On this third annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Canadians from coast to coast to coast are invited to come together and commemorate both the Indigenous children who never returned home and the survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. 

At ACFO-ACAF, we are committed to utilizing our platform to advocate for better opportunities for our members who have self-identified as Indigenous, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples. This was on display during the negotiations for the most recently signed collective agreement, where we were able to secure five total days of leave, including two paid days, for self-identified Indigenous employees to engage in traditional Indigenous practices which include land-based activities like hunting, fishing, and harvesting.

Upcoming Learning Opportunities

There will be a number of upcoming opportunities for ACFO-ACAF members to attend informational sessions that will help us better understand the culture and realities of Indigenous Peoples here in Canada.

National Center for Truth and Reconciliation workshops

In the week leading up to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation will be hosting hour-long workshops every day from 1:30 to 2:30 pm ET that are free to attend. Below you can find a full list of the sessions that are being held this week and the links to the live streams:

• September 25, 2023: Indigenous Peoples and the history of residential schools
• September 26, 2023: Unconscious bias and debunking stereotypes
• September 27, 2023: Intergenerational impacts and ongoing systemic discrimination
• September 28, 2023: Indigenous Peoples’ rights and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
• September 29, 2023: Taking action towards reconciliation

If you cant make it to the live stream of a session that is of interest to you, check out the recordings on the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation’s YouTube.

EDI Learning Series

In addition, members should keep an eye on their inbox as in the next couple of weeks, we will be releasing information regarding our upcoming EDI Learning Series which will be taking place In October. ACFO-ACAF has once again partnered with trained Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada facilitators to host an EDI Learning Series session that will cover multiple topics, including:

• key similarities / differences and shared history between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples;
• the impact of residential schools, racism and microaggressions; 
• building relationships; and
• the process of individual and collective reflection on reconciliation.

Although we are yet to confirm the exact times of the event, we know that an English session will be taking place on October 23, 2023, and a French session will take place the following day on October 24, 2023. In addition to the option of attending these sessions virtually, members in the National Capital Region will be invited to participate in person at the Mikinàk Lodge, located on the grounds of the Central Experimental Farm.

Stay tuned for an email with more information on this upcoming EDI Learning Series session!

Wear orange on September 30

On September 30, we encourage all of our members to join our ACFO-ACAF staff by taking part in Orange Shirt Day. Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day inspired by the story of Indian Residential School Survivor Phyllis Webstad. You can find out more about the history of Orange Shirt Day here.

We will be sharing pictures of our staff members wearing orange on Twitter / X and LinkedIn. We also encourage you to share photos of you and your loved ones wearing orange with us!

Support Indigenous-led organizations and businesses

If you’re looking for additional ways to support Indigenous Peoples across the country, you can check out these Indigenous-led businesses, organizations, and resources that provide insight into Indigenous voices : 

• Assembly of First Nations
• Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
• Indspire
• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
• Inuit Women of Canada
• Métis Nation
• Native Northwest – Art by Indigenous Artists
• Native Women’s Association of Canada
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action