Thanks to Odetaan Maamwi, the ADRIO Indigenous Reconciliation and Advancement Working Group, the following declaration was approved at the ADRIO Board of Directors Meeting on May 15, 2017.

Odetaan Maamwi is the spirit name gifted through ceremony to the working group, and it is Ojibwe for:

“We reach it together”

“With all our hearts together we create this”

We Reach It Together | Nous L’atteignons Ensemble

Declaration of Commitments to Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

 Whereas:

  • Canadians generally understand that Canada’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples lacks equity and is fraught with conflict
  • The 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) produced a Final Report detailing the legacy of residential schools and 94 Calls to Action to chart a path forward towards Reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians
  • Canada has committed to a new phase of truth, Reconciliation and renewed relationships with First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples
  • All levels of government, along with businesses and not-for-profits across Canada, are taking on the challenge of responding to the Calls for Action on Truth and Reconciliation
  • Effective conflict resolution is central to those efforts in seeking Reconciliation and relationship-rebuilding
  • Many ADRIO members are already participating in conflict resolution and Reconciliation efforts related to lands and resources, social equity, and residential schools
  • ADRIO members gathered with other ADRIC affiliate members at the ADRIC 2016 national conference and collectively:
  1. Acknowledged that the ADR family of practice should become engaged in this area;
  2. Recognized how integrated Indigenous issues are with present day ADR practice;
  3. Expressed a strong desire to learn more about Reconciliation and Indigenous ways of conflict resolution;
  4. Envisioned potential reciprocal benefits of such engagement for the ADR profession, Indigenous Peoples and broader society.

We therefore commit to take action by:

  • Acknowledging that Reconciliation is a natural aspect of the practice and values of the ADR community and worthy of organization-wide effort
  • Establishing a collaborative organizational structure, the Indigenous Reconciliation and Advancement Working Group (IRAWG), to be guided by the values and planning framework adopted at the ADRIC 2016 workshop
  • Reaching out to Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, experts/knowledge keepers and appropriate organizations for guidance on what ADR practitioners and organizations need to know to become Reconciliation competent in general and in all Special Interest Section practice areas
  • Exploring, recognizing and celebrating integrated, acknowledged, and unacknowledged Indigenous Dispute Resolution approaches and applications that inform and contribute to ADR practice and values
  • Creating opportunities for membership and staff to explore the relevance of the Calls to Action on Truth and Reconciliation to ADR in Ontario, particularly with regards to lands and resources, social equity, and renewing relationships in business and governance
  • Developing internal or endorsing existing Reconciliation and Intercultural competency standards for ADR practitioners and fostering enduring partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and non-indigenous organizations that sustain high standards in these outcomes
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of our actions by measuring levels of awareness, action and collaborative partnerships

We therefore commit to the foregoing.