News

October 29, 2015

Well the election is over and we have a new government in the capital. We also have a new opportunity to influence public policy and decision-making. I recently attended the National Trust for Canada’s conference in Calgary and the excitement was evident. Prior to the conference a group of individuals representing various heritage organizations across the country gathered at the National Council Meeting to discuss public affairs, heritage and the regeneration of Canada’s communities. Also on our agenda was the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action which presents both challenges and opportunities for heritage organizations. This is directly connected to Living Heritage because any response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action necessarily requires an acknowledgement of the value of heritage in the very broadest sense. That means acknowledging the power of the past to shape the present and inform our choices for the future.

Prior to the conference I also attended Moh-kins-tsis, Calgary Indigenous Heritage Roundtable sponsored by the National Trust for Canada. It was a long day in a very warm room but the number and quality of the speakers was impressive. Dr. Reg Crowshoe, Spiritual Advisor and Former Chief of the Piikani Nation, spoke about the importance of language in expressing different worldviews. He is an advocate of finding parallels between perspectives rather than attempting to combine or merge them. If we focus on the meaning of our words we may find that even though we may use different words to express ourselves, our intentions are not all that different. As Dr. Crowshoe said, he may use a MAC and I may use a PC but we both get the same result in the end. This resonates with me as I too, have sought to find parallels between various approaches to individual and community development, quality of life issues and concerns, and Living Heritage. Perhaps it is more important that we learn about different worldviews, exploring our differences and discovering our similarities, rather than trying to create something entirely new. This approach also allows us to reap the benefits of cultural diversity without destroying it in the process.

This is not to suggest the road to reconciliation will be easy. It takes courage and confidence to participate in discussions that question our values, beliefs, and ways of living, in other words our Living Heritage, especially when the status quo favours our own particular worldview. However challenging it will be, we have a unique opportunity in this place, at this time, to choose to do the right thing, because it is the right thing to do. The past, the present and the future all come together when we are willing to negotiate a shared future.