Canada’s Governor General to Speak on Immigration and Reconciliation at Event in Calgary

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Canada’s Governor General will speak at an event in Calgary on Thursday about the complex relationship between immigration and reconciliation.

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Calgary was chosen to host this year’s LaFontaine-Baldwin Conference, organized by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), due to the city’s exceptional work connecting indigenous peoples and newcomers, explained the executive director of ICC, Daniel Bernhard.

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Her Excellency The Right Honorable Mary Simon is expected to speak on the importance of teaching Canada’s history, including the country’s residential school system and actions against indigenous communities, as an act of reconciliation and citizenship for newcomers.

“There are these two very important phenomena that are happening in Canadian society. One, we accept more newcomers per capita than any developed country in the world and that, of course, is essential to our economic survival, cultural dynamism and much more,” said Bernhard.

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“At the same time, Canada is grappling with its history and the need for reconciliation with indigenous peoples. And the need for reconciliation itself is somewhat caused by the fact that we did immigration very badly and irresponsibly for several hundred years, what we now call colonization.”

Bernhard said it is for this reason that the ICC asked Simon to provide direction and share her vision and guidance as Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General.

In Calgary, Bernhard explained that local immigration groups are already taking steps to include indigenous education in their services. The Center for Newcomers, for example, offers an Indigenous Newcomer Education program to bring newcomers and indigenous participants together and teach them about truth and reconciliation.

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“There is reciprocity and mutual solidarity that has already formed organically here in Calgary, and we wanted to make sure that this was the place where such an important conference would take place,” said Bernhard, of the annual LaFontaine-Baldwin Conference that is usually held. out in Toronto. .

“We’re not starting the conversation, we’re moving it forward.”

The ICC is a non-profit organization that works to inspire Canadians to be inclusive and foster active citizenship, supporting more than 450,000 new Canadians with services since 2005.

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Bernhard said that it doesn’t matter if someone is Canadian by birth or choice, it is the obligation of all Canadians to participate in reconciliation work.

Simon’s speech will be followed by a moderated question and answer session on the conference theme: reconciliation and the evolution of Canada.

Many local newcomers will be at the event, as well as ICC founders and the LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture and other dignitaries. The conference will take place at the Jack Singer Concert Hall on Thursday night.

More information about the event and tickets are available at Arts Commons website. There are a number of free tickets available that have been donated by the sponsors of the event.

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