‘Walking forward together’ is the theme of the third annual Prairie Rivers Reconciliation Committee (PRRC) conference scheduled for November 8-10.
The online conference is aimed at promoting healing, communication and education between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, according to Tracy Johnson, a Warman City Councillor and member of the PRRC’s organizing committee.
“We are hoping people will open up to a different side of life,” said Johnson. “We need to be open to our neighbours and understand their point of view.
“That’s the only way to really create a conversation and establish lasting, positive relationships.”
The PRRC includes over 40 members from Warman, Martensville, One Arrow First Nation, Dalmeny, Osler, Mistawasis First Nation, Aberdeen, Corman Park and Duck Lake. The group was formed to build strong relationships and a long-term commitment toward Reconciliation.
The upcoming conference is the third annual gathering for the PRRC. The first conference was in Warman in 2018. Martensville hosted the conference in 2019. An event in 2020 had to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s conference is being held online via Zoom because of ongoing uncertainty about health regulations and the growing number of COVID-19 Delta variant cases.
Johnson said details of the conference, including featured speakers, are still being finalized, but added the admission fee is set at a price that everyone can afford.
“It’s free,” she said. “There is no charge to attend the online sessions. You just register and log on.”
Johnson said PRRC members have been meeting monthly to plan the upcoming conference. At each of these planning meetings, the most recent of which was held in August at One Arrow First Nation, educational sessions feature elders sharing stories of trauma faced by survivors of residential schools.
Johnson said the educational sessions reinforce her commitment to be “an ally” of her Indigenous neighbours. Learning more about Indigenous culture and listening to their stories helps broaden her perspective, she added.
“I quite like being involved in something bigger than me,” she said. “As a teacher, I enjoy learning new things and exploring new ways of looking at the world.”
Johnson said the PRRC conference organizers are currently working to secure funding from corporate, municipal and individual sponsors. The funding will cover the cost of the technology needed to deliver the online conference, as well as provide financial compensation to speakers as well as culturally-appropriate gifts for elders and resource people, she added.
The Cities of Warman and Martensville have both committed to providing sponsorship funding. Warman City Council voted at its August 23 meeting to earmark $500 toward the conference.
Johnson said the three-day conference aims to touch on a number of topics. The opening event on Sunday evening, November 7 will feature a performance by a First Nations drumming group from Stobart School in Duck Lake.
The first day of the conference, Monday, November 8 will focus on youth and showcase several young entrepreneurs and other role models for Indigenous students.
The second day, Tuesday, November 9 will highlight education, said Johnson. “We will have elders who will provide insights into Indigenous cultural teachings,” she said. “We’ll also be following Indigenous protocols.
“Day Three , Wednesday, November 10, will be devoted to business. Economic development, including land development and networking is the focus for the day,” she said.
Additional information on the upcoming conference will become available in the fall.