NATIONAL TRUST FOR CANADA

Heritage Saskatchewan (HS) board and staff continued to participate in numerous webinars offered by the National Trust (NT) throughout the year. This provided us with relevant information applicable to our own work in Saskatchewan, and in addition provided virtual networking opportunities with others working and volunteering in the heritage sector.

In 2022, HS contributed to an inventory as a part of a broader initiative that the National Trust conducted aimed at reaching broader audiences and addressing questions facing the sector so that our work is relevant and supported by the broader public, outlined in the Research section of this Annual Report. The bigger Heritage Reset Project, funded in part by the Federal Government through Canadian Heritage, included two surveys (one directed at the general public and another at the heritage sector) aimed at assessing attitudes and levels of awareness around reconciliation, diversity, social justice, and climate change, and getting the sector aligned around shared values. HS participated in the sector survey and we continue to be active with a network of other heritage sector partners in relation to this project.

Two of our board members and three staff attended the National Trust Conference in Toronto (held October 19 to 23) entitled “The Heritage Reset: Making Critical Choices”. As a part of the conference, we participated in the National Council Meeting on October 19, which featured the work of the Indigenous Heritage Circle, and other work that will be essential to the sector going forward. Participation at the Council meeting and the conference overall provided a number of opportunities to network with other heritage practitioners and volunteers from across the country.

TRUTH & RECONCILIATION INTERNAL STAFF TRAINING

On the road to truth and reconciliation, Heritage Saskatchewan (HS) is working diligently to increase our own understanding and to share our lessons with Saskatchewan communities. In 2022 we brought Christine Fiddler on to the HS team, contracting her to deliver internal training for staff as well as collaborate with us on our planning for community-based reconciliation projects. Christine is an experienced community facilitator and a PhD candidate in History from the University of Saskatchewan with a focus on traditional Indigenous healing practices. She maintains strong connections to her home community of Waterhen Lake First Nation where she is highly respected for her knowledge and her community service. Christine worked with us previously on the Covid-19 Culture living heritage project in 2020 and the Historic Marker Survey in 2021.

Christine delivered her first workshop to us in July 2022 with a focus on Indigenous history, Elders protocol, land acknowledgements, and important protest movements for Indigenous rights. She also related some of her own life experiences and perspectives. In the fall of 2022 she delivered two more workshops and will continue this work in 2023. In both her presentations and workshops, Christine fosters an open environment where participants feel comfortable sharing and being honest. Christine’s expertise on Indigenous history in Canada coupled with her lived experiences and the living memory of her family members’ experiences bring a rich and nuanced perspective to her work. We value Christine’s guidance as we work and learn together, and we are honoured to have her working with us on the vital issue of reconciliation.