What do you most need, personally, to strengthen your engagement in reconciliation?

More than half of the survey respondents offered specific needs or options.

• Spaces to connect with people, and be able to ask stupid questions. Knowledge in how to be a good ally and not do harm, while also uplifting my own ancestry.
• keep learning and listening
• Clear messaging on the literal meaning of the terms reconciliation and reciprocity.
• Let go of my feeling of shame
• I’m lucky to have access to so many people, writings and activities. I need to keep reading.
• Concrete ways to make a difference. Sometimes it feels like all we do is talk. There’s a place for that but I want to see and take action.
• Continue asking questions about what more we can do individually to understand and respect what it is to learn and live with our past and move into today and future generations-teaching our children to do better then we did
• To become more comfortable sitting in the uncomfortable unknowing. Unknowing of how to move forward – if I even can
• more conversations and ability to meet in person
• Community connections to continue conversations
• Action from all sides
• I am not sure. I feel like I am heavily engaged in this work. I think taking the course I mentioned above (about the legal framework) is really where I need to focus. For me, it is about becoming informed and educated about the truths.
• More personal investment
• Greater integration of Indigenous education in community events
• Have drumming in town where town ppl attend and learn
• solidarity
• To not be made to feel guilty all the time.
• Decolonize my thinking
• Strong communal relationships
• Opportunities to personally engage, like talks and gatherings (vs in courses and books). Led forest walks!
• Tools to make change in small ways. I would like to be able to say “what is the biggest small thing I can do to be a part of reconciliation today” every day.
• Opportunities to connect with Indigenous people and know more about what they want and need.
• continued learning of history and current legislation that needs to be changed.
• Genuine work on the side of government. Honest open discussion between all parties.
• Funding to continue the Trails Working Group administration, and Cultural training for Board, Staff
• More of what’s already happening. – but less onus on the Nations to be doing the work / educating and more on us White folx to do it. Also, there has been a lot of learning, and now it is about action.
• Personally, I feel responsible to further my own learning and journey
• I think I am in a good place personally but I think there has to be more opportunities to connect leadership of the communities in a meaningful way (VOP, SLRD, Lilwat, Statimc). Once leadership can demonstrate connection, it can be modeled for community. Also, it is challenging to connect as a new individual to Lilwat-to know what is appropriate.
• I know it is a difficult process and we must acknowledge colonization. Some in my family feel very threatened when told at school or otherwise that they are invaders and this taints their interest in reconciliation which is sad.
• A safe space/group for settlers and indigenous peoples to discuss what reconciliation means.
• I’m not sure exactly where to put this but I wanted to note that the annual pemberton children’s Christmas bazaar continues to be (clearly) one of the community’s most beloved events. I believe it has proven to be one of the most organic ways of bringing the Lil’wat Nation and wider pemberton communities together under one roof. Art and craft has a way of doing that. I have had such incredible conversations, made friends, caught up with them again the following year. I believe that more such events, such as a spring or summer market, or art/craft workshops, which could perhaps have truth and reconciliation directly woven into their stated goals and values, could be something to consider.
• I would love to attend a working/reading group with a facilitator to review the TRuth and Reconciliation Calls to Action
• Unsure
• Equality amongst races.
• As a first nation person, I am still under the Indian Act and live on Indian Reserve in this year of 2023 and moving into 2024.
• Stop calling down the people!
• genuine engagement
• To be able to represent the nation without being halted at every point of uncomfortable change. To not be ignored and have municipalities take accountability of their actions or non-actions. Lots of work has been done in the past and somehow gets stopped right before installation? Signs made, and still other non-related signs are put up 13 years later. So many beneficial projects stop after so much hard work is put into it, and because why?
• Stop the racism
• As someone who is not Indigenous, I often experience a sense of isolation in the realm of reconciliation. Despite my efforts towards this goal, instances of program cutbacks and occasional ignorance from local government can be disheartening. It’s important to acknowledge that some individuals are making efforts, but when I propose ideas, like suggesting initial engagement with Lil’wat Nation members and facilitating introductions, I hope to witness meaningful engagement within our community.
• workshops, talks
• Advocacy for Individuals like Chief Dean Nelson where they also keep our Squamish Nation friends accountable for present and future business dealings in reference to the Whistler Blackcomb instance where I believe they have made some form of business dealing without Lil’wat Nation consultation/involvment.
• Too difficult to answer. Racist hate can be seen and felt. It’s like a Smokey fire. To breathe you have to give it space and get out of there.
• Understanding of Canadian public that the uncomfortable feeling is universal, that your privilege has allowed you to not experience that before now
• Land Back
• Communication with elders
• More cross cultural spaces
• Stop the colonialism now.