Statement from Bonnie Rose:

Posted Monday June 21, 2021

Posted By: Elizabeth Leal

Category: TSSA News,Safety Exchange Blog

Coming to terms with the profound mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples and racism in Canada. 

Our hearts remain heavy with the two devastating events that have happened in Ontario and Canada over the last month.

It has been over three weeks since the remains of 215 children were found in unmarked burial sites at the former Kamloops Residential School on Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation Territory. Despite the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Report confirming that more than 4,000 children were missing, the tragedy of finding this grave site is the occurrence that has started a public conversation and acknowledgement by Canadians of what happened at residential schools and to Indigenous Peoples across this country.

As we mourn and honour the 215 children and many other Indigenous children who died and were harmed at residential schools, we need to increase our awareness and understanding about the residential school system and the change that is happening now in Canada. And our efforts need to last beyond a single gesture.

At TSSA, we have shared resources with our team members, held important conversations about the profound mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples in this country and about the actions we can take towards Reconciliation. TSSA has made a donation to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society and to Indspire – a national registered charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day - a day for us to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

Tragically, the discovery of the unmarked burial site in Kamloops was not the only devastating occurrence recently. The Afzaal family who was killed in London, deliberately targeted simply because they were Muslim is a different type of tragedy.

Unfortunately, what makes both these situations similar, is that they are a result of racism and hatred.

The racism in our past and our present affects many of our team members, families, communities and the customers and public that we serve. Everyone has a right to safety – in their homes, communities and at work. No one should feel unsafe because of who they are.

It also deepens our resolve in TSSA to foster a workplace where everyone feels safe, included and where diversity is embraced and celebrated.  

We know that it takes intentional work to cultivate that type of environment. That’s why we created an employee resource group to help us ensure diversity, equity and inclusion is firmly embedded in our culture. We will continue to have more conversations, encourage more learning and take meaningful action.  

I hope we can find ways to work together for Canada to have a brighter future by acknowledging our past mistakes – even though we cannot undo the damage that has been done – by condemning racism, advancing Reconciliation and standing up for inclusion in all its forms.

Bonnie Rose,

President and CEO, TSSA