Tomorrow marks the second official National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - a day for people across the country to reflect on the tragic history and ongoing legacy of Residential Schools and to take action to honour survivors, their families and communities.
Brad Regehr, CBA President in 2020-2021 and first Indigenous CBA President, issued a call to action to all of us to “have the uncomfortable conversations to address our past in order to move forward”.
Reconciliation is the vehicle that will take us from the past into a more equitable future. Our association has developed a number of resources for lawyers, professors, and students to support our reconciliation journey. Programs like The Path aim to increase cultural awareness and can make a difference by raising awareness across the country. Our Truth and Reconciliation Toolkit can be used by law firms to become better allies to Indigenous clients, engage with Indigenous advisors, and consider ways to recruit and retain Indigenous talent.
But there is still much work to be done. For true reconciliation to occur, it is important to remind ourselves of our history, and also to acknowledge the issues Indigenous communities are still facing today. I invite you to use the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to educate yourself and those around you and to reflect and engage on actions that can be taken to achieve reconciliation.
At the Canadian Bar Association, we believe that when we know better, we can do better. We remain committed to cultivating an equitable, diverse and inclusive professional community, and to continue to work to build justice systems that are fair for everyone.