Canadian Government Executive - Volume 24 - Issue 04

INTERVIEW work effectively together. Without this, I am not sure if we will ever get to recon- ciliation. You know, George, there is a real appe- tite to address some of these big issues in the public service right away. However, what I do see and feel sometimes is the pressure of what is the next deadline or next box that a department can tick off to say they did their part in the reconcilia- tion conversation. This makes me think back to my upbringing in the North. Very early on in the ‘bush’ or out on the land, we are taught how to use the land and how to be respectful of the land and the animals that the land provides. One of the first things we learn is to slow down – think about what you’re going to be doing because everything has consequences. We have a cabin that is 60 air miles from Fort Smith, and we’d have to fly there as a family every spring and fall to hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors. One of the big les- sons that we learned very early on is that there’s no running in the bush. You have to slow down and take your time. You are very deliberate in your actions when you use an axe, a knife or walk on rocks be- cause if you get hurt that is a big conse- quence. Back in the day for elders, if you got hurt on the land, there wasn’t going to a hospital and calling an ambulance and calling 911. That just doesn’t work when you are out on the land. I think as a government, what we have to do is be able to understand that there is a real level of frustration in First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people with what actions we associate with reconciliation. We need to clarify this new relationship with govern- ments and find a way to lessen the levels of mistrust. I believe a critical part of this journey has to be about listening and try- ing to figure out ways where we are able to incorporate that ‘slow down’ mentality so as to think things through and under- stand the consequences of our actions. There is a lot of cultural significance in terms of seven generations and how lead- ers and Indigenous leaders think – not just about the next generation but the ongoing generations. Sometimes in the in the bureaucracy, we’re very much fueled by what’s urgent today. One of the experiences I wanted to share from my Ottawa days was with a really strong leader and the sense of ur- gency around delivering on the govern- ment’s agenda. At the time, I was – like we all have from time to time in our careers – starting to get into the Otta- wa rat race, turning my focus onto how much “stuff” had to go out of the office, how quick and responsive I had to be to senior management or the Minister’s office. I think you start becoming a part of that culture as you’re going through it. This leader was from a military back- ground, and he came into my office one day and closed the door. We had a discus- sion about the fact that my style of lead- ership was affecting the final product. He said to me, “You know, Joe, we need to remember something about our jobs: Somebody’s not going to die because you don’t get this briefing note or deci- sion paper done right away. Our job is to think about what we’re doing, that it’s the right decision, and more importantly, that it makes sense for Canadians. Let’s remember where we are working on our files because there are men and women right now, working in the line of duty, that are facing life or death situations – just remember where we are.” That con- versation made me reflect on where I’m from and an activity that took many place many times when I was on the land with my family. In the fall, when we were harvest- ing ducks, we would all go to an area of the forest behind our cabin, and all my family members would get their duck to pluck. We would do this with our mom and dad, and it was an opportunity to have conversations – to talk and to learn. I think you start on a path of reconcili- ation by listening, and I think if we, as public servants, can do a little bit more of that in how we approach this conversa- tion, we might have a chance of success. Again, I don’t think it’s an easy fix, and I think it’s an uncomfortable exchange on how we have more Indigenous involve- ment in the public service, but I agree with you: I think there is a lot of goodwill going towards it. For me, it is just how we go about defining reconciliation, and I think we must listen to the individual communities to understand the situation. That being said, if the ‘systems’ remain in place the way that they are now, I don’t know how we can change for the better. I look back on that story about having such a good hockey team at Cornell, and it was the ‘system’ that killed us, and we didn’t have the ability to change. So, if we don’t change the innerworkings of how Ottawa addresses Indigenous issues, I don’t see us having real positive results on the rela- tionship going forward – I see it as being a real barrier. I believe we have a tremen- dous amount of momentum at this point in time in all levels of government, and we need to take advantage of this for the betterment of the country. July/August 2018 // Canadian Government Executive / 17 Photo: Natural Resources Canada