TORONTO, June 1, 2018 /CNW/ - The Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) is proud to join the celebration of National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21st), the first of this year's Celebrate Canada days.
"Members of Canada's First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities continue to innovate, challenge and inspire through the arts and sciences, politics, sports, entertainment and other areas of life," said Albert Lo, Chair of the Board, CRRF. "National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrate these achievements. This is an opportunity for all Canadians to learn about the heritage, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous communities and to create spaces to listen to their experiences. Educating ourselves and others on these issues is an important component of the 94 Calls to Action of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, which we encourage all Canadians to read."
Indeed, it is as important as ever to listen to Canada's Indigenous Peoples and to learn about their experiences. The CRRF's most recent Focus Canada survey, conducted in partnership with the Environics Institute, shows that Indigenous Peoples are still amongst the groups most widely seen as experiencing ongoing discrimination.
"As people learn more about Indigenous Peoples and their histories, they become more willing to take part in the development of positive relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities," said Dr. Lilian Ma, CRRF Executive Director. "We encourage all Canadians to consult the many educational resources created by Indigenous scholars and community leaders to find ways to honour the Indigenous Peoples of Canada through personal acts of respect and reconciliation."
In keeping with its mandate, the CRRF makes some of these resources publicly accessible through its Clearinghouse. Recognizing our past mistakes can often help to build respect and trust among the diverse populations of Canada. The CRRF has produced educational resource material such as Doing the Right Thing to help us understand past mistakes made in Canadian history against minorities. These are available for download on our website at no cost.
About the Canadian Race Relations Foundation
The purpose of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation is to facilitate throughout Canada the development, sharing and application of knowledge and expertise in order to contribute to the elimination of racism and all forms of racial discrimination in Canadian society. The work of the Foundation is premised on the desire to create and nurture an inclusive society based on equity, social harmony, mutual respect and human dignity. Its underlying principle in addressing racism and racial discrimination emphasizes positive race relations and the promotion of shared Canadian values of human rights and democratic institutions.
SOURCE Canadian Race Relations Foundation
Dr. Lilian Ma, Executive Director - (416) 441-1900
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