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Reconciliation between Canadian society and the country’s Indigenous communities... 

is possible, say two new national Indigenous leaders.

While they come at reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous people from two different vantage points [invalshoeken, gezichtspunten] — one is the first female leader of the Assembly of First Nations, and the other is the first Indigenous Governor General, representing the British monarchy in Canada — both are new to their roles and say reconciliation will be at the forefront of their efforts going forward.

While Archibald comes to these issues from the perspective of the Assembly of First Nations and as the first woman elected to lead the Chiefs of Ontario in 2018, the new governor general brings a northern Inuit and diplomat’s background to the position. 

Mary Simon, an Inuk and former ambassador to Denmark, was sworn in as Canada’s new governor general during a ceremony in the Senate chamber July 26.

“I have heard from Canadians who describe a renewed sense of possibility for our country and hope that I can bring people together,” Simon said.

“Every day, inside small community halls, school gyms, Royal Canadian Legions, places of worship, and in thousands of community service organizations, there are ordinary Canadians doing extraordinary things,” Simon said.

“My view is that reconciliation is a way of life and requires work every day,” she said. “Reconciliation is getting to know one another.”

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau... 

said Simon’s appointment as the queen’s representative in Canada comes at a historic time, with the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, issues surrounding climate change, and what he called “walking forward on the path of reconciliation.”

“In this moment of unprecedented change,” Trudeau said of Simon, “we need your vision of a stronger Canada for everyone.”

[Cath.Philly]