On February 16, the Economic Reconciliation program was launched with 12 duos committed to innovative reconciliation focused projects. These initiatives span a range of areas, including the economy, culture, and knowledge sharing. Over the coming months, participants will learn, experiment, and bring their projects to life through collaboration.
Discover four of these duos: their determination and their strong desire to learn as they embark on this journey of training and partnership.
Danielle Gabriel McKenzie and Thomas Sonveau – Reconciliation and Land
Danielle Gabriel McKenzie, Innu Nation, Matimekush–Lac John
By enrolling in the program, I hope to further equip myself and strengthen my skills. Having already completed another program, I am convinced that this experience will provide concrete and meaningful learning to support my initiatives.
Thomas Sonveau
I want to deepen my understanding of reconciliation and strengthen my ability to integrate it into my daily work, so I can speak about it with confidence and put it into meaningful practice.
Éric Joubert and Russel Tremblay – Retention & Development
Éric Joubert, Innu Nation, Uashat Mak Mani-utenam
I am participating in the program to help improve conditions for members of my community. I want to build the tools needed to establish genuine, sustainable and equitable partnerships.
Russel Tremblay
I am taking part in this program to better equip my organization in its reconciliation journey with partner communities. My goal is to implement concrete and sustainable measures, and the shared learning within the cohort will help ensure they are carried out in a meaningful and respectful way.
Maude Bellefleur and Vanessa Panneton-Dubuqe – Health and Cultural Safety
Maude Bellefleur, Innu Nation, Unamen-Shipu
The opportunity to co-develop a project aimed at improving services in a health centre dedicated to Indigenous Peoples aligns fully with my field of expertise. I see this as a real opportunity for learning and professional growth.
Vanessa Panneton-Dubuqe
I want to take concrete action to improve cultural safety in health care, both in urban settings and on the land. This journey is an opportunity to learn with curiosity and humility, build bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous realities, and inspire my daughter to grow up with openness and respect.
In the next phase of the program, the 12 duos will continue to deepen their knowledge to strengthen their respective projects. As part of this collective journey, the cohort will then travel to the Uashat community, an important moment to ground their learning in community realities, foster meaningful connections, and continue building relationships rooted in trust and reciprocity.
Together, the cohort moves forward with a shared commitment: learning, growing, and advancing their projects in a spirit of collaboration and reconciliation.
