children are not believed to be buried within Saskatoon. No action required.

Call to Action # 87       Sports and Reconciliation We 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 explicitly stated in the TRC: C2A and the City of Saskatoon’s Response to the TRC Update (2020)

Land Acknowledgement

Located on Reconciliation Saskatoon home page. 

As we join together here today, we acknowledge we are on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. We pay our respect to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another.

Our Corporate Signature Guideline asks that every City of Saskatoon employee include as part of their signature: “Treaty 6 Territory & Homeland of the Métis”. Most employees have incorporated this.

We added resources for Land Acknowledgements to our corporate intranet for civic staff. These include sample wording (see above) as well as when and how to use a Land Acknowledgement and “tips for personalizing Acknowledgements”. In 2023, we noticed many, many more meetings including an Acknowledgement at the outset.

All corporate reports now include a Land Acknowledgement. By way of example, see our 2022-25 Strategic Plan, the 2022 City of Saskatoon Annual Report, or our annual Service, Savings & Sustainability Report.

NOTE: All content was submitted to the City of Saskatoon to ensure accuracy and currency as of the time of posting. The City of Saskatoon responded to our correspondence. Managing Editor: Douglas Sinclair: Publisher, Indigenous Watchdog Lead Researcher, Timothy Maton: Ph.D