Truth and reconciliation is not a checkbox – it is an ongoing journey of learning, reflection and relationship building. At HEC, we continue to be guided by the leadership of First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners and advisors in this work.
As we share our progress through the Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan Annual Report for 2024-2025, we are also reflecting on what we learned this past year. These six insights highlight key moments of learning that are shaping how we continue to move forward together.
Ceremony is a powerful way to connect
In 2018, HEC was gifted a sacred bundle to be cared for by all staff. Over the past year staff have become more familiar with the bundle and how to care for it, including travelling with bundle items to in-person meetings and events. And for the first time, staff were invited to participate in the annual feasting of the bundle ceremony in conjunction with our all-staff in-person meeting.
These shared moments helped foster connections. As one staff member shared, “It was so special to participate in the feasting of the sacred bundle.” Staff now have a better understanding of the items that make up our bundle and how to use them meaningfully and confidently.
Discomfort is an essential part of learning
As a learning organization, we recognize growth often begins with discomfort. To commit to truth and reconciliation, we must step outside of what we already know.
This year, teams across HEC participated in workshops to create milestones to track their truth and reconciliation journey. Using a growth continuum, teams reflected on where they are now and what their ideal ways of working would look like if they were fulfilling the goals outlined in our Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan. For many teams, the workshops sparked conversations about discomfort and uncertainty as we delved into developmental evaluation together. Many staff expressed uncertainty about whether their actions would be meaningful rather than tokenistic. We used this feedback to plan learning opportunities to better support staff along this journey.
The milestones are living commitments that help teams reflect on their responsibility toward our collective commitments, define areas for improvement and recognize progress in their ways of working. They also guide planning, spark reflection and help us notice movement and gaps across programs, corporate functions, leadership and governance.
Language and terminology matter
Language and terminology carry important meaning. During learning sessions on land acknowledgements, French-speaking staff participated in facilitated discussions focused on terminology and regional context. Having these conversations in French created opportunity for deeper understanding and confidence. As one participant shared, “Being able to learn about the situation in Québec in my first language has really built confidence around land acknowledgements.”
Making time to visit helps build relationships
Operating in a virtual environment requires us to be intentional when it comes to relationship-building. To support meaningful connections between staff and the Ka-odàkedjig Elders who guide our work, we offered opportunities for one-on-one virtual coffee chats. These conversations provide a safe space for staff to ask questions about preparing to work with other partners, seek guidance on respectful protocols and continue their learning, while also building trusting personal relationships.
Experiential learning strengthens community
Experiential learning creates powerful opportunities to grow. This year, HEC’s Enabling Aging in Place program hosted an in-person workshop at Wanuskewin Heritage Park in Saskatchewan. Participants gathered in circle to learn and unlearn together, exploring equity, cultural safety and what it means to create safe and inclusive communities.
Being at Wanuskewin, a living reminder of Indigenous Peoples’ sacred relationship with the land, grounded the experience in Indigenous teachings. Being together in this gathering space highlighted the importance of relationships within communities of practice, and also with the land and all that it provides to us. At the end of the workshop, participants shared many thoughtful reflections on trust and connections. One participant expressed their appreciation for “making space for discomfort and uncertainty.”
Diverse approaches to evaluation help us grow
Truth and reconciliation work is not linear, and progress is not always easily measured using conventional evaluation tools. To better reflect the nature of this journey, our truth and reconciliation work is guided by a narrative description alongside a visual logic model that helps us understand where we are and what we need to do to keep moving forward. The developmental evaluation approach we use to track our progress will allow us to make adjustments as we learn to work in ways that are more reflective of First Nations, Inuit and Métis worldviews.
In May 2024, we were proud to share our experience co-creating this evaluation approach with Bowman Performance Consulting at the Canadian Evaluation Society’s national conference – an opportunity to learn with and from others doing similar work.
Want to learn more?
Read the report and join us as we continue to learn and move forward together along our truth and reconciliation journey.
