My Journey Towards Understanding Truth and Reconciliation
26
Sep 2022
242
Photo Credit:
Chong Wei
Author: Joelle Mason, HR Generalist CPHR Candidate
This blog comes from my desire to learn more about The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. As a millennial white woman that grew up in British Columbia, I did not learn about this in school and, given the current cultural climate, I wanted to take the time to self-educate and document my personal journey in learning about the importance of this day.
What is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation?
The Government of Canada's website states “September 30, 2021, marked the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. The purpose of this day is to honour the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools."
Some Truths about Our History
Canada became a country on July 1, 1867, and just nine years later in 1876, the Indian Act was passed into law by parliament.
The Indian Act is the primary law the federal government used to administer Indian Status. This Act subsumed a number of colonial laws that aimed to eliminate First Nations culture in favour of assimilation into Euro-Canadian Society. A primary method of assimilation were government and church-sponsored, religious schools called residential schools. These schools removed children from their homes and were a system designed to kill the Indian in the child. Residential schools still impact Indigenous People through intergenerational trauma. It was shocking to learn that the last residential school only closed in 1996, when I was a child.
The Indian Act had and continues to have an enormous impact on Indigenous People. Including imposing the elected chief and band council system. Prior to European contact, many nations had their own distinctive political institutions, traditions, leadership systems, economy’s, cultures, and autonomous control over their territories and resources. Having an imposed chief and band council system placed upon them took away from their traditional methods of governing themselves. This example and much more were laid out in the eye-opening book titled 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) was created through a legal settlement between Residential school survivors, the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit representatives and the parties responsible for the creation and operation of the schools: the federal government and the church bodies. Their mandate was to inform all Canadians about what happened in residential schools.
The TRC has a recorded testimony of more than 6,000 survivors affected by residential schools. Over more than a century, it is estimated approximately 150,000 Indigenous children were separated from their families and communities and forced to attend one of 139 residential schools across Canada.
Moment of Reflection
Canada’s treatment of Indigenous people through methods imposed by the Indian Act led to many appalling and horrible consequences for their communities and culture that are still in place today.
These are facts; they are not easy, they are uncomfortable, but unfortunately, they are a reality. Part of honouring this day is acknowledging these truths as a first step to help us move toward reconciliation.
On the Road to Reconciliation
One of the most important outcomes of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada were their . 94 Calls to Action.
These calls to action outline actionable steps towards reconciliation. For example, Call to Action 80 specifically called for a statutory holiday to honour survivors, their families and communities. As a result, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is now a federally recognized statutory holiday on September 30.
Many of the TRC’s calls to action call upon the federal, provincial, municipal and territorial governments to adopt or fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. This document was adopted by the United Nations general assembly in 2007 and on June 21st, 2021, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act
received Royal Assent and came into force in Canada. This Act provides a roadmap to help guide the Government of Canada and Indigenous people to work together toward lasting reconciliation and healing.
With this knowledge and framework in mind, there are actionable steps that businesses and individuals can take toward reconciliation. For example, I met with a local Knowledge Keeper and she guided me to Call to Action 92.
This call to action is specific to the corporate sector and asks businesses to use the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources.
This call to action provides us as Human Resource professionals an excellent opportunity to collaborate and strategize toward meaningful actions in our organizations in building a reconciliation framework.
Action Steps towards Learning More About Reconciliation and Building a Framework in Your Organization
Through this process, I feel I’ve barely scratched the surface of the significance of Truth and Reconciliation. And yet, I have had the support of many individuals who took the time to help me learn more. With the knowledge and context, they provided as well as the books I read and other research completed. I would like to highlight their ideas and offer you some tactical steps as to how HR professionals can implement Call to Action 92.
- Read the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
- Read the TRCs 94 Calls to Action
- Spend time reading and learning more. Some books that were recommended to me are: 21 Things You Did Not Know About the Indian Act, Indigenous Relations - Insights Tips & Suggestions to make Reconciliation a Reality
Start with Local Understanding:
- Learn about the First Nations from where you live https://native-land.ca/
- Take some time to research about the First Nations who are traditional to your area
- Check the internet to see if there is a website or somewhere to learn more about relevant topics in their community.
- Look for an event calendar to see if you can attend an event and learn about their cultural norms.
- Be respectful, do your best to research and see what the appropriate norms when attending an event.
- Sign up for a newsletter.
- Follow content creators across different social media platforms.
- Pronunciation is important, google how to properly pronounce their traditional names.
- Educate yourself about the diversity amongst Indigenous Peoples. There might be some cultural differences to consider such as teachings around interconnectedness of all living beings and differences in communication styles. Remember, not all Indigenous people are alike and there is much diversity within communities as well.
- If possible, ensure that what you are learning has been authenticated appropriately by Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
- If you are based in Calgary this was a resource recommended to me https://calgaryfoundation.org/about-us/reconciliation/land-acknowledgement/
- Assess your current situation are you in a learning/education phase where you need to educate more about our past truths or are you in an implementation phase and are able to being incorporating reconciliation actions within your community.
- Incorporate a book club into your organization that covers the cost of books your team can read from Indigenous Authors.
- Advocate for your leadership to acknowledge National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in your organization.
- Create a standing agenda item for your team to continuously revisit Call to Action 92 and brainstorm ways to incorporate reconciliation processes into your organization.
- Ensure this is a separative initiative that is not lumped under the umbrella of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging.
- Provide resources to your team for those who want to learn more. The University of Alberta has a fee course called Indigenous Canada This course also has a paid component where certificates can be awarded upon successful completion.
- Implement professional development days that focus on Indigenous people, Metis and Inuit matters.
- Invite an Elder to your organization and ensure you follow protocols to welcome them in a good way.
As an HR Professional of a small business (26 employees), here are the actions I will take within my own company to begin incorporating Call to Action 92:
- Acknowledge National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in our organization as a Statutory Holiday.
- Send out a MS Teams Post about National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Acknowledging what has been covered in the media about Every Child Matters and create a conversation.
- Encourage our team to wear an orange shirt on September 30 and educate them on the background significance of this.
- Research local Indigenous artists to acquire our orange shirts from.
- Share Call to Action 92 with our team and brainstorm ideas as to how we can incorporate it.
- Create a standing agenda item to continuously revisit call to action 92.
- Share resources for them to learn more. For example, this free course Indigenous Canada | University of Alberta (ualberta.ca).
- Purchased alliedFutures Project Toolkit – A guided knowledge sharing series led by a community of settlers, Elders and Knowledge Keepers. It is an educational toolkit to get informed, unlearn and unsettle.
It is so important that we as HR Professionals living in Canada become educated about these issues. Incredible work on this matter has already been done and I am excited to contribute towards more actions to help support reconciliation moving forward. We would love for all of you to share with us some of your stories about how this has impacted you and how the businesses you are working for might incorporate and participate in Truth and Reconciliation.
I look forward to collaborating with all of you on our reconciliation journey.
The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.
The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.
Author: Rheya Patel, 2026 Social Media Committee Member As days become longer and the weather warms up, the first day of spring brings a sense of renewal and new beginnings. A time that feels more energizing and people are more motivated to reset their routines, look for new opportunities and clear away old habits. While spring is commonly associated with “spring cleaning” in the home, perhaps the same principal can be applies to the workplace. For organizations and HR groups, spring can be the perfect opportunity to encourage employees to reflect and construct new meaningful goals and “clean” out the “clutter” of goals that no longer help them grow or have already been achieved. Why is Spring the Perfect Time for Goal Setting? With the rush of returning to work after the holidays and resuming normal life, spring gives a perfect moment to pause and reflect. Employees can check on their progress, realign priorities and continue the year with renewed motivation. For HR teams, encouraging this reflection can re-engage employees and increase motivation. In turn, employees are more likely to be focused and productive while creating a space for meaningful conversations about growth, development, and career progression. How Can We Encourage Goal Reflection? Believe it or not, HR plays a crucial role in goal setting whether it is realized or not. Creating an open work environment where employees feel supported and encouraged with professional development is key in reflection and goal setting. Below are several ways organizations can use the season of renewal to inspire growth and goal setting. Encourage Reflection What accomplishments have employees made that they are proud of? What challenges have they faced? Asking these kind of questions and having one-on-one check-ins with employees can help support employees to openly discuss their goals and aspirations, and potentially create new goals. Promote Professional Development and Growth The arrival of spring can also create the chance to introduce new learning opportunities. Having a fresh mindset combined with training, workshops, mentorship initiatives, or skill-building programs, employees can feel more motivated and supported in pursuing growth. This helps employees expand their skillsets and strengthen the organization as a whole. Foster Collaboration and New Ideas Tying back to renewed energy, organizations can encourage teams to collaborate and share new ideas. Brainstorming sessions, innovation workshops, or team goal-setting can foster inspiration and connectivity, Having an open space for discussions can help teams align goals with organizational priorities to promote innovation and productivity. Celebrate Progress Recognizing progress along the way is essential. Celebrating achievements and acknowledging progress have a significant impact on employee morale. Employee recognition programs, team shoutouts, or words of appreciation can go a long way to remind employees how valuable their efforts and contributions are and continue to motivate them to strive towards their goals. Final Thoughts The arrival of spring represents renewal, growth, and new possibilities. For HR professionals, it’s also the opportunity to encourage employees to pause, reflect, and move through the rest of the year with renewed purpose. Encouraging goal setting, promoting professional development, fostering collaboration, and celebrating progress, can tie the season of newness to inspire meaningful growth. The new season reminds us that progress doesn’t need to start January 1st. Sometimes, a change in perspective, and a little springtime inspiration, can be the step towards pursuing new goals and growth with confidence.
As the governing voice of CPHR Alberta, the Board of Directors meets quarterly to provide oversight and guidance in several key areas. The Board, alongside CPHR Alberta operations, have began delivery on the association's new strategic priorities developed in the 2026-2028 strategic plan. To ensure transparency between our Board of Directors, members and key stakeholders, we are sharing post-meeting messages to inform the steps taken towards advancing our profession and ensuring a financially stable association. The Board of Directors met on March 14, 2026 to review organizational performance, governance matters, and strategic priorities for the coming year. The Board’s key messages for the membership are as follows: Strong Association Performance in 2025 The Board reviewed the 2025 year-end financial statements and Q4 Management Discussion & Analysis. Key highlights include: 7,332 active members in 2025 (+409), a 6% year-over-year increase Student membership drove much of the growth, strengthening the profession’s long-term pipeline 76 professional development events delivered, reaching 7,000+ participants across Alberta 2025 CPHR Alberta Conference exceeded attendance targets with strong sponsor engagement 2026 conference outlook is strong, with sponsorship commitments nearing target levels The Board approved the 2025 audited financial statements, confirming the organization remains financially stable and well-positioned to support continued growth. Strengthening the Value of Recognition of the CPHR Designation The Board reviewed updates on thought leadership, marketing, and labour-market recognition of the designation. Key insights include that 52% of qualifying HR job postings now require or prefer a CPHR designation, demonstrating strong labour-market recognition. Strategic partnerships also continue to expand, including advancement in opportunities with the Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR). Marketing initiatives and industry engagement are focused on building awareness of the designation across employers and HR professionals. The Board remains focused on protecting and strengthening the credibility and value of the designation. Self-Regulation and Advocacy The Board discussed the current self-regulation review. Governance and Board Leadership The Board received updates from its committees and discussed key governance matters, including the Finance & Audit Committee’s oversight of audited financial statements and financial performance and the Governance Committee’s work on governance policy and board practices. The Human Resources Committee also provided updates on governance processes, including expressions of interest and board director voting results. The Board also reviewed board effectiveness practices, succession planning, and interest in the Vice-Chair role as part of ensuring strong leadership continuity. Looking Ahead The Board discussed priorities for the coming months, including: Preparation for the 2026 Annual General Meeting (May 7) Continued membership growth and engagement Delivering a successful 2026 CPHR Alberta Conference (June 2-3) The Board remains focused on supporting members, advancing the HR profession, and ensuring the organization remains strong and sustainable. The next Board meeting takes place in June 2026, after which we will again share our key messages. If you have any questions regarding these key messages or the Board of Directors, please contact chair@cphrab.ca . We welcome your feedback!
The 2026 HRC West Case Competition, hosted by CPHR BC & Yukon and CPHR Alberta, concluded with outstanding student performances from across British Columbia and Alberta, showcasing the next generation of human resource professionals. The first-place team, ThriveSpire from Mount Royal University’s Bissett School of Business (Alberta), consisting of Nicole Sivertson, Brooke Jenkins, Jam Roda, and Gabrielle Vadnais, secured the $1,500 grand prize for their winning case presentation. Second place was awarded to HRInnovate from Bow Valley College (Alberta), followed by HRmony Solutions from Acsenda School of Management (British Columbia) in third and Innocore from Douglas College (British Columbia) in fourth place. This year’s competition featured 16 teams from post-secondary business schools across BC and Alberta. The exceptional quality of presentations reflected the passion, innovation, and practical expertise students will bring to the human resources profession as they begin their careers. CPHR BC & Yukon and CPHR Alberta extend their sincere thanks to all participating students, coaches, and judges for their dedication and contributions to the success of the event. Special appreciation is also extended to KPU’s Melville School of Business for hosting the 2026 HRC West Case Competition. Plans are already underway for the 2027 HRC West Case Competition, which will take place at Mount Royal University in Alberta on March 5 and 6, 2027. For more information visit: https://cphrbc.ca/hrc-west About the HRC West Case Competition The HRC West Case Competition is an annual student competition organized and co-hosted by CPHR BC & Yukon and CPHR Alberta, bringing together post-secondary students from across Western Canada to apply human resource theory to real-world business challenges while fostering professional growth, collaboration, and industry readiness. About CPHR BC & Yukon CPHR BC & Yukon is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, advocacy, awareness, and professional development opportunities. Established in 1942, the association is the Voice of the HR Profession with a mandate to enhance the profession and advance member value. The organization provides leadership to more than 8,500 members and is both a founding member of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of Canada (CPHR Canada) and the exclusive grantor of the Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation in British Columbia and the Yukon. www.cphrbc.ca Media Contact: Quinne Davey Senior Member Relations Manager, CPHR BC & Yukon quinnedavey@cphrbc.ca 604-694-6943 www.cphrbc.ca
