April 19, 2017

 
 
 ! Highlights!
 
Chris Snyder – Honouring Indigenous People
 
 
 
 
Speaker: Chris Snyder – Honouring Indigenous People
 
Walter W introduced the speaker, Chris Snyder, who is not only a familiar face within Rotary but also an accomplished person in professional and philanthropic spheres. A member of the Toronto Rotary Club, he is an author of 4 books on personal finance, President and Chair of the Canadian Landmine Foundation and founding chair of Honouring Indigenous People. Chris  has also organized more than 30 sweat equity projects around the world and is a recipient Queen’s Gold and Diamond Jubilee Medals for  philanthropic service.
 
 
Walter W introduction
 
Chris introduced the initiative is so passionate about, Honouring Indigenous People (HIP), as a vehicle to improve the lives of indigenous people through education and bringing much-needed awareness among the non-indigenous people of the issues, history and culture of situation our indigenous people.
 
 
Chris provided the historical context for the challenges facing indigenous people, beginning with the European settlers arriving in late 1400s followed by the interaction between the settlers and indigenous communities which put the latter on a negative social trajectory. Residential schools in 1874 were designed to assimilate indigenous people. The manner in which children were taken away from families, subjected to abuse and practices that amounted to cultural genocide. The upheaval and dire social consequences resulting from a century long existence of residential schools sowed the seeds for extremely negative outcomes for the indigenous population for generations to follow. These developments are well documented in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and unveiled the dire and bleak impact of the cumulative impact of what indigenous populations have had to endure. Examples of these impacts include the following:
  • Indigenous youth constitute only 3% of Ontario’s youth population but account for over 23% of youth unemployment.
  • Loss of language and culture.
  • Much higher rates of substance abuse and suicide among indigenous people compared to the overall population.
  • Poor health outcomes.
  • Low educational achievements – 61% of children on reserves not completing school.
Chris described the various fronts on which HIP is active, including partnerships with indigenous communities and success stories from its educational activities. For more information, please visit the HIP site: Rotaryhip.com .
 
John M thanking
 
John M thanked the speaker for the history lesson and insights into this important subject, beyond the snippets of information one gets through the media.
 
Next Meeting: 
 
April 26, 2017   - Rotary After Hours, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Midtown Gastro Hub
           Morgan Wienburg of Little Footprints Big Steps will speak the relief efforts sponsored by District 7070 after hurricane Matthew in Haiti