Reconciliation Statement

Fernie Pride Society’s Truth and Reconciliation statement represents our staff, volunteers, community, and board members’ investment in promoting reconciliation through listening, reflecting, learning, and action. We recognize that our work towards reconciliation will always be a work in progress and must be demonstrated through actions and not by declaration alone.

With great respect, Fernie Pride Society (FPS) confirms that our work takes place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded homelands of the Ktunaxa. The FPS Space is situated on the unceded territories of the Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi‘it First Nation (Formerly Tobacco Plains Indian Band). It is with gratitude that we extend our services throughout Indigenous territories across the mountains of Turtle Island.

As a settler-dominated organization, we recognize our participation in the historical and ongoing violence and systemic bias of oppressive colonial systems. The physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual harm brought on by centuries of intergenerational trauma, erasure, and historical abuse is unfathomable and inexcusable. We apologize to the Indigenous community for our failure in providing a safe space for those in need of support and healing, and we are committed to change this. Further, FPS commits to uphold the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and advocate for the dignity and well-being of the Indigenous community throughout our work.

We must do better to advance truth and reconciliation in our work and to continuously hold it as a priority. We strive to build non-profit structures committed to decolonizing spaces. It is therefore with gratitude and respect that we address the Calls for Justice for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls relevant to 2SLGTBQIA+ to prioritize the safety of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGTBQIA+ people and the culturally grounded supports and services required for healing and prevention of future loss of life:

Right to Justice: The priority to establish Indigenous death review committees and to conduct more inquests into cases of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGTBQIA+ people.
The Right to Safety, Security, and Protection: Better missing persons legislation, and the establishment of a national Red Dress Alert to notify the public when an Indigenous woman, girl, or 2SLGTBQIA+ person goes missing.
The Right to Social Services and Dignity: Systemic underfunding and the chronic lack of investment in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people and communities, in particular Indigenous women’s organizations and 2SLGTBQIA+ organizations; participants highlighted the number of pilot projects and noted the pilot model as well as project-based funding are not sustainable and will not achieve change.

The MMIWG inquiry confirmed that many 2SLGTBQIA+ Indigenous people have experienced systemic neglect, violence, and invisibility in policy and services.

It is with gratitude and respect that we also address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action, and in particular the following Calls to Action which are especially applicable to our work:

1. Call to Action #18 – Health
“We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to acknowledge that the current state of Aboriginal health in Canada is a direct result of previous Canadian government policies, including residential schools, and to recognize and implement the health-care rights of Aboriginal people as identified in international law, constitutional law, and under the Treaties.”

Relevance: Two-Spirit and 2SLGTBQIA+ Indigenous people experience higher rates of mental health issues, discrimination in healthcare, and suicide, and this must be addressed within culturally appropriate frameworks.

2. Call to Action #22 – Health
“We call upon those who can effect change within the Canadian health-care system to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices and use them in the treatment of Aboriginal patients in collaboration with Aboriginal healers and Elders where requested by Aboriginal patients.”

Relevance: For Two-Spirit people, healing must include traditional roles and identities that were often honoured pre-colonization but were suppressed through residential schools and Christian indoctrination.

3. Call to Action #24 – Health
“We call upon medical and nursing schools in Canada to require all students to take a course dealing with Aboriginal health issues, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, and Indigenous teachings and practices. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.”

Relevance: Training should include 2SLGTBQIA+ Indigenous identities and trauma-informed care specific to Two-Spirit experiences.

FPS pledges to use its influence and role in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to promote reconciliation through continuous education and tangible community actions. We are fully committed to honouring and amplifying the voices of all Indigenous people, and particularly those Queer, Indigiqueer, Trans, and Two-Spirit people who continue to face contemporary erasure, and appropriation by settler queer culture.

We recognize the urgency for immediate action and commit ourselves to this critical work by responding in the following ways:

• We will engage Indigenous and Two-Spirit community members in creating and facilitating programs and services.

• We will invite Two-Spirit speakers or Knowledge Keepers into Board meetings and community events and support Two-Spirit education.

• We will do our best to provide safe, affirming spaces for Two-Spirit people.

• We will maintain an open invitation for continued feedback from Indigenous and Two-Spirit persons via EMAIL as part of our commitment to continuously listen, learn, and implement informed and actionable change across all our programs and initiatives.

These are the first steps of many needed from FPS as we continue to (re)build the right relationship with, and be accountable to, BC First Nations, including host Nations.

The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress due to Indian Residential Schools experiences or intergenerational trauma: 1-866-925-4419.

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