Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action 55.vi and vii

We call upon all levels of government to provide annual reports or any current data requested by the National Council for Reconciliation so that it can report on the progress towards reconciliation.

The reports or data would include, but not be limited to:

vi. Progress on reducing the rate of criminal victimization of Aboriginal people, including data related to homicide and family violence victimization and other crimes.

vii. Progress on reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal people in the justice and correctional systems.

Writing Quotation

You must remember, all stories start somewhere.

-- Drew Hayden Taylor

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 55.v

We call upon all levels of government to provide annual reports or any current data requested by the National Council for Reconciliation so that it can report on the progress towards reconciliation. The reports or data would include, but not be limited to:

.v Progress on eliminating the over-representation of Aboriginal children in youth custody over the next decade.

#WordWednesday

Mind your p's and q's 

I keep finding neat little tidbits when researching for my #WordWednesday posts. Here's one I found last week. When writing briefly about manual typesetting I learned that individual letter tiles (called sorts) were placed in a composing stick. Because the sorts had to go in upside down and backwards, the typesetter had to be very careful not to confuse certain letters – mainly b, d, p and q.

Hence the expression, "Mind your p's and q's." Maybe. Or maybe not.

It's also possible that this expression comes from Merry Olde England's pubs, where patrons ordered pints and quarts, sometimes overmuch. So bartenders might have cautioned them to "mind your pints and quarts" when a brawl broke out. Or, equally possibly, pub owners might have reminded their bartenders to be accurate when marking on the tally slate how many "p's" and "q's" they sold.

Perhaps the expression came from parents who expected their children to be polite by saying "please" and "thank you" at appropriate times – p for "please" and q for the last part of "thank-yous." Or it might have come from teachers who, while teaching children to print, instructed them not mix up the letters p and q. Frankly, those both seem like too much of a stretch to me. Besides, they aren't nearly as interesting as the typesetters and bartenders, though I have to admit that the politeness reminder is a better connection to today's use of the expression – to behave properly.

Another intriguing little possibility comes from the Oxford English Dictionary which cites this from Samuel Rowland's 1612 poem, Knave of Hearts: "Bring in a quart of Maligo, right true. And looke, you Rogue, that it be Pee and Kew." Sounds to me like a brand name for a good ale, though no one seems to know for sure. So maybe we're back to the pub, and maybe we're not.

Anyway, this little journey of discovery reminds me that we can journey but not always discover, no matter how well mannered, polite and careful we might be. But I'll mind my p's and q's, anyway, and suggest that you do the same.

Words for Reconciliation – an exploratory writing workshop

Together we will consider relationships between the land, environment and settlement within the context of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's work and recommendations.

Participants will write in guided exercises and then finish with a (voluntary) group piece which pulls together each person's words and ideas.

This is an informal, exploratory workshop for anyone over about ten years of age. No particular writing skill or experience is needed. All materials will be provided, though you're welcome to bring your own notebook or journal if you wish.

Offered FREE as part of the 4elements Elemental Festival

When: Sunday, October 1 from 9:30 a.m. to noon
Where: Kagawong Park Centre, upstairs

Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 55.iv

We call upon all levels of government to provide annual reports or any current data requested by the National Council for Reconciliation so that it can report on the progress towards reconciliation. The reports or data would include, but not be limited to:

Progress on closing the gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities in a number of health indicators such as:

infant mortality, 

maternal health, 

suicide, 

mental health, 

addictions, 

life expectancy, 

birth rates, 

infant and child health issues, 

chronic diseases, 

illness and injury incidence, 

and the availability of appropriate health services.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action 55.ii and 55.iii

We call upon all levels of government to provide annual reports or any current data requested by the National Council for Reconciliation so that it can report on the progress towards reconciliation. The reports or data would include, but not be limited to:

ii. Comparative funding for the education of First Nations children on and off reserves.

iii. The educational and income attainments of Aboriginal peoples in Canada compared with non-Aboriginal people.

Truth and Reconciliation Council of Canada's Call to Action 55.i

We call upon all levels of government to provide annual reports or any current data requested by the National Council for Reconciliation so that it can report on the progress towards reconciliation. The reports or data would include, but not be limited to:

i. The number of Aboriginal children—including Métis and Inuit children—in care, compared with non-Aboriginal children, the reasons for apprehension, and the total spending on preventive and care services by child-welfare agencies.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #54

We call upon the Government of Canada to provide multi-year funding for the National Council for Reconciliation to ensure that it has the financial, human, and technical resources required to conduct its work, including the endowment of a National Reconciliation Trust to advance the cause of reconciliation.

Writing Quotation

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions. ― James A. Michener 

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 53.iv

We call upon the Parliament of Canada, in consultation and collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to enact legislation to establish a National Council for Reconciliation. The legislation would establish the council as an independent, national, oversight body with membership jointly appointed by the Government of Canada and national Aboriginal organizations, and consisting of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal members.

Its mandate would include, but not be limited to, the following:

iv. Promote public dialogue, public/private partnerships, and public initiatives for reconciliation.

#WordWednesday

Two weeks ago I wrote about the ampersand, but it isn't the only symbol that is no longer part of the English alphabet. Alphabets and the languages that they symbolize change over time. The basic Old English Latin-based alphabet did not have a j, v, w, k, q or z, but it did have the ash ⟨æ⟩, eth ⟨ð⟩, thorn ⟨þ⟩ and wynn ⟨ƿ⟩.

One of the many factors that contributed to the changes was the invention and spread of the printing press. Originally, and for a long time, text that was to be printed as a broadsheet (newspaper), book or pamphlet was set up by a human typesetter. This person would insert individual letters, numbers and bits of punctuation (called sorts) onto a composing stick, each letter going in upside down and backwards so that it would appear correctly on the printed page.

Typesetters sometimes had to substitute a sort they did have for one that they did not. Done often enough, these spellings would have begun to look normal to readers and writers.

Another factor was the influence of other cultures…as is true in all times and all places. Different pronunciations, words and spellings were slowly adopted and adapted, changing ideas about what was normal.

So, sounds change, contexts change, meanings change... thereby meaning the addition or elimination of various symbols. I wonder what the English alphabet will look like in a thousand years?

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Call to Action #53.iii

Develop and implement a multi-year National Action Plan for Reconciliation, which includes research and policy development, public education programs, and resources.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Call to Action 53.ii

This call is for a National Council for Reconciliation which would include, but not be limited to, the following:

ii. Monitor, evaluate, and report to Parliament and the people of Canada on reconciliation progress across all levels and sectors of Canadian society, including the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.

TRC Call to Action #53, regarding a National Council for Reconciliation

We call upon the Parliament of Canada, in consultation and collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to enact legislation to establish a National Council for Reconciliation. The legislation would establish the council as an independent, national, oversight body with membership jointly appointed by the Government of Canada and national Aboriginal organizations, and consisting of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal members.

Its mandate would include, but not be limited to, the following:

i. Monitor, evaluate, and report annually to Parliament and the people of Canada on the Government of Canada’s post-apology progress on reconciliation to ensure that government accountability for reconciling the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and the Crown is maintained in the coming years.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 52

We call upon the Government of Canada, provincial and territorial governments, and the courts to adopt the following legal principles:

i. Aboriginal title claims are accepted once the Aboriginal claimant has established occupation over a particular territory at a particular point in time.

ii. Once Aboriginal title has been established, the burden of proving any limitation on any rights arising from the existence of that title shifts to the party asserting such a limitation.

Writing Quotation

The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning. -- Mark Twain

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #51

We call upon the Government of Canada, as an obligation of its fiduciary responsibility, to develop a policy of transparency by publishing legal opinions it develops and upon which it acts or intends to act, in regard to the scope and extent of Aboriginal and Treaty rights.

#WordWednesday

"Categories" is a game in which you try to think of words which start with a specified letter and which fit a particular category. Combinations of more than one word are acceptable (as long as they are listed in a dictionary), so "ice hockey" would qualify as a sport starting with "i," or "hockey" as an "h" sport.

The commercial version is called Scattergories, but you can play this game without spending any money. It's a good car game (talking, no writing), brain waker-upper or group game with family, friends, students…whomever…and has any number of variations to suit your group, location and time frame. When I played with my students, one person opened a book to a random page, pointed at a letter, and that was the letter we had to use with our predetermined categories. Sometimes we'd have a time limit, sometimes not.

So here are a few starter categories. Give it a try if you like word games.

Name six (or 10 or 12?) animals starting with the letter A.

Name six types of furniture starting with B.

Name six (or 15?) birds starting with the letter C.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #50 -- the first of three Calls regarding: Equity for Aboriginal People in the Legal System

50. In keeping with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal organizations, to fund the establishment of Indigenous law institutes for the development, use, and understanding of Indigenous laws and access to justice in accordance with the unique cultures of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.

TRC Call to Action #49

We call upon all religious denominations and faith groups who have not already done so to repudiate concepts used to justify European sovereignty over Indigenous lands and peoples, such as the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 48

This part falls under the RECONCILIATION section of the TRC's Calls to Action:

Settlement Agreement Parties and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

48. We call upon the church parties to the Settlement Agreement, and all other faith groups and interfaith social justice groups in Canada who have not already done so, to formally adopt and comply with the principles, norms, and standards of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a framework for reconciliation. This would include, but not be limited to, the following commitments:

i. Ensuring that their institutions, policies, programs, and practices comply with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

ii. Respecting Indigenous peoples’ right to selfdetermination in spiritual matters, including the right to practise, develop, and teach their own spiritual and religious traditions, customs, and ceremonies, consistent with Article 12:1 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

iii. Engaging in ongoing public dialogue and actions to support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

iv. Issuing a statement no later than March 31, 2016, from all religious denominations and faith groups, as to how they will implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

NOTE: Here are two sites where you can learn more about the Indian Residential School Agreement:

One site                                   Another site

LEARN about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples .

Writing Quotation

Actually, I think persistence is the most likely path to success. If you keep writing, and keep sending out your stuff, you’ll eventually hit some kind of pay dirt. The more you write, the better you get as a writer. The more you read, the better you get as a writer. Determination, having a goal in mind—like finishing a novel—and persistence when your book is rejected again and again, these are the elements of success. Fail, fail better, fail again; get back up when you fail, start over. That should be the writer’s mantra. -- Susie Moloney

TRC Call to Action #47

We are now at the halfway mark in the 94 Calls to Action.

I believe that if we want governments to repudiate such power-over concepts as the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius, we individuals must be willing to examine how similar concepts shape our own lives -- "finders keepers," "first come, first served" and other similar ideas weave through our lives. If we apply them on an individual basis, should we be surprised that governments (made up of other humans) draw on those ideas when shaping their policies?

47. We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to repudiate concepts used to justify European sovereignty over Indigenous peoples and lands, such as the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius, and to reform those laws, government policies, and litigation strategies that continue to rely on such concepts.

#WordWednesday

Do you know that several characters were removed from the English alphabet? I'll tell you about one of them here (more in future posts).

Although this symbol is in common use today, no one would consider it to be a letter. However, the "&" symbol was the 27th letter in the English alphabet in the early 1800s – x, y, z, &.

It would have sounded strange to say "x y z and" so instead, the alphabet was recited like this: "x y z and per se and." The phrase "per se" means "by itself." So students who recited the alphabet were basically saying, "x y z and by itself and."

Eventually, this odd little string of words became blurred and changed (as happens often in all languages) to the point where they went from pronouncing "and by itself and" to saying "ampersand."

The "&" symbol itself is much, much older than the word "ampersand." Roman scribes in the first century wrote in cursive. The Latin word for "and" is "et," and because it was written so often they blended the "e" and the "t" into the & symbol – exactly why we use the symbol ourselves today.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 46.vi

We call upon the parties to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement to develop and sign a Covenant of Reconciliation that would identify principles for working collaboratively to advance reconciliation in Canadian society, and that would include, but not be limited to:

vi. Enabling additional parties to sign onto the Covenant of Reconciliation.

TRC Call to Action 46.v

We call upon the parties to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement to develop and sign a Covenant of Reconciliation that would identify principles for working collaboratively to advance reconciliation in Canadian society, and that would include, but not be limited to:

v. Enabling those excluded from the Settlement Agreement to sign onto the Covenant of Reconciliation.

TRC Call to Action 46.iv

We call upon the parties to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement to develop and sign a Covenant of Reconciliation that would identify principles for working collaboratively to advance reconciliation in Canadian society, and that would include, but not be limited to:

iv. Support for the renewal or establishment of Treaty relationships based on principles of mutual recognition, mutual respect, and shared responsibility for maintaining those relationships into the future.

Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 46.iii

We call upon the parties to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement to develop and sign a Covenant of Reconciliation that would identify principles for working collaboratively to advance reconciliation in Canadian society, and that would include, but not be limited to:

iii. Full adoption and implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the framework for reconciliation.

Writing Quotation

You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.

- Madeleine L'Engle