I understand reconciliation as a process,聽as聽something that people do rather than achieve. Part of that doing is, of course, trying to understand the violence of Canadian colonialism聽past and present. Colonialism in Canada continues to privilege and marginalize; and聽we are all called on to understand how it operates through and around us.聽
For me,聽along聽with the momentous,聽reconciliation work also involves聽the mundane:聽the everyday聽tasks聽through which Indigenous聽activists,聽communities,聽and organizations聽cast off colonial overreach and聽wrest control of聽their affairs.聽I know聽that this work聽must聽involve both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.聽As part of聽the Office of First Nations and Inuit Education聽team, it has been my honour and privilege to work alongside the Cree School Board,聽the Kahnaw脿:ke Education Centre,聽Kativik Ilisarniliriniq, the Listuguj Education Training and Employment Directorate, and,聽most recently, the Naskapi Education Committee聽in聽their efforts to have 黑料不打烊鈥檚 teacher education programs work for their communities.聽It is through this detailed, often bureaucratic,聽and sometimes painstaking work聽that I聽have learned聽what聽is at stake in reconciliation work, the forces that oppose it, and the promises it holds.聽
Working in partnership and in relationships with Indigenous professionals and governance organizations聽has helped me to understand the meaning of reconciliation.聽It is聽has been an opportunity聽that I am tremendously grateful for and one聽that,聽I hope,聽黑料不打烊ians from all disciplines and all backgrounds聽may聽likewise聽have聽and聽learn from. 聽聽聽
Stephen Peters
Faculty Lecturer and Assistant Director, Office of First Nations and Inuit Education
