Reconciliation within the Academy: Why is Indigenization so Difficult?
The release of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's 94 "Calls to Action" in 2015 has proven to be a watershed moment in the history of the relationship between Canada and Canadian Indigenous Peoples. Many institutions at many levels began struggling with the process of reconciliation within the framework of their day-to-day operations and mandates. It is becoming evident to anybody who is closely watching this process unfold in many different settings across the country, that it is a lot harder than it may have seemed at first glance. Typically, everyone starts off with the best of intentions, and often with considerable enthusiasm, but it is not unusual to see what turns out to be a complex change and development processes falter, or even stall somewhere along the way as the rubber hits the road in terms of actual implementation. In our view, the struggle to implement the Royal Commission on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is one such very public process. Struggles between student groups and university authorities in multiple settings across the country over such issues as whether or not to celebrate Canada 150, or whether time honoured historical connections to the origins of the institution should be purged - these are all symptoms of a much deeper struggle that is ongoing in the heart of the academy. Post-secondary institutions are on the front lines of this change process in our country. A very high proportion of colleges and universities have some kind of "Indigenization" strategy which they are either developing or struggling to implement. This discussion paper will highlight some of the critical realities and obstacles that make the process of "Indigenization" so very challenging. We will go on to suggest ways of working through these challenges, and of supporting and nurturing the processes of growth and development that need to happen in order to reach the goals of a reconciliation agenda. The observations in this discussion paper are rooted in practice. We have worked with a variety of post-secondary institutions over many years, as instructors and researchers, as the developer and implementer of programs oriented to the learning needs of Indigenous students and communities, and as consultants supporting the institutional learning and change processes required for success in meeting the goals of deep reconciliation (or what many refer to as "Indigenization") within the academy. We have also worked as helpers and allies of Indigenous communities in every part of Canada over several decades in support of nation building and community development processes. From this "other side of the fence" perspective, we have had the opportunity to see first-hand what Indigenous people need in their attempts to build effective partnerships with the institutions and programs that are supposed to serve them.