Indigenous Inclusion in the Workplace

As I was looking through posts, I was drawn to this post in particular. Everyone talks about reconciliation and Indigenous rights, but it is not often you hear about what is happening in the workplace to include Indigenous people. In Thomas King's book "The Truth About Stories" he talked about his mother not having the same rights and same pay in the workplace as the men. Furthermore, I remember King talking about the conferences he went to and how he was never paid for his hardwork and dedication, but non-Indigenous people were paid for doing the same job... Which brings me to talk about how Indigenous people were often 'overlooked in the economic world' and employment opportunities were next to none. An executive chief named Kelly Lendsay, aims to increase participation of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis in the economy.

With all this in mind, things are starting to look up for Indigenous people in the workplace. You see more diversity and inclusion happening in the workplace, which at one time in history, was non-existent. With the growing rate of Indigenous people increasing, the employment rate should be improving as well. In 2016, there were 1.7 million Indigenous people in the country, which makes up 4.9 percent of the population. Seems very little when you first see it, but we must remember that Indigenous people were close to extiction at one point due to the poor treatment on the reserves, Residential Schools, etc.

Another point I would like to add is how people are fostering inclusion in the workplace. The first step is gaining knowledge and understanding. Becoming knowledgeable of their past and the issues they are still facing today, will help create an inclusive space that welcomes Indigenous people with open arms and creates a bond that was once broken by colonization, assimilation, and loss of their culture. Another important thing to remember, sympathy and empathy only go so far, but being willing to learn and repair the damages done is the step in the right direction.
-Isabella
Works Cited:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-how-to-build-a-more-inclusive-workplace-for-indigenous-people/

Hi Izzy,
I liked the article you found and it was very informative. Great job tying in King's mothers experience as an Indigenous woman in the workplace. It is good to know that the number of Indigenous professionals in the workplace has gone up since his mothers time; however, it sounds like there is a lot more diversity needed in several sectors in the workforce today. Great post!