In 2010 non-Indigenous Canadians had a very different perception of our country and our place in it. Our National narrative was one of complacent self-satisfaction. We looked upon other countries with concern, pity and sometimes scorn. I remember during Apartheid, Canada was front and centre in our condemnation. Why we would say can’t they all be more like Canadians! We were blissfully unaware of our hypocracy.
That complacency for some Toronto Rotarians was shattered in 2010 at the Premiere of Third World Canada. This documentary by Andree Cazabon followed 8 siblings after the suicide of their parents in the remote First Nation of KI. It followed the community’s attempts to keep the children together. By delving into the epidemic of suicide facing Indigenous communities, the film revealed the conditions and history that created an environment where suicide was a logical outcome. KI is where the summer fishing camp was and where the Treaty Makers from the Crown found them in the 30’s. It is little more than a sand bar where nothing really grows. They signed a treaty saying that this would be their reserved land and that they were to share the rest of the lands. What they didn’t realize was that the reserve was to become a virtual concentration camp run by the Indian Agent who had almost total power. They would give passes permitting people to leave and return, had the power of life and death. As there was not enough food the people became dependent upon the government and the church. Residential Schools, the 60’s scoop were results. The devaluation of Indigenous life directly caused the tragedy of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls. The hopelessness of lives institutionalized by and at birth created an environment of self-medication, inter-generational violence and suicide. The Rotarians in the audience were shocked but more was to come. The M.C. was LG James Bartleman and he could not speak through his tears. At Andree’s insistence, ½ of the audience were Indigenous and one after another they stood up and witnessed. We heard stories of residential schools, of physical and emotional abuse and of rape.
Our complacency was shattered. We realized that for generations governments had been lying to us. They were covering up our true history and they were doing little to nothing to address it. We were angry and anger quickly turned to action. Rotary Club of Toronto President Peter Love formed a task force and Chris Snyder was appointed to head it. We knew we had little experience so we reached out to Indigenous leaders and elders in a process of consultation that lasted over 6 months. The message they gave us was clear, we needed to educate Rotarians, business and non-indigenous people on the Truth of our shared history. We also needed to find ways to eliminate barriers to education for indigenous youth.
We became a Committee of the Rotary Club of Toronto and quickly realized that one committee could do little but if we found a way to mobilize the 740 Rotary Clubs to partner with the 634 First Nations and the Inuit and Metis communities as well as with the urban Indigenous populations, collectively we could make a difference. HIP was born.
At the same time, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was working on their report, Prime Minister Harper made the Apology and the Truth was being revealed.
We realized that we couldn’t talk about reconciliation without creating an organization that practiced it. As a result, at HIP we developed a Board that is 50% Indigenous, 50% women and 50% Rotarians. We began to educate Rotary Clubs, governments, business, faith groups and communities through HIP talks and Change the Narrative events a process that is ongoing.
It took longer for me to unlearn the Colonialist based charity model that I had grown up with. Diane Longboat an Elder, Knowledge Keeper and HIP Director from Six Nations and one of the wisest women I know would shake her head and tell me you just don’t get it …yet. Typically, either the donor thinks they know the answer to the recipients problems and will “heal, solve, fix” and move on or the recipient must beg appropriately and then if deemed worthy might receive assistance. Both are seen by Indigenous people as colonial constructs which are designed to make the donor feel good, creates an unequal relationship, creates dependence and often does not accomplish what is needed. Instead, I have learned it is better to enter into a relationship and have a partnership where the Indigenous partner leads and provides solutions and the non-Indigenous partner helps to realize those solutions. For who am I to tell you what is best for you? Most likely you already have the answers and need a partner to help break down barriers to reach the solutions that you already know.
In the early days of HIP we were scatter gunned in our approach. We were transporting hockey equipment, warm clothing, books, food and other items to northern Communities. We were reactive and reacting and not slowing down and taking time to think. We were the white saviors riding in to save the day. We did not yet realize that we could not do it all and as a result, we had no real focus other than the need to do something. Knowing we could not do everything but might be able to do something well, the elders on HIP's Board led us to the concept of Y2Y.
Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth have been kept apart. By bringing them together, we can practice practical reconciliation consistent to recommendations 62 and 66 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions Report. The youth will be the ones to lead us forward. Through the network being created through Y2Y we are, I believe, developing the next generation of indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders.
Y2Y brings together an equal number of Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth to learn Indigenous culture, ceremony, spirituality and practice land based environmental education. We have held regional events for 30-40 youth. We have worked with Camp Pathfinder and Camp Wabum to have canoe trips. We had a group of students from Toronto travel to Moose Factory to teach robotics to Indigenous youth and receive land based training from them. We held a multiweek program in partnership with Elephant Thoughts and Indigenous Sports and Wellness Ontario that included new media skills and internships. This culminated in the National Y2Y program which brought together 50 youth half Indigenous from across Canada to Turtle Lodge near Selkirk Manitoba and to the National Museum for Human Rights. It was a week long program put on by Elders and Spiritual leaders involving a morning of ceremony and storytelling and an afternoon of activities from fire making and teepee erecting to rabbit skinning and fish cleaning. The first day at Turtle Lodge the youth were fidgeting, on their cell phones, whispering with each other and unable to concentrate for the 3-4 hours taken up each morning. By the third day you could hear a pin drop. The young people learned how to open themselves up, to listen with their minds, spirits and hearts. They leaned a new way of thinking, thought processing and seeing the world. For many of the Indigenous youth, especially those from urban areas, this was the first connection that they had of traditional culture and environmental tradition. The youth bonded, laughed and cried together. Differences in race, economic background, and privilege vanished. It was a profound experience and everyone participating was changed, including me. 90% of the participants still get in touch regularly with HIP and with each other. To give you a flavour, I am putting on a newsclip from CITYTV in Winnipeg, one of several print, radio and tv media to cover Y2Y.
These young people have become advocates as they present to their schools, communities, to Rotary clubs to councils and governments. Ripples are spreading wide and far. Several are helping to organize and will participate as leaders in the 2nd Y2Y which will take place in B.C. at Zajak Ranch near Mission and in the Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre in Whistler. It will involve participation by Elders and teachers representing several First Nations. Future Y2Y National events are being planned in the Maritimes for 2025 and in the Thunder Bay region in 2026.
We have developed a cohort of several hundred youth. Every year there will be more all connected, all future leaders and changemaker, all spreading the potential and power of reconciliation. In addition, thousands of Rotary volunteers have been engaged in vetting and selecting candidates, helping with arrangements, being helpers, drivers, mentors and guides and at the same time building up lasting relationships with schools, Indigenous Communities, parents and the youth.
The impact of what has been done so far and what we will be doing in the future is hard to quantify. However, most participants I’ve talked to now are looking to environmental studies, Indigenous Studies and law as areas for future study. It is safe to say that their experience at Y2Y has shaped the direction that they will take in the future. Diane Longboat and other Elders have pointed to a prophesy. In the prophesy it will be the youth who will lead us to a new and better future in this the time of decision. It is through Y2Y that maybe, just maybe, young people will become engaged, energized and together create the change needed in the world.
Just think, virtually every conflict around the world has its roots in colonialism. By showing a way to work together to reject colonialist attitudes and face each other as equals and most importantly as friends. By celebrating our shared humanity there is no room left for conflict. We can’t heal our country. We can’t save our world from environmental destruction. However, I believe these remarkable young people can!
That’s why I believe in HIP. That’s why I believe in Y2Y!
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