September 30th marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day – Every Child Matters.
On this day, Canadians come together from coast to coast to coast to honour and remember the children who never returned home from residential schools, the Survivors who continue to carry the impacts of those institutions, and the families and communities whose lives continue to be impacted by the residential school system.
Truth and Reconciliation requires us to acknowledge the injustices experienced by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and to recognize how the legacy of residential schools continues to affect Indigenous Peoples. Reconciliation is an ongoing responsibility that requires listening, learning, relationship building, and turning lessons into action.
As an organization representing workers across North America, SMART recognizes the important role we can play in this work. Our efforts include building relationships with Indigenous employment and community organizations, including Trade Winds to Success in Alberta, the Nova Scotia Construction Sector Council, United Way East Ontario’s Indigenous Employment Leadership Advisory Table (IELAT), and the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition. Through these relationships, we are learning from Indigenous communities and creating pathways into SMART Canada, helping to increase opportunities for Indigenous Peoples to join and thrive within our organization.
We have also brought together members and partners through initiatives such as our BE4ALL Learning Journey, Building Partnerships: Indigenous Pathways into the Trades — creating space for important conversations with Indigenous Elders about recruitment, retention, barriers to employment, and how we can build more opportunities within our union, for everyone.
These are meaningful steps, but there is always more work to be done. Reconciliation requires us to create real change in our workplaces and communities, strengthen our relationships with one another, and ensure Indigenous voices, experiences, and perspectives are reflected.
Today, we remember the past, acknowledge its lasting impact, and reflect on our shared responsibility to advance meaningful reconciliation as we pursue our mission of creating more opportunities for people across our two nations.
In solidarity,
Michael Coleman
SMART General President