(Montreal) The Canadian National Railway Company (CN) has released a new policy on relations with Indigenous people, months after the mass resignation of its advisory board made up of prominent Indigenous leaders.
The policy includes principles such as cultural awareness and staff engagement, community engagement and relations, economic reconciliation, and environmental protection and safety.
“CN is deeply committed to reconciliation and continued collaboration with Indigenous communities throughout its network,” said Olivier Chouc, vice-president and CEO of Legal Affairs at CN, via email. of press release.
“By recognizing our past and assuming our responsibilities, we are laying a stronger foundation to continue to develop respectful, lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with Indigenous people. »
The board resigned late last year after its co-chairs said the company failed to acknowledge past wrongs and follow its recommendations for reconciliation.
The new policy comes following CN’s recognition of the historic role the railways played in colonial policies. This recognition was published in December in the wake of the mass resignation of the council.
CN is one of several major Canadian companies that have appointed Indigenous advisory councils in recent years in response to a call to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
The commission called on the business sector to engage in meaningful consultation and respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples, and to ensure they have equitable access to employment, training and education opportunities, as well as long-term sustainable benefits of economic development projects.
However, indigenous affairs experts say these goals are still far from being achieved, as evidenced by the resignation of CN’s indigenous advisory council.
Some have urged Canadian companies to go beyond window dressing and take real action, including setting goals for Indigenous representation on boards and targets for hiring across the board. organization.
Such measures could also include procurement agreements to ensure Indigenous-owned businesses have fair access to corporate contracts.
Mélanie Allaire, CN’s head of Indigenous relations, said the company is developing its first reconciliation action plan, which aims to outline specific, measurable initiatives for CN to track its progress. The plan will be announced later this year.
“This new policy is just one element of the overall work undertaken by CN to establish strong and meaningful relationships with Indigenous people,” said Ms.me Allaire, in a press release.
CN says its network operates in or near nearly 230 reserve lands of more than 120 First Nations and Métis communities in Canada, as well as “seven tribal communities in the United States,” details the company in its press release.