On June 21, Barnes Management group along with all Canadians celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day. We acknowledge and celebrate the diverse culture, unique heritage and contributions of Indigenous Peoples.

Processes of Reconciliation

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has called upon all inhabitants to contribute to the ongoing work of reconciliation. Barnes Management Group fully understands and embraces the ten Principles of Reconciliation as well as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples’.

Reconciliation is a difficult process that must begin with raising awareness of the history and impacts of centuries of colonization on Canada’s First People. We are committed to working with our Indigenous collaborators and clients towards achieving truth, justice, forgiveness, healing and reparation. BMG passionately advocates for overcoming the injustices and inequalities facing Indigenous communities and individuals.

Respecting Indigenous Worldviews

In addition, BMG supports and integrates Indigenous Worldviews into our processes, systems and projects. We believe this is instrumental in building respectful relationships and fostering meaningful collaboration with Indigenous children, youth, families and communities.

Our goal is to connect with Indigenous groups to promote health and wellness for children, youth, families, communities and Nations. We offer facilitation, support and strategies to cultivate community growth, as well as service delivery systems to boost First Peoples’ capacity to ameliorate the well-being of their children, youth and families.

Decolonization & Indigenization

Since the publication of the Truth and Reconciliation Report in 2015, Canada has witnessed an increase in Indigenous communities wanting to reintegrate Indigenous world views to their lives and services. This entails reinstating Indigenous culture, language and traditions and replacing western interpretations of history with Indigenous pedagogy.

At an agency level …

Here, indigenization involves recognizing Indigenous worldviews, knowledge and perspectives. Further, indigenization at an agency level identifies where these processes can be expressed and incorporated into organizational systems and practices. This also involves acknowledging that each community and nation have their own distinct world view (Smith, 2012).

At a community and leadership level …

At this level, indigenization refers to the ongoing theoretical and political processes used to reframe narratives about indigenous community histories and the effects of colonization, cultural assimilation and erasure (Smith, 1999). Decolonization work concerns the repositioning of knowledge within Indigenous discourse and cultural practices

At a personal level …

Personal decolonization and healing journeys involve various healing processes to work towards recovering from not only personal trauma but also intergenerational and systemic trauma, which accumulate over decades of intense struggles against assimilation and extinction. These healing processes involve physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual components.

Replacing Lateral Violence with Lateral Kindness

Lateral Violence

Describes a cycle of abuse rooted in colonization, oppression, intergenerational trauma, racism and other forms of discrimination. It manifests in many ways but especially in gossiping, bullying, shaming and blaming at home, in the community or the workplace (Native Women’s Association of Canada, 2011).

Lateral Kindness

Has been defined by the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health as “holding each other up” and “celebrating positive behaviours in others” (First Nations Health Authority, 2017).

Services

Our experience and expertise with Indigenous communities and organizations fall in the following categories: