National Indigenous History Month
To celebrate National Indigenous History Month, CIP hosted three webinars from June 25-26 on a broad range of Indigenous planning issues.
The series started with Dana Kripki and Gilles Dorval from the City of Saskatoon sharing their work on aysinowak: A Communications Guide, winner of CIP's Award for Planning excellence in Reconciliation. The pair provided illuminating examples and best practices from the guide, noting in particular that good communication, "face to face", is needed to develop lasting relationships.
Jeff Hamm, a professional planner with more than thirty years of experience, presented viewers with a deeply moving reflection on his personal experience working with the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and finished with a call for planners to be strong allies with their Indigenous partners, starting simply by listening.
The series wrapped up with a presentation by Catarina Gomes and Rena Soutar on the Northeast False Creek Plan of Vancouver, winner of APA's Pierre L'enfant International Planning Award. The team spoke of the extensive consultation they needed to do in order to make their vision of an urban park for all peoples-- and one that would reconcile historical injustices-- a reality.
All three webinars presented viewers with powerful stories of reconciliation in action, and each concluded with a common theme: that planners must communicate and build genuine relationships with the Indigenous communities they work with, if they want to achieve truly successful reconciliation through planning.
CIP Policy Statement - Planning Practice and Reconciliation
CIP's newly launched policy on Planning Practice and Reconciliation defines the role that planning and planners play in reconciliation.
Against the backdrop of the principles of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Final Report and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP), this policy is a call to action for planners to engage in meaningful and sustained relationship building with Indigenous Peoples of Canada.
Read CIP's full Planning Pratice and Reconciliation policy (context, goals, objectives, and the roles of planners and CIP) by clicking on the adjacent image:
About this Policy
The development of this policy was led by CIP's Indigenous Community Planning Committee, comprised of Indigenous and non-Indigenous practioners, dedicated to building capacity for Indigenous planning and community development across Canada.
The policy was developed through extensive engagement with Indigenous planning practioners and community leaders, along with CIP members, over an eighteen-month period. Engagement was carried out through the use of individual interviews, focus groups and surveys.
Read CIP's previously released policies on Healthy Communities and Climate Change
here.
For more information about the National Planning Policy Development project, please contact Harry Burchill at
Hburchill@cip-icu.ca.
In 2003, CIP established the Indigenous Community Planning Committee (ICPC) in order to build capacity and support for indigenous planning and community development across Canada. ICPC promotes agency cooperation and collaboration to assist indigenous communities and groups to achieve their own aspirations for sustainable development. It welcomes the participation of indigenous communities, organizations and individuals.
The ICPC provides assistance in areas such as comprehensive community planning and development, governance, health and wellness, social development, energy and infrastructure, environment and climate change, education and learning, grants and funding, culture revitalization and international affairs and outreach.
Spirit of Change: International Aboriginal Youth Internship
This video chronicles the four months CIP’s aboriginal Canadian interns spent in Region One of Guyana in 2012. The aim of the project was to expose aboriginal Canadian youth to international development and international development work.