Truth & Reconciliation Working Group

The constituency-based MCEC Truth & Reconciliation Working Group serves the MCEC constituency by promoting awareness and education on specific issues and topics. The information and links are those of the Working Group and do not necessarily represent MCEC as a whole.

Join the MCEC Truth and Reconciliation Working Group, along with MCCO Indigenous Neighbours Program, in this informative webinar about Land and Territory Acknowledgement, the place of these statements in our worship services. and developing and using Land Acknowledgements.

Mennonites Call for Peaceful Engagement with Wet'suwet'en Protectors and Their Allies
From the MCEC Truth & Reconciliation Working Group - March 2020

As members of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada congregations, we are deeply concerned with events on Wet’suwet’en territory and the many solidarity blockades which have arisen in recent weeks.

According to Christian scriptures, a primary agenda for God is reconciliation among peoples. (2 Corinthians 5: 19). Mennonites in Canada reaffirmed our commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in the New Covenant signed in 1987, and we continue that work in response to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We implore our elected leaders to take the message of reconciliation seriously in their responses to the current crisis. A commitment by Canadians to engage in reconciliation with our Indigenous sisters and brothers is paramount at this point in our history. It is one of the most important tasks for this generation of Canadians. It is work that will require creativity, compassion, patience, wisdom and much courage. In this spirit, we implore our leaders to show true strength and leadership in addressing the current crisis. We invite our political leaders to resist the temptation to engage in expedient, simplistic responses to the complex circumstances that are the result of a long history of inaction by government leaders. We beg you to refrain from imposing quick, coercive fixes that do not address the underlying historic causes behind the current tensions in our Indigenous communities. In contrast, we call for decisive action by government leaders to address the historic injustices and grievances of our Indigenous peoples.

We appeal to government leaders to take the following actions:

• Publicly recognize that the recent blockades and the conflicts that precipitated them are the result of decades of government inaction and neglect of our relationship with Indigenous peoples
• Renew relationships with Indigenous leaders and in good faith build bridges of reconciliation with Indigenous communities across the country
• Negotiate in good faith with Wet’suwet’en Indigenous leaders and all Indigenous communities to resolve the underlying issues regarding the right of Indigenous self-determination and Aboriginal title
• Respect the rule of law and implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including recognition of Indigenous legal orders, free prior and informed consent, and land reparations
• Respond to the current crisis with peaceful and nonviolent actions that build trust, support reconciliation and initiates steps towards resolution of the historic injustices that have been imposed on Indigenous peoples

As Mennonites, we commit to personal engagement with this important work of reconciliation and pledge to support our government leaders in this task. We respectfully remind our political leaders that “quick fixes” will come back to haunt all of us who live together on this land and will simply result in creating more problems. These were painful lessons that we learned at Oka and Ipperwash.

We acknowledge with deep concern that blockades cause extreme economic hardship for many people, families and businesses across Canada. At the same time, we as Canadians need to recognize the extreme social and economic hardship that we have frequently inflicted on our Indigenous brothers and sisters. We believe that peaceful, nonviolent responses based on reconciliation and good faith will have the greatest impact in addressing the current crisis and renewing a just relationship with our Indigenous peoples. We must recognize that the current crisis is generations in the making and will not be solved quickly. Patience, courage, integrity and a commitment to reconciliation are the leadership responses that will most effectively address the current circumstances.

We invite our government leaders to embrace this call to reconciliation and act with courage and decisiveness for the sake of Indigenous-Settler reconciliation and the health of the Canadian economy. Lasting peace and prosperity for all will only come through peaceful actions that foster trust and a renewed partnership with Indigenous peoples. In the spirit of reconciliation, Mennonites call on our political representatives to commit to nation-to-nation dialogue and to seek the long term welfare of all Canadians.

Sincerely,

Members of the Mennonite Church Eastern Canada Truth and Reconciliation Working Group