ARC Acknowledgement and Apology
Aulneau Renewal Centre would like to acknowledge and offer a sincere apology to all First
Nation, Inuit and Red River Metis Peoples, past and present, who have been harmed by the
policies of colonization that led to the separation of Indigenous families, cultural genocide, and
forced assimilation, actions that have continued to impact Indigenous Peoples to this day.
Aulneau was founded in 1979 by the Missionary Oblate Sisters of St. Boniface. In 2021, the
General Superior of the Missionary Oblate Sisters apologized for the role of the Oblate sisters in
the Residential School System here in Manitoba.
In 1998, Aulneau was separately incorporated as a bilingual non-for-profit charitable
organization, and in 2012, it became a Sponsored Community of Service under the Réseau
Compassion Network. As such, Aulneau has directly benefitted from the Oblate sisters and the
Catholic Church. We recognize the positions of power and privilege we have had and still hold.
Aulneau’s reconciliation journey is an important part of meeting our participants’ needs.
Recognizing we can support and enact change, we are dedicated to moving forward in
reconciliation with Indigenous communities. By doing so, we are committing to the following
Calls to Action outlined by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada:
Professional Development and Education: Call to Action #92, iii:
We understand our role will be to better understand the impact and ongoing traumas of the
residential school system, and how they impact Indigenous Peoples today. Through regular
education and dialogue with community, staff and board, we will create and support systems to
prevent these wrongs from happening again and address the inequities that currently exist. To
support this, we have established an organization-wide Truth and Reconciliation Committee
which meets regularly to discuss and explore how we can work together as an organization to
educate ourselves as well as decolonize the workspaces in which we operate. Recommendations
on specific actions to be taken will be forwarded to the Board for discussion and approval.
Business and Reconciliation: Call to Action #92:
We recognize the importance of establishing and maintaining reciprocal relationships with
Elders and Indigenous leaders in our communities. Deeply valuing the expertise and guidance
they are willing to impart on us, we recognize the importance of their role in helping us work in
the spirit of reconciliation, as well as assisting us in working towards creating culturally safer
spaces. This includes, but is not limited to, endeavoring to decolonize language, policies and
procedures that we use.
We also value and understand the importance of representation and diversity on our team.
Aulneau remains committed to hiring and investing in a diverse workforce. This includes our
ongoing effort to recruit Indigenous staff and board members.
Child Welfare: Supporting Calls to Actions #1 and #3:
We are committed to our work in keeping Indigenous families together. Through our Dragonfly
program we aim to help families develop strong, enduring relationships with one another.
Relationships in which each individual’s sense of security can flourish and be nurtured. By
establishing a committed team of therapists and parent coaches, our goal is to strengthen
attachment and increase attunement between caregivers and their children to aid in reunifying
families.
We also remain dedicated to the implementation of Jordan’s Principle at our offices. Knowing
the historical context of service denial and delay when it comes to Indigenous children receiving
care, through Jordan’s Principle our therapists work to provide timely, supportive approaches to
ensure Indigenous children and youth receive quality therapeutic services when they need
them.
Our reconciliation journey is an ongoing priority for our organization. We know that
reconciliation is not one destination, but rather a series of destinations, each bringing with it
opportunities for all of us to learn and grow, and to become confident and competent in our
capabilities as an organization. Each year, Aulneau Renewal Centre will highlight, in its annual
report, the actions taken in the spirit of reconciliation and will discuss with Réseau Compassion
Network any further actions being considered for the future.