Monday, September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It also marks the 10th anniversary of Orange Shirt Day, a time to reflect on the dark legacy of the residential school experience, honouring the survivors and their families.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is also a good opportunity to educate ourselves and those around us and engage on actions that can be taken to achieve reconciliation.
Over the past years, our association has taken some steps toward fulfilling our commitments to the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action. We have developed a number of resources for members of the legal community to support our reconciliation journey. Programs like The Path aim to increase cultural awareness and understanding of the history of Indigenous peoples. Our Truth and Reconciliation Toolkit can be used by law firms to become better allies to Indigenous clients, engage with Indigenous advisors, and consider ways to recruit and retain Indigenous talent.
As part of our continued efforts to provide our members with the tools and training needed to help raise awareness, the CBA will also host webinars in the upcoming months on Indigenous engagement, anti-bias training and on the importance of moving beyond land acknowledgements alone.
There is still much work to be done, but the Canadian Bar Association remains committed to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Actions and to cultivating an equitable, diverse and inclusive professional community.