Reconciliation: Moving Forward Together
info@twoworldsconsulting.com ( 778) 400-3499 www.twoworldsconsulting.com
PREPARED FOR BC Housing Suite 1701 - 4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4V8
PREPARED BY T wo Worlds Consulting Unit 310A - 645 Fort St. Victoria, BC V8W 1G2
File #: 225-100-1920
February 24, 2021
We'd like to acknowledge and express gratitude for being able to write this report on the traditional territories of the Tla'amin Nation and the Lekwungen-speaking peoples, the Songhees, Esquimalt, and WSÁNEĆ . We'd like to thank and acknowledge the individuals across British Columbia who contributed their voices to this report.
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Table of Contents Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................... i Message from BC Housing ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 1 1 Introduction …… ............................................................................................................................................. 3 What is Reconciliation? ................................................................................................................. 3 Truth and Reconciliation ..................................................................................................... 4 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People....................................... 6 Decolonization .................................................................................................................... 7 Reconciliation Strategy ................................................................................................................. 8 How This Report Was Created ..................................................................................................... 9 How to Read This Report............................................................................................................ 10 2 Overview of the Reconciliation Strategy ....................................................................................................... 11 Purpose ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Process ........................................................................................................................................ 11 Where Are We In the Process? ......................................................................................... 12 Methods...................................................................................................................................... 14 Process ........................................................................................................................................ 14 Approaches................................................................................................................................. 14 Research............................................................................................................................ 14 Engagement...................................................................................................................... 16 Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 20 3 Background …. .............................................................................................................................................. 22 History of Reconciliation in BC Housing ..................................................................................... 22 Internal Operations ........................................................................................................... 24 External Operations .......................................................................................................... 28 4 Understanding Reconciliation ....................................................................................................................... 35 Overview..................................................................................................................................... 35 Preliminary Recommendations ................................................................................................... 35 What We Heard .......................................................................................................................... 39 Indigenous Nations, Communities, and Organizations .................................................... 39 BC Housing Staff ............................................................................................................... 45 BC Housing Board ............................................................................................................ 49 5 Transforming Organization Culture............................................................................................................... 52 Overview..................................................................................................................................... 52 Preliminary Recommendations ................................................................................................... 52 What We Heard .......................................................................................................................... 56 BC Housing Staff ............................................................................................................... 56 BC Housing Board ............................................................................................................ 60 6 Building Relationships................................................................................................................................... 63 Overview..................................................................................................................................... 63
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Preliminary Recommendations ................................................................................................... 63 What We Heard .......................................................................................................................... 67 Indigenous Nations, Communities, and Organizations .................................................... 67 BC Housing Staff ............................................................................................................... 74 BC Housing Board ............................................................................................................ 76 7 Supporting Reconciliation ............................................................................................................................. 79 Overview..................................................................................................................................... 79 Preliminary Recommendations ................................................................................................... 79 What We Heard .......................................................................................................................... 84 Indigenous Nations, Communities, and Organizations .................................................... 84 BC Housing Staff ............................................................................................................... 93 BC Housing Board ............................................................................................................ 99 8 Measuring Success ...................................................................................................................................... 101 Overview................................................................................................................................... 101 Preliminary Recommendations ................................................................................................. 101 What We Heard ........................................................................................................................ 105 Indigenous Nations, Communities, and Organizations .................................................. 105 BC Housing Staff ............................................................................................................. 107 BC Housing Board .......................................................................................................... 109 9 Conclusion …............................................................................................................................................... 111 10 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................... 112 Appendix A References...............................................................................................................................A-1 Appendix B Recommended Training Courses .............................................................................................B-1 Appendix C Indigenous Approaches to Data Collection ..............................................................................C-1 C.1 Indigenous Approach ............................................................................................................... C-2 C.2 Data Ownership ........................................................................................................................ C-3 C.3 Indigenous Strategies and Protocols........................................................................................ C-4 Appendix D Invitation Letters .................................................................................................................... D-1 D.1 Invitation Letter from Shayne.................................................................................................... D-2 D.2 Invitation Letter from Stephanie ............................................................................................... D-3 Appendix E Engagement Materials............................................................................................................. E-1 E.1 Interview Guide for Indigenous Nations, Communities, and Organizations.............................E-2 E.2 Written Submission Guide for Indigenous Nations, Communities, and Organizations ............E-4 E.3 Interview Guide for BC Housing Staff......................................................................................E-10 E.4 Interview Guide for BC Housing Board Members ...................................................................E-13 Appendix F Feedback Provided on Draft Report by Indigenous Nations, Communities, and Organizations F-1 Appendix G Feedback Provided on Draft Report by BC Housing Senior Leadership ................................... G-1
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MESSAGE FROM BC HOUSING This report, along with ongoing dialogue, will inform how BC Housing moves forward in supporting reconciliation through a strategy and a plan developed collaboratively with interested Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations. BC Housing understands that doing this work needs to reflect the principles inherent to reconciliation and embrace meaningful action. BC Housing will continue to build relationships and plan the next phase of engagement on reconciliation in partnership with individuals and organizations interested in further engagement on the development of the Reconciliation Strategy. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In September 2019, BC Housing initiated the first step in developing a Reconciliation Strategy. This involved initial engagement with BC Housing’s staff, Board of Commissioners, and Indigenous partners on what they would like to see reflected in the Reconciliation Strategy and ideas for next steps in developing the Strategy. Once developed, the Reconciliation Strategy will serve as a roadmap for how BC Housing approaches reconciliation. It will include clear goals, objectives, and actions that align with Indigenous perspectives and documents such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. BC Housing commissioned Two Worlds Consulting (TWC) to lead discussions with Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations, BC Housing staff, and BC Housing’s Board of Commissioners regarding how to develop a Reconciliation Strategy. Engagement occurred between December 2019 and June 2020 and included organizations with whom BC Housing has a business relationship. The engagement activities included: • Twenty-three phone interviews with BC Housing staff; • Seven phone interviews with BC Housing Board members; and, • Thirty-nine phone discussions and five written submissions from representatives of Indigenous housing providers and organizations, Indigenous non-housing organizations, and Nations with whom BC Housing had an existing relationship. A large portion of this engagement took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which placed increased pressure on BC Housing and Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations as they addressed COVID-related matters and emergencies. Although TWC’s engagement plan was not significantly impacted by the pandemic, COVID-19 health and safety requirements have implications for BC Housing and the Reconciliation Steering Committee as they continue to advance work on developing the Reconciliation Strategy. The “Reconciliation: Moving Forward Together” Report (the Report) captures the perspectives of all participants on how BC Housing can act on a collaborative basis with their partners to support reconciliation. Key topic areas include understanding reconciliation, transforming organizational culture, building relationships, supporting reconciliation, and measuring success. The Report includes ideas and opinions on reconciliation, including their personal
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understandings, concerns, and areas for improvement. It also defines next steps and preliminary recommendations for BC Housing to consider. Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations that participated in interviews were invited to provide feedback on the draft Reconciliation: Moving Forward Together Report. TWC provided the draft Report to participants in Fall 2020, along with options to submit feedback anonymously through a survey link or by filling out a response form. TWC received feedback from 15 of 39 1 participants; comments are included in Appendix F. Thank you to all participants for your time and commitment to this process. BC Housing is committed to continuing a collaborative dialogue; the feedback included in Appendix F will inform BC Housing’s journey moving forward on completing a Reconciliation Strategy.
1 TWC shared the draft report with 39 out of 44 participants. Four participants submitted written submissions anonymously and one interviewed participant left their position within the organization; as a result, TWC was not able to contact five participants for feedback on the draft report.
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1 INTRODUCTION Since being established as a Crown agency 2 of the Province of British Columbia (BC) in 1967, BC Housing has been operating on the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples to develop, manage and administer housing options for BC residents. BC Housing partners with hundreds of non-profit, private sector, and Indigenous organizations to deliver a range of quality services. Their vision is to “serve as a trusted leader and partner in sustainable solutions for British Columbians.” 3 BC Housing has developed strong relationships with Indigenous community partners and works to enhance these relationships and incorporate the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) into their operational and business practices. To develop a stronger level of commitment to reconciliation, BC Housing is developing a Reconciliation Strategy that will provide a framework for how they support the development and operation of affordable and social housing across the province. This includes a stronger level of commitment to their implementation of UNDRIP and the TRC’s Calls to Action. BC Housing commissioned Two Worlds Consulting (TWC) to lead discussions with Indigenous Nations, communities, organizations, BC Housing staff, and BC Housing’s Board of Commissioners about BC Housing's approach to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, including key actions and measures for tracking progress. Through one-on-one phone discussions and written submissions, interview participants expressed their views on what reconciliation means, how BC Housing can meaningfully commit to reconciliation through action, and what they would like to see reflected in the Reconciliation Strategy. The “Reconciliation: Moving Forward Together” report (the Report) captures the perspectives of all participants on how BC Housing can take action on a collaborative basis with their partners to support reconciliation. The Report provides a set of preliminary recommendations for BC Housing, which will inform their development and implementation of a Reconciliation Strategy in collaboration with Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations. What is Reconciliation? Reconciliation emerged as a response to the historical injustices and discrimination against Indigenous peoples resulting from colonial systems and ethnocentric views that have centred Western 4 (e.g., European/North American) ideals and knowledge systems. Canada’s policies 2 Crown agencies and corporations are organizations that are wholly owned by the federal or provincial government, established and funded by the government to provide specialized goods and services to Canadians. Like the Crown, they have a responsibility to making amends for any colonial practices they may have enacted in the past and repair and/or improve their relationships with Indigenous peoples. 3 BC Housing, “Mission, Vision, Values.” Accessed March 26, 2020. 4 The use of the term “Western” refers to social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, belief systems, and political systems of western European and North American society.
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have historically aimed to dispossess Indigenous peoples of their rights, lands, and title and assimilate them into "mainstream" Western culture. TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION The Law Society of British Columbia shares that “Residential schooling was a central element of colonial practices and policies. In 2008, the TRC was established because former students and survivors of the residential schools came forth and placed the issue on the public agenda. The TRC report highlights how Canadian law and lawyers played an active role in forcing Indigenous children into residential schools.” 5 The intergenerational impacts of residential schools continue for Indigenous people today and have led to an unequal representation of Indigenous peoples in the correctional, child welfare, justice and health care systems, 6 as well as other social service systems, including public housing. Additionally, residential schools have also been “linked to a number of issues among former residential school students and their children: addiction to alcohol, drugs and gambling, psychological distress, and a greater likelihood of having experienced other trauma such as sexual or physical assault and domestic violence.” 7 Impacts from colonial systems, racism and discrimination against Indigenous peoples have also resulted in systemic barriers, including lack of affordable and appropriate housing, culturally inappropriate health and education services, insufficient employment opportunities, and inadequate infrastructure in Indigenous communities. 8 Across Canada and BC, a disproportionate number of Indigenous peoples are faced with urgent housing issues, including homelessness, overcrowding, critical housing shortages, long waiting lists, lack of capacity to develop new housing, homes in disrepair, and more. 9 Jesse Thistle, a Métis-Cree author and advocate for the homeless, argues that systems of colonization and racism are at the root of the housing disparity between Indigenous and non- Indigenous populations in Canada, stating: “Indigenous homelessness is not simply a response to [current housing markets and the limited availability of affordable housing], but is best understood as the outcome of historically constructed and ongoing settler colonization and racism that have displaced and dispossessed First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples from their traditional governance systems and laws, territories, histories, worldviews, ancestors and 5 Law Society of British Columbia, “Why Reconciliation Matters.” Accessed July 20, 2020. 6 The Royal Canadian Geographical Society/Canadian Geographic, “The Road to Reconciliation” in Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada. Accessed July 20, 2020. 7 National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. “Reclaiming Power and Place.” Accessed August 19, 2020. 8 Jesse Thistle, “Indigenous Definition of Homelessness in Canada,” Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press , 2017 . Accessed August 25, 2020. 9 Palmer and Associates, “Comprehensive Needs and Capacity Assessment of Aboriginal Housing in BC.” Accessed November 1, 2019.
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stories.” 10 Thistle also identifies specific causes and barriers that contribute to the disproportionate exclusion of Indigenous peoples from safe and affordable housing, including: 11 • Displacement and dispossession of Indigenous peoples from their lands into unsuitable locations, which has contributed to increased poverty and poor housing; • Underfunding of Indigenous housing by the federal, provincial and territorial governments of Canada; • Colonial state-imposed laws and acts that were enacted upon Indigenous peoples to assimilate and eradicate them (e.g., the Indian Act); and, • Assimilation into housing types that are culturally inappropriate and do not correlate with Indigenous definitions of “home.” 12 Furthermore, Canada’s laws and policies were created based on notions of Indigenous inferiority and European superiority and have facilitated discrimination against Indigenous peoples. These laws resulted in disparities and inequalities between Indigenous peoples and broader Canadian society. To begin addressing these disparities, the TRC published a set of 94 Calls to Action to hold individuals, organizations, and governments accountable to reconciling past harms and inequities against Indigenous peoples. Reconciliation is about acknowledging and addressing these inequalities and working to establish and maintain a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and non- Indigenous peoples. Reconciliation is about ensuring systemic and cultural change to eliminate racist and discriminatory practices, policies, and approaches within organizations and in the business that they pursue as well as building respectful and trust-based relationships. Reconciliation is a process and not a destination or a singular goal to be achieved. It means instilling a way of thinking and being within the organization that aligns with a decolonized system led by people who are prepared to challenge themselves in a way that asks: • Am I taking the time to reflect on what reconciliation means to me? • Am I adapting my way of thinking and doing to reflect what I learn about decolonization and reconciliation? • Am I working to help recognize and restore Indigenous worldviews, cultural ways and traditions? • Am I replacing any Western interpretations of history with Indigenous perspectives of history? 10 Jesse Thistle, “Indigenous Definition of Homelessness in Canada,” Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press. Accessed August 25, 2020. 11 Ibid. 12 In opposition to the common colonialist definition of homelessness, Thistle offers a more comprehensive definition of Indigenous homelessness that is understood through the lens of Indigenous worldviews. See https://homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/COHIndigenousHomelessnessDefinition.pdf
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• Am I actively seeking ways to build my awareness of Indigenous history, including the impacts of colonialism and the history of the land I live and work on? − What sources have I drawn on for this information? − What is my relationship to this land? What is my personal and family history that brought me to this land? 13 • Am I creating the space and support for Indigenous peoples to reclaim all that was taken from them? 14 UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Principles of Decolonization and Reconciliation
Indigenous peoples across the world have been advocating for their rights for many years. Both in response to this and in response to José R. Martinez Cobo’s study on the discrimination against Indigenous peoples worldwide, the United Nations established a Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982 and began drafting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 1985. 15 UNDRIP set out how governments should respect the human rights of Indigenous peoples and serves as an agreement on how to treat Indigenous peoples. In 2007, UNDRIP was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations by a majority of 144 states in favour. 16 Although Canada was one of the four Nations that had originally voted against adopting UNDRIP, it has since reversed its position and adopted the declaration in 2016. As the most comprehensive international instrument on Indigenous peoples’ rights, UNDRIP represents an important guide for implementing other reconciliation policies and agreements impacting Indigenous peoples. Significantly, UNDRIP establishes the minimum standards for Indigenous peoples’ survival, dignity and well-being and includes 46 articles that describe specific rights, as well as
• Indigenous-led • Community-driven • Collaborative • Mutual respect • Reciprocity • Self awareness and self reflection • Effective communication • Flexibility • Builds capacity • Upholds Indigenous self-determination
13 Indigenous Working Group of the BC Association of Social Workers, “Towards a New Relationship,” (May 2016), https://www.bcasw.org/wp- content/uploads/2011/06/Reconciliation-Toolkit-Final_May-11.pdf 14 Indigenous Corporate Training Inc., Your Guide to Indigenous Relations, https://www.ictinc.ca 15 UN General Assembly, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Accessed July 20, 2020. 16 Ibid.
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actions governments are required to take to respect these rights. 17 In November 2019, the Province of BC passed Bill 41: Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act , which implements UNDRIP and aspires to pave a pathway forward for increased transparency, predictability, and respect for Indigenous peoples’ human rights. 18 The Province worked with the BC Assembly of First Nations, First Nations Summit, and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs to develop the document, but did not consult with the urban Indigenous, the Métis, and the Inuit populations. DECOLONIZATION Decolonization is a central component of reconciliation. It involves addressing power imbalances and deconstructing colonial ideologies and systems of oppression that have maintained the status quo, perpetuated colonial ideals, and privileged Western knowledge. In order to decolonize, individuals, organizations and governments must first develop an awareness about what colonialism is and how it has negatively impacted Indigenous peoples. Moreover, they must engage in a process of self-reflexivity, which involves looking internally to understand and reflect on how their histories or positions in society have contributed to systems of oppression and colonization. Decolonizing an organization means proactively dismantling the colonial structures that are in place and making room for Indigenous knowledge systems to be brought to the fore. Past approaches to working with Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations, however, have often reinforced existing colonial structures and power imbalances. BC Housing’s approaches, for example, have centered Western knowledge in housing design and operations, which may have led to perspectives amongst staff seeing themselves as “experts” working for or “helping” First Nations communities. Indigenous Planning practitioners Aftab Erfan and Jessie Hemphill argue that even the idea of “empowering” a First Nation community can be problematic, as it implies that individuals outside of an Indigenous Nation, community, or organization possess more power than the Indigenous members of that Nation, community, or organization. 19 An important first step in restoring power balance is by working by/with (not for) Indigenous communities. 20 Building meaningful relationships with Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations is also crucial in the process of decolonization. However, organizations should be cautious and ensure that they are engaging for the right reasons. Scholar-activist Libby Porter points out that to Indigenize their structures, many governments and institutions have taken inauthentic 17 Ibid. 18 Province of British Columbia, B.C. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act . Accessed July 20, 2020. 19 Aftab Erfan and Jessie Hemphill, “Indigenizing and Decolonizing: An Alliance Story,” Plan Canada 53, no. 2 (2013): 18, accessed July 20, 2020, https://doi.org/10.25316/ir-3043 20 Hirini Matunga, “A Revolutionary Pedagogy of/for Indigenous Planning,” in Indigenous Planning: from Principles to Practice , ed. Libby Porter et al., pg. 641
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approaches to engaging with Indigenous Nations and communities. In addition to leaving these communities exhausted, she writes, “All of the ‘engaging’ is done on the terms of non- Indigenous institutions. One outcome is sheer tokenism. Projects are already designed, plans set, monies committed.” 21 Rather than actually serving Indigenous communities, these actions might be seen as performative. The intention behind them is not to contribute to sustainable change for Indigenous people but is instead “an exercise of box-ticking.” It is a way to bring in the Indigenous perspectives without decolonizing the organizational structure. Because Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations are incredibly diverse, flexibility is a fundamental principle to working alongside Indigenous people to find solutions. What might have worked for one Nation, community, or organization might not work for the next. In other words, it is important to avoid one-size-fits-all approaches to working with Indigenous Nations and communities. Reconciliation Strategy In the past, BC Housing has approached reconciliation (specifically, Indigenous relations) by pursuing strategies such as: • Establishing and actively pursuing goals to improve relations with Indigenous peoples; • Participating in the Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) program; 22 • Creating the Director of Indigenous Relations position internally; • Strengthening the Indigenous-focused teams within the organization; • Supporting the creation and operations of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA); • Transferring the Indigenous housing stock to AHMA; and, • Developing an Indigenous Housing Fund program. While these approaches represent aspects of reconciliation, they do not reflect the full spectrum of principles for reconciliation and decolonization (e.g., collaboration, Indigenous self-determination and self-government). In other words, these strategies do not represent a full relinquishment of control or devolution of decision-making power to Indigenous peoples, nor do they create space within the organization for Indigenous worldviews to be brought to the forefront. As the findings illustrate, these actions or decisions were made by BC Housing and not by Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations, thereby reinforcing colonial power structures. Decolonization is a process of eliminating colonialism. In order to decolonize BC Housing’s past approaches to working with Indigenous peoples, the organization should examine their
21 Libby Porter, “What is the Work of Non-Indigenous People in the Service of a Decolonizing Agenda?,” in Indigenous Planning: from Principles to Practice , ed. Libby Porter et al., pg. 652 22 PAR is a certification program administered by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business that measures an organization’s performance in Indigenous relations.
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history to identify current and past colonial practices and policies, acknowledge where mistakes were made, and make amends. For example, BC Housing might consider examining how they have made decisions regarding Indigenous relations and reconciliation in the past, and ask: “Were these decisions made with input from and in collaboration with all of the Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations impacted by them?” If the answer is “no” or “uncertain”, then BC Housing must be open to taking a step back and working with Indigenous partners to amend and improve those decisions. The development of a Reconciliation Strategy is an important part of BC Housing’s process of learning and commitment to reconciliation and adopting policies and practices based on UNDRIP and TRC’s Calls to Action. The goals of the Reconciliation Strategy are to acknowledge the historic and ongoing marginalization of Indigenous peoples in British Columbia; support an equity analysis in all areas of the organization as it pertains to Indigenous peoples; develop stronger relationships with Indigenous peoples in British Columbia; enhance and support Indigenous self-determination; and, contribute to closing the socio-economic gap between Indigenous peoples and other British Columbians. How This Report Was Created In September 2019, BC Housing initiated the first step in developing a Reconciliation Strategy. This involved initial engagement with BC Housing staff, Board of Commissioners, and Indigenous partners on what they would like to see reflected in the Reconciliation Strategy and ideas for next steps in developing the Strategy. Once developed, the Reconciliation Strategy will serve as a roadmap for how BC Housing approaches reconciliation. It will include clear goals, objectives, and actions that align with Indigenous perspectives and documents such as UNDRIP and the TRC’s Calls to Action. Furthermore, it will be embedded within and centered on BC Housing’s mandate to facilitate the delivery of safe, secure, and affordable housing. BC Housing commissioned Two Worlds Consulting (TWC) to lead discussions with Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations, BC Housing staff, and BC Housing’s Board of Commissioners regarding how to develop a Reconciliation Strategy. Engagement occurred between December 2019 and June 2020 and included organizations with whom BC Housing had a business relationship. The engagement activities included: • Twenty-three phone interviews with BC Housing staff; • Seven phone interviews with BC Housing Board members; and, • Thirty-nine phone discussions and five written submissions from representatives of Indigenous housing providers and organizations, Indigenous non-housing organizations, and Nations with whom BC Housing had an existing relationship. A large portion of this engagement took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which placed increased pressure on BC Housing and Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations as they addressed COVID-related matters and emergencies. Although TWC’s engagement plan was not significantly impacted by the pandemic, COVID-19 health and safety requirements (e.g., social distancing and restrictions on large gatherings) have implications for BC Housing and the Reconciliation Strategy Steering Committee as they continue to advance work on developing the Reconciliation Strategy.
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The “Reconciliation: Moving Forward Together” Report (the Report) captures the perspectives of all participants on how BC Housing can act on a collaborative basis with their partners to support reconciliation. Key topic areas include understanding reconciliation, transforming organizational culture, building relationships, supporting reconciliation, and measuring success. The Report includes ideas and opinions on reconciliation, including the participants’ personal understandings, concerns, and areas for improvement. It also defines next steps and preliminary recommendations for BC Housing. How to Read This Report This Report includes multiple perspectives that in some cases conflict with one another. The reader should approach the findings with an understanding that different lived experiences will lead to multiple and sometimes overlapping perspectives. For example, questions were asked about potential areas for improvement and comments were provided regardless of whether they believed that current BC Housing activities are working or not. When working from an equity framework, it is important to recognize and value each perspective. As such, all comments and perspectives were captured regardless of their frequency of occurrence. Throughout this Report, we use the following markers for the scale of responses across surveys, written responses and interviews: “few” means under 15%, “some” means between 15-25%, “several” means between 25-50%, “most” and “majority” means more than 50%, and “all” refers to everyone. It was important to contextualize the key findings and recommendations within best practices and literature in reconciliation. The “Why This Is Important” textboxes are provided throughout the Report to help the reader understand the impacts and significance of the comments as well as the connections between what we heard from respondents and principles of reconciliation and decolonization, including UNDRIP and TRC’s Calls to Action. Moreover, preliminary recommendations are provided in each topic area of this Report. They were drawn from the key findings and suggestions offered by Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations, as well as BC Housing staff and Board. The reader should understand that the recommendations are only meant to serve as a starting point, and that BC Housing will need to work with Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations to co- develop clear and specific reconciliation goals, objectives and actions. Where conflicting recommendations occur, solutions include individualized approaches and flexibility. Flexibility is needed to accommodate unique needs of Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations. The content of this Report, which is organized into five theme areas, is intimately interconnected. While the key findings and recommendations offer several options for improving BC Housing’s understanding of and approaches to reconciliation, they should not be read as standalone solutions for “achieving reconciliation.” Finally, the recommendations included in this Report should not be read as a blanket approach. Because of the vast diversity of BC’s Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations, the needs, interests, and protocols should be discussed individually with Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations.
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2 OVERVIEW OF THE RECONCILIATION STRATEGY Purpose The development of a Reconciliation Strategy is an important part of BC Housing’s commitment to adopt policies and practices based on UNDRIP and the recommendations from the TRC’s final report. Through the Reconciliation Strategy, BC Housing will: • Acknowledge the historic and ongoing marginalization of Indigenous peoples in British Columbia on these their ancestral and traditional territories; • Support an equity analysis in all areas of the organization as it pertains to Indigenous peoples; • Develop stronger relationships with Indigenous peoples in British Columbia; • Enhance and support Indigenous self-determination and self-government; and, • Contribute to closing the socio-economic gap between Indigenous peoples and other British Columbians. The Reconciliation Strategy will be embedded within and centered on BC Housing’s mandate to facilitate the delivery of safe, secure, and affordable housing. Process Developing a Reconciliation Strategy is an iterative learning process and an ongoing journey. Collaborative planning to create this Strategy will be undertaken through a cycle of information gathering, dialogue, action, and review. This cycle includes the following five stages:
• Stage 1: Where have we been? • Stage 2: Where are we now? • Stage 3: Where do we want to go? • Stage 4: How will we get there? • Stage 5: Have we arrived?
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Figure 1: Five Stages of Collaborative Planning
Stages 1 and 2 involve examining the organization’s recent and historical operations to develop a better sense of how reconciliation has been defined and understood to-date within BC Housing. These stages also involve looking at the nature of BC Housing’s relationships and initiatives to support reconciliation. Through this examination, BC Housing can establish a baseline for measuring its progress toward reconciliation. Stages 3 and 4 are focused on the future and on developing clear pathways forward. These stages involve visioning, goal setting, and action planning. Finally, in Stage 5, BC Housing will develop success measures on a collaborative basis with Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations to determine if they are making progress toward achieving the reconciliation goals. Since reconciliation is an ongoing process, it is recommended that BC Housing repeat multiple cycles of work planning and updating the Reconciliation Strategy to ensure that it stays relevant and meaningful. WHERE ARE WE IN THE PROCESS? As mentioned above, this Report represents an important first step within the overall process to develop a Reconciliation Strategy. While the input gathered provided insight that is relevant to all five stages, it is recommended that BC Housing revisit each stage in more depth as they continue the process of co-developing a Reconciliation Strategy. Creation of the Reconciliation Strategy will be undertaken in collaboration with interested Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations across BC.
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The diagram below illustrates the process for completing the Reconciliation Strategy and contextualizes the work to date. Figure 2: Reconciliation Strategy Process
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Methods Working collaboratively with the Reconciliation Strategy Steering Committee, TWC engaged with individuals on reconciliation and reported on key findings and preliminary recommendations. The project was guided by the Reconciliation Strategy Steering Committee in several ways, which included the co-development of the project methodology and engagement materials; the development of a mandate letter addressed by BC Housing’s Minister, Board of Commissioners, and Executive Committee; scheduling interviews with all respondents; and providing feedback and revisions to all draft materials. This section describes the project methodology, including the process and approaches for leading discussions with Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations, BC Housing staff and the Board. Process TWC’s process for completing the Report was divided into three phases and involved the activities described in the table below: Table 1: Project Phases
Phase
Activities
• Attended work planning meetings with BC Housing’s Steering Committee. • Developed a Draft Comprehensive Methodology and Work Plan. • Conducted an analysis and review of BC Housing’s policies, plans, and strategies. • Prepared an Engagement Plan. • Developed engagement tools and guides. • Revised and finalized the Comprehensive Methodology and Work Plan • Conducted interviews with BC Housing staff and Board members. • Held phone discussions with Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations. TWC used a set of probing questions to help guide the discussions (Appendix E.1). Questions were shared with participants ahead of time. • Developed a framework for analyzing input across all interviews. • Performed qualitative analysis to identify common themes. • Developed a draft Report. • Received feedback on the Report from the Steering Committee, the Board, and Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations interviewed. • Revised and prepared a final Report.
Phase 1: Planning (September 2019 – February 2020)
Phase 2: Engagement (December 2019 – May 2020)
Phase 3: Reporting (March 2020 – August 2020)
Approaches RESEARCH
Western approaches to data collection have historically been undertaken from the perspective of collecting information on Indigenous people rather than with Indigenous people. These historical methods of collecting data have utilized standard tools which have not always recognized Indigenous ways and practices, nor cultural diversity. Indigenous Nations have expressed that research is something that has been done to them versus with them.
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When commencing engagement, it is important to understand the information that has been gathered to date and what discussions with Indigenous Nation, communities, and organizations have taken place. When TWC began its initial research and data collection, they looked at what we know and what Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations had shared previously, rather than asking the same questions. This involved developing an understanding of what engagement had occurred to date by BC Housing with Indigenous organizations and communities and what was heard during this engagement with respect to housing. This process involved conducting a review of BC Housing’s internal documents, including all those related to the organization’s certification in Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR). Specifically, the document review included:
• Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund Overview; • 2018 Progressive Aboriginal Relations Report; • 2018 Progressive Aboriginal Relations Verifier Report; • 2019 Progressive Aboriginal Relations Report; • 2019 Progressive Aboriginal Relations Verifier Report; • 2018/2019 BC Housing Corporate Business Plan; • 2019/2020 BC Housing Corporate Business Plan;
• 2019-2022 BC Housing Three-Year Service Plan • 2018/2019 BC Housing Annual Service Plan Report; • 2019/2020 BC Housing Annual Service Plan Report; • BC Housing Diversity and Inclusion Framework; • Draft Principles that Guide the Province of British Columbia’s Relationship with Indigenous Peoples;
• Indigenous Procurement Policy; and, • 2019 Internal Assessment Report.
TWC employed several decolonized/Indigenous research methodologies and approaches for building trusting relationships and working collaboratively with Indigenous groups throughout each phase of the project. These included: • Using respectful language and communication; • Ensuring that engagement content was accessible (e.g., using jargon-free wording); • Providing an opportunity for participants to review data collection methods and tools prior to engagement; • Discussing anonymity, privacy, and confidentiality prior to collecting data; • Providing opportunities for groups to learn more about the project; • Providing summary notes to participants following the engagement; and, • Sharing key findings with all participants to ensure transparency. TWC's instruments and process were also directed by guidelines within the Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession requirements (OCAP) as described in Appendix C.
RECONCILIATION: MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER - OVERVIEW
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TWC takes the approach that data is information, and this means that the ways and methods of gathering any stories or information through data collection were pursued using understanding, transparency, and appreciation for those who are sharing their knowledge and understanding. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Researcher Bias and Data Disaggregation During the research phase, it is important for researchers to position themselves within their work (e.g., to understand their ancestry, biases, privileges, and subjectivity), identify potential barriers to participation, find ways to minimize the exclusion of under- represented perspectives and design engagement tools that collect various types of equity data. Our team spent time reflecting on our roles as researchers as we worked through the three project phases. We took a thoughtful approach to how our own ancestry, biases, privileges, and experiences might have influenced our relationship with the data. We aimed to check these biases along the way and include all the perspectives shared with us. Limitations: To protect privacy from the small sample size, our interview guides excluded questions on identity factors such as gender, race, class, sexuality, ability, and others. Our team recognizes that this impacted our ability to disaggregate the data and apply an equity framework to the results. Recommendations: It is important to be able to disaggregate data to see how different groups are impacted by the systems of oppression. Moving forward, TWC recommends that BC Housing adopts a standard of collecting information on diversity, equity and inclusion factors, while at the same time ensuring that participants are given an option to ‘opt-out’ for privacy concerns. ENGAGEMENT The engagement process began with BC Housing’s CEO Shayne Ramsay sending out an initial invitation letter to participate in engagement and BC Housing’s Reconciliation Strategy Steering Committee sending out subsequent communication to Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations, BC Housing’s Board of Commissioners, and BC Housing staff. For the purposes of this first step in the development of the Reconciliation Strategy, Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations that had a business relationship with BC Housing were contacted to participate. The Steering Committee used the following criteria to select which Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations to invite to participate in the process: Table 2: Criteria Used to Select Indigenous Nations, Communities, and Organizations to Participate Category Criteria Development or Capital Renewal Projects The Nation, community, or organization was engaged in a Development or Capital Renewal project with BC Housing that was in any of the following stages:
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