Kali Hines

Master Student

Dalhousie University

Implementing Annual Cultural Competency Learning for DFO Employees

Connected Conference Theme: Science, Knowledge, and Society

The Government of Canada has made commitments to reconciliation with the Indigenous communities throughout the province. Despite acceptance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, the government has made little progress towards reconciliation. Rather, the inherent Treaty rights belonging to Indigenous peoples are continuously infringed upon, resulting in unjust arrests. All Canadians have a responsibility to address the historical and present injustices imposed upon Indigenous peoples, particularly those working in the federal government. To address this problem, I propose the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) partner with the Canada School of Public Service to implement mandatory Indigenous Cultural Competency training for all federal employees. This training would be re-done yearly, and cover topics such as major historical events, Crown-Indigenous relations and Treaty rights. This model would be the first of its kind for the federal government, allowing DFO to spearhead a movement towards meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. With proper implementation, an Indigenous Cultural Competency model will allow DFO to better understand its relationship with local Indigenous peoples, and break the cycle of harm.

Disclaimer: The French version of this text has been auto-translated and has not been approved by the author.