Bob Watts to bring message of hope to Whitehorse & Watson Lake

WHITEHORSE – Bob Watts is a hopeful man. “I have great faith in humankind. I believe that in our core we are noble beings and can act in a noble way.”

Watts is bringing his hopeful message to Whitehorse and Watson Lake next week in a presentation entitled 2013: Time to Right the Relationship – True Reconciliation in Canada.

Engaging Canadians in their history and in the issues that have arisen from it is a major theme of Watts’ life, and his presentation.

“Far too many people in this country have witnessed in silence, and we need people to engage in these issues, of how we treat one another, how we address the legacy of residential schools, and speak out,” said Watts, a graduate of the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and Fellow at the Harvard Law School.

“Because reconciliation does not just happen at a high level between Chiefs and Premiers and Prime Ministers. Regular people need to engage, act and react. Reconciliation must happen on the streets, in the workplace, and in coffee shops, if it is going to matter and if is to have a meaningful impact on each of us.”

For Watts, engaging in this work of addressing the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in Canada, began over 20 years ago as he watched the Oka crisis unfold.

Since then, he has served as the Chief of Staff and CEO to the Assembly of First Nations’ National Chief, Phil Fontaine.  He was also a member of the team which negotiated the historic Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and instrumental in leading the process to establish Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Today, the 55-year-old focuses on teaching at Queens University and public speaking. He also devotes time to assisting corporations develop meaningful partnerships with Aboriginal communities.

“This is part of what gives me hope. There are a significant number of companies in Canada who understand that they must include Aboriginal people as partners in order to move ahead. We have the fastest growing population in Canada, the youngest population in Canada, and there are an increasing number of well-educated Aboriginal people across the country. We are key players in the future of Canada.”

His work has given him insight into what he sees as one of the greatest obstacles to achieving true reconciliation between the non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal peoples of Canada.

“Too few of us understand significant parts of our history and too many of us use stereotypes instead of interaction.”2013 being the 250th anniversary of the Royal Proclamation is a fact Watts will use to anchor his presentation and help illustrate our shared history. He points out that this document did attempt to set a tone for how aboriginals and non-aboriginals should treat one another in this country, to recognize each other as allies with a joint future.

“For many Aboriginal people it’s our Magna Carta, and we need to go back to these first principles to guide what we are doing now instead of relying on the courts to sort through this relationship and interpret the constitution.”

Reconnecting Canadians with words that were written over two centuries ago is quite a challenge, but Watts feels his message is getting through. He points to the work of the Idle No More movement in bringing greater attention to Aboriginal, environmental and cultural issues as evidence that more Canadians are seeking meaningful ways of engaging.

“To see young people stand up for these issues; and those young people who walked from James Bay to Ottawa to make their voices heard… It’s very inspiring. I get to meet a lot of good people, from all over Canada, who inspire me and inspire each other. I hope this type of interaction encourages and motivates people to keep fighting for a better tomorrow, a better Canada.”

Bob Watts will present 2013: Time to Right the Relationship – True Reconciliation in Canada, 7.30 p.m., Tuesday May 21 at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse, and at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday May 22 at the Rec Centre in Watson Lake. Both events will be followed by a Q+A session with Watts.

At both events Resolution Health Support Workers will be in attendance to assist anyone who may need support during the talk, courtesy of Council of First Nations and Liard First Nation.

These are free events presented as part of the Yukon College Speaker Series. In Whitehorse tickets can be picked up in advance at the Yukon College reception and Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre. For more information visit www.yukoncollege.yk.ca/bobwatts