National Indigenous History Month

Dear colleagues,

June is National Indigenous History Month, and we invite you to reflect on how we hold relationship with Indigenous Peoples – both in the workplace and beyond. It is a time to consider the diverse and unique cultures, traditions, languages and experiences of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis across Canada. 

As part of the implementation of the Indigenous Stewardship Policy, Parks Canada aims to support the efforts of Indigenous Peoples in the maintenance  and the revitalization of cultural connections to the lands, waters, and ice within their territories, treaty lands and ancestral homelands. To support team members, Parks Canada is developing an Indigenous cultural learning program to help staff gain knowledge and skills necessary to support the advancement of Indigenous stewardship within their roles and responsibilities. As part of the Indigenous cultural learning program, we are pleased to introduce the Indigenous Stewardship Living & Learning Journey,  a new initiative designed to promote individualized learning, shaped with guidance from the Indigenous Stewardship Circle and an internal working group. This initiative will help bring the framework and policy into practice by embedding ongoing growth into how we work, improving our inter-cultural relationships, and building upon the dynamic ways we live and learn Indigenous stewardship together every day.  All Parks Canada team members have a role to play in supporting Indigenous stewardship.

Throughout the month of June, the Indigenous History Month ParksNet Page will be updated each week to draw your attention to different themes related to Indigenous histories and perspectives. We encourage you to visit this page regularly to learn more about the many contributions of Indigenous Peoples. Embracing learning about Indigenous histories deepens our understanding and honours the stories, achievements and resilience of First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

Wishing you a month filled with deep reflection and meaningful connections.

Respectfully,

Nadine Spence
Vice-President, Indigenous Stewardship and Cultural Heritage, Co-Champion for Indigenous Employees

Jonathan Arnold
Executive Director, Ontario and Waterways, Co-Champion for Indigenous Employees

Ron Hallman

President & CEO