The CICS Plan will guide its actions to advance truth, justice and reconciliation moving forward in the upcoming years. CICS’ direction will be to build and grow our commitment to working and understanding the Indigenous Peoples by taking meaningful action that address the following:
- Actions to restore truth
- Actions to right relations and share power
- Actions for justice
These actions will contribute to the visibility and overall wellbeing of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in Toronto through increasing civic engagement, honouring Indigenous ways of knowing and being, and recognizing rights to self-determination and self-governance.
CICS will continue to collaborate with Indigenous leaders and community members to fulfill the actions within the plan, ensure transparency and accountability. It is a living document, which will evolve, as needed, to incorporate directives from any future public inquiries or calls for government action from local Indigenous communities and organizations.
CICS commits to following the Ten Guiding Principles of Truth and Reconciliation as shared by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to assist Canadians moving forward:
- The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is the framework for reconciliation at all levels and across all sectors of Canadian society.
- First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, as the original peoples of this country and as self-determining peoples, have Treaty, constitutional, and human rights that must be recognized and respected.
- Reconciliation is a process of healing of relationships that requires public truth sharing, apology, and commemoration that acknowledge and redress past harms.
- Reconciliation requires constructive action on addressing the ongoing legacies of colonialism that have had destructive impacts on Aboriginal Peoples’ education, cultures and languages, health, child welfare, the administration of justice, and economic opportunities and prosperity.
- Reconciliation must create a more equitable and inclusive society by closing the gaps in social, health, and economic outcomes that exist between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Peoples.
- All Canadians, as Treaty Peoples, share responsibility for establishing and maintaining mutually respectful relationships.
- The perspectives and understandings of Aboriginal Elders and Traditional Knowledge Carriers of the ethics, concepts, and practices of reconciliation are vital to long-term reconciliation.
- Supporting Aboriginal Peoples’ cultural revitalization and integrating Indigenous knowledge systems, oral histories, laws, protocols, and connections to the land into the reconciliation process are essential. 9. Reconciliation requires political will, joint leadership, trust building, accountability, and transparency, as well as a substantial investment of resources.
- Reconciliation requires sustained public education and dialogue, including youth engagement, about the history and legacy of residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal rights, as well as the historical and contemporary contributions of Aboriginal Peoples to Canadian society.
Current Status
| Commitment #1 | Action Plan: |
|---|---|
| CICS commits to creating training opportunities for their staff to learn about the history and its current day impacts from Aboriginal Elders and other Aboriginal partners. | Include CICS' commitment to Truth and Reconciliation with the Indigenous community as part of orientation for new staff and offer Indigenous culture competency training to staff once a year |
| Commitment #2 | Action Plan: |
| CICS commits, when working with the Aboriginal communities in Toronto, to learning about the elements of an Aboriginal holistic approach from its Aboriginal partners. CICS further commits to supporting this approach in the belief that this will provide the greatest benefit to the community being served. |
Invite Indigenous partners to consult with CICS' management team as our agency plans to build a holistic community health services hub in our head office. Learn how elements from Indigenous understanding of a healthy community can shape CICS' approach to community services. |
| Commitment #3 | Action Plan: |
| CICS commits to working with Aboriginal partners to explore ways for collaboration and partnerships and help plan, lead and deliver initiatives for local Aboriginal communities. | Identify local Indigenous populations accessible near CICS' locations and explore possibilities of collaboration and service delivery |
| Commitment #4 | Action Plan: |
| CICS commits to implementing employment practices that ensure that opportunities for employment are accessible to Aboriginal people and increases the number of Aboriginal employees at all occupational levels. | Partner with Indigenous led and serving organizations to extend employment opportunities within CICS. |
| Commitment #5 | Action Plan: |
| CICS commits to working formally and informally with all orders of government and other municipalities, institutions and community organizations to continue exploring promising practices and opportunities for collaboration on Aboriginal initiatives and to promote the interests of Aboriginal people in Toronto, as defined by the Aboriginal communities. | Partner with Indigenous led organizations to jointly apply for funding and resources to deliver Indigenous initiatives. |
| Commitment #6 | Action Plan: |
| CICS Commits to include education of our history with the Indigenous Peoples as part of our orientation for newcomers, with the goal of future generations of newcomers recognize their responsibilities towards reconciliation with the Indigenous Peoples as citizens of Canada. | Include Indigenous history in Canada as part of the orientation curriculum for newcomer clients. |