Sept. 30 was historic as we recognized our first Day for Truth and Reconciliation in our province and across Canada. It was a day for somber reflection as we honoured the victims and survivors of residential schools and considered how that legacy has affected Indigenous communities.
As part of our Sept. 30 reflections, GSU staff considered how GSU has participated in the truth and reconciliation process, and what we can do going forward.
Some of our plans for 2021 – such as holding the blanket exercise at the March 2021 GSU biennial policy convention and distributing orange shirts at the Sept. 24 Joint Executive Council meeting – were thwarted by COVID and the cancellation of scheduled in-person gatherings. We have been successful in beginning to incorporate land acknowledgements into GSU gatherings and we have encouraged member participation in the Truth and Reconciliation process by sharing information and links in several of our Tuesday Members’ Memo communications. GSU has also encouraged members and officers to attend training at the Canadian Labour Congress/Saskatchewan Federation of Labour’s annual Spring School, where a course on Turtle Island is a popular option.
We will continue working toward increased participation and education in the remainder of the year and the coming new year.
If you have suggestions or would like to be considered for GSU or labour-sponsored training opportunities that include truth and reconciliation education, contact Steve Torgerson at GSU’s Regina office.