CUPE’s national officers Candace Rennick and Mark Hancock with Debra Merrier, national diversity vice-president, and National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s Marion McKenzie, director of major and corporate gifts, Stephanie Scott, executive director, and Raymond Frogner, senior director of research/head of archives.
A beautiful Star Blanket in the lobby of CUPE’s national office is a powerful reminder of CUPE’s commitment to truth and reconciliation.
Debra Merrier, diversity vice-president for Indigenous workers presented the blanket to CUPE’s national officers at a ceremony during the 2022 Sector Council Conference.
Merrier worked on the Star Blanket with National Executive Board members who helped her trace and cut the fabric while learning and sharing stories and laughter.
The blanket represents the seven Grandfather Teachings: Love, Honesty, Respect, Humility, Truth, Wisdom and Bravery.
The blanket colours are red representing Indigenous peoples, blue for sky and water, yellow for sun, brown for the land, green for the trees, beige representing togetherness and walking side by side, and orange for truth and reconciliation and reminding us of Orange Shirt Day and that Every Child Matters.
CUPE members at the 2022 National Sector Council Conference wrote more than 270 messages of reconciliation on the orange ribbons that fan out around the blanket.
We are all called to understand the truth about colonization and its legacies for Indigenous peoples, and to act for meaningful reconciliation.
Learn how you can build solidarity with Indigenous peoples with these two CUPE guides:
Walking the talk: A practical guide to reconciliation for CUPE locals
Truth and reconciliation: CUPE taking action through collective bargaining
