Martha Justice Ministry hosted a free public education series, Healing the Divide: A Journey of Reconciliation. Three interactive workshops took place on Sundays from 1–4:30 PM, starting April 12. 

Reflection by Joanne Tompkins,MJM Core Group member:

Our sessions are designed to help us, as settlers, better understand the experiences of Indigenous peoples and the work required to build right relationships. We see this as an important step in preparing for honest and meaningful dialogue with Indigenous communities.

The second annual “Healing the Divide: A Journey of Reconciliation” series took place over three Sundays in April. Martha Justice Ministry Core Group members, Sr. Donna Brady, Olga Gladkikh, and Joanne Tompkins led a group of about 15 participants in each session in an engaged learning process on reconciliation and right relations. The title of the workshop series is based on a song written by celebrated Mi’kmaw songwriter and musician, Morgan Toney. In his song, entitled “Healing the Divide”, Morgan Toney examines how the processes of colonialism have the created the unequal divide between Indigenous and Settler communities in Canada today. 

Session One of the workshop was entitled “Creating the Divide” and used an experiential activity to demonstrate the how the divides between the two nations were created through many different moments in our shared history. Participants witnessed overt actions of destruction as well as official government policies designed to assimilate Indigenous peoples into the mainstream of the early colonies and later into the newly created Canadian state. It was noted that the compounded and enduring nature of these colonial processes on Indigenous individuals and their communities. This activity provided a vivid way to note that, as Indigenous peoples suffered many losses through the colonization processes, Settlers communities, colonial governments, later the Canadian government gained considerable wealth and power.  

“Journeying Towards Reconciliation” was the title of the second workshop and this day focused on taking a deeper dive into the processes of colonization and the ways in which it destabilizes individuals, communities, and nations.  Participants spent significant time looking at the Indian Residential School Act of 1876. Marie Wlison, author of North of Nowhere: Song of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner  (2025), describes this government policy as  “one of this country’s earliest, long-lasting and most damaging policies” (p. 5). There was discussion about the events that led to the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the final report (2015) with the 94 Calls to Action, outlining the goal, the path, and actions required to heal the divide. During this session, the 7 Sacred Teachings, which guided the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, were shared with the participants. These seven Indigenous values can be useful to guide the Reconciliation process for both Indigenous and Settlers peoples. 

The last session of the series “Envisioning a New Future” invited participants, working in small groups, to engage in thinking about what reconciliation could look like at the local and community level. This activity moved the group from reflection to thinking about concrete actions that could be taken. The variety of representations demonstrated that there are many ’starting’ points to reconciliation work and many ways that communities can address the Calls to Action.

As facilitators, we observed high engagement by participants in the  “Healing the Divide” series. Comments from the Evaluation Form completed anonymously by participants supported what we were observed.  A sample of a few comments from the Evaluation Form demonstrate the appreciation of Settlers to learn about Truth and Reconciliation using transformative adult learning. 

"I’ve learned I can make a difference in healing the divide and making inroads with Indigenous peoples” (Participant, Evaluation Form, Healing the Divide, 2026). 

"Giving people an opportunity to talk about difficult issues. So together is the key to reconciliation and change. Thank you!” (Participant, Evaluation Form, Healing the Divide, 2026). 

"These sessions made me realize there is so much more that needs to be done in this regard. This was extremely impactful”. (Participant, Evaluation Form, Healing the Divide, 2026). 

“There is so much more to learn and that learning needs to grow within and into human-to-human relationships so that reconciliation is nurtured”. (Participant, Evaluation Form, Healing the Divide, 2026).