Professional Development and Training for Public Servants

Tansi Nîtôtemtik,

Today Team ReconciliAction will be evaluating Call to Action #57, which calls for professional development and training for public servants.

57. We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.^[1]

Public servants are employees of the government. In reality, public servants carried out their government-mandated duties to facilitate residential schools and other historical injustices committed against Indigenous peoples. So, it is important for public servants to have an understanding of the historical implications of their role, and to receive training that instills sensitivity and respect for Indigenous peoples. Done properly, Call to Action #57 has the ability to “heighten our historical consciousness of colonialism, recognize the pain it inflicts, amend for its wrongs, and catalyze positive transformation.” ^[2]

So far, the Government of Canada has created an optional education program for employees in the Federal public service, titled the “Indigenous Learning Series” through the Canada School of Public Service.^[3] The course is described as focusing on the “rights, perspectives, cultures, history and heritage of First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada and their relationship with the Crown.” ^[4]Other actions taken by the Federal government include:

• The creation of online content through the online learning portal for government employees ^[5] 
• Launching three classroom courses for public servants;^[6] and 
• Establishing a Circle of Elders and Elders in Residence initiative to support the development of education for public servants. ^[7] 

(One example of a classroom course for public servants is the KAIROS blanket exercise which teaches participants about the Colonization of Turtle Island. Image credit, KAIROS.org https://www.kairosblanketexercise.org/2018/02/26/reflecting-on-the-blanket-exercise/)

On a provincial level, governments have responded to Call to Action #57 differently. In Alberta, a mandatory education program on Indigenous history and issues was approved for public servants in 2018 by then Premier Rachel Notley, which now exists as an introductory training program for public servants. ^[8] On a municipal level, only some cities have developed similar programs, including Winnipeg and Brandon, Manitoba. ^[9]

So far, the progress made on this Call to Action is promising. However, the momentum needs to continue, and these courses should be mandatory to ensure that all public servants get a uniform experience. All levels of government need to consider whether they have developed education programs in response to Call to Action #57, and if not, programs should be implemented. Due to the piecemeal approach taken so far, ReconciliAction is assigning a grade of B- on this Call to Action.

Thanks for reading! Let us know your thoughts on our evaluation in the comments below.

Until next time,

Team ReconciliAction YEG

1Canada, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Honouring the Truth and Reconciling for the Future: Summary of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Winnipeg: The Commission, 2015.

²Mark Weiler (2017). Public servant schools in Canada: A concept for reconciliation. The Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education, 29(2), 1-20 at 4-5.

3Government of Canada, “Professional development and training for public servants” (Sept 5, 2019), online: <www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1524504124015/1557514077713>.

⁴Ibid.

⁵Ibid.

⁶Ibid.

⁷Ibid.

⁸Government of Alberta, “Indigenous Learning Initiative”, (2021) online:<www.alberta.ca/indigenous-learning-initiative.aspx#toc-0>.

⁹Rights Watch Blog (Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Pro Bono Students Canada), “TRC Call to Action #57 slated to be implemented Spring 2018”, online: <rightswatch.ca/2018/02/02/trc-call-to-action-57-slated-to-be-implemented-spring-2018/>.