NEWS
Community Justice Society will be closed September 30, 2021
This Wednesday, September 30th, 2021, marks the first year that Nova Scotia will officially declare it a day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day provides us all the opportunity to reflect on the promises made to Indigenous peoples in Canada to acknowledge the oppression and marginalization that has been the lived experience of First Nations since Canada was colonialized in the 16th century.
Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Committee was organized by the parties of the Indian Residential School Settlement to demand acknowledgement of the terrible atrocities against First Nations peoples in Canada. More broadly though, this Committee was organized to demand substantial and meaningful change that aims to reconcile relations between Canada and First Nations peoples living in Canada. While this Committee works diligently to understand, plan, and organize how this meaningful change may be implemented, they are still met with much resistance and many challenges.
While we will never forget the lost lives and erasure of First Nations languages and culture, we can collectively make right of these wrongs by reminding ourselves of perhaps the most important promise Canada has ever made. Truth and Reconciliation Day reminds Canadians that we must do better and there are countless ways to each do our part to make Reconciliation a reality:
- Acknowledge the unthinkable damage imposed on First Nations communities in Canada through Indian Residential Schools and assimilation tactics.
- Educate ourselves on intergenerational trauma and its strong influence in First Nations communities.
- Do our part to support Indigenous communities—whether that be through listening, funding, or supporting Indigenous artists and businesses.
- Research the Indigenous perspective of treaties made and First Nations traditional legal methods.
- Participate in Orange Shirt Day.
- Give media attention to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
- Participate in cultural-sensitivity training programs.
- Denounce and reverse harmful Indigenous stereotypes.
CONTACT
Our Location:
1256 Barrington St., Suite 201
Halifax, NS. B3J 1Y6
Telephone: (902) 424-5473
Fax: (902) 424-3950
Email:
