Today we celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day! A day where we recognize and celebrate the diverse cultures, languages and heritage of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples and the incredible contributions they have made and continue to make to Canada. This year, National Indigenous History Month is dedicated to the missing children, the families left behind, and residential school survivors. The discovery of 215 unmarked graves at a former Indian Residential School in Kamloops is a painful reminder of the physical, mental, and emotional pain these schools and systems have caused for Indigenous communities, surviving children, and their loved ones.
At Williams Engineering Canada, we believe it is important to listen, understand and educate ourselves. We believe everyone can learn more about the many cultures and unique heritage as well as the outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples by reading books from the Indigenous Reads reading list or screening a film by an Indigenous filmmaker. In addition, there are courses available online that provide a deeper perspective on Indigenous communities. I’m currently enrolled in a course offered by the University of Alberta called Indigenous Canada, which examines the historical and contemporary lives, identities, cultural expressions, rights, and goals of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Our team believes that educating ourselves about Indigenous peoples is the first step of many to take in order for us to make a positive impact on a community. By investing the time it takes to listen and understand the issues impacting our Indigenous communities properly, we can better prepare ourselves to positively impact others while living out our purpose of brightening lives! I would encourage everyone to do the same, to take time to understand and listen fully.
Naseem Bashir,
President & CEO
Williams Engineering Canada
