CBC Radio Interview with Toronto Participants
Ismaila Alfa, the host of Metro Morning, CBC Radio’s local morning program in Toronto, met with four of our circle participants to talk about Reconciliation.
Fittingly seated amongst such sacred medicines as tobacco and sweetgrass in Eglinton Park Community Garden, two Indigenous and two non-Indigenous people talked about what Reconciliation means to each of them as they shared reflections on the value of their experiences as participants of Circles for Reconciliation.
Link for recorded segment:
The Graphic Leader Recognizing Circles
In March 2021, Circles for Reconciliation completed a 10-week circle in Portage la Prairie led by co-facilitators Cornell Pashe and Megan Romphf. Cornell is the Indigenous Community Coordinator for the city of Portage la Prairie. He is completing an Urban Indigenous Strategy.
Following completion of the circle, Cornell and Yvette Cuthbert, one of the participants, wrote guest articles in the weekly newspaper in Portage la Prairie, The Graphic Leader. These two articles highlight the value of our circles and their impact. Below are the two links to the articles:
Yvette Cuthbert
https://www.thegraphicleader.com/opinion/columnists/how-do-strangers-talk-to-you
Cornell Pashe
https://www.thegraphicleader.com/opinion/breaking-the-stigma
Grassroots partnership takes on reconciliation
October 20/20: CTV Winnipeg Videojournalist Rachel CrowSpreadingWings describes the background and current activities of Circles for Reconciliation.
Circles for Reconciliation is reconciliation in action
This audio clip was produced by CBC Radio
Bringing people together to talk
Article by Andrea Geary published in the Headliner describes recent Manitoba Circles activity
Neepawa hosts Circles for Reconciliation Meeting
Article about the organizational gathering that was held to discuss forming circles in five Manitoba communities published in the Neepawa Banner
CBC Provides Circles for Reconciliation with National Exposure
CBC’s national radio program “Now or Never” featured our Circles for Reconciliation in its broadcasts on Saturday, June 10th and Thursday, June 15th , 2017. Canadians from across the country responded. There were well over 79,000 views on Facebook. In addition, close to 75 emails came in from people in 23 different communities, all who wanted a circle in their community so they could participate and some willing to organize such circles. CBC provided an update on this wonderful response in their show on June 24th.
See CBC Facebook for the video and to hear the documentary about the circle on the CBC website.
Finally, the interview with Raymond Currie can be heard on the CBC podcast.
The feedback we are receiving suggests that the simple, straight forward nature of our circles, its grassroots approach and the parity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants are the features that attract people. “There should be circles in every community,” one person wrote. “I have been looking for something just like what you offer” is a common theme.
Our participants confirm the value of our circles.
“It is one thing to read the TRC documents,” wrote one of our participants, “it is quite another to sit across the room and share what is near and dear to our hearts.” “I have learned so much,” is also a common refrain in the responses from participants who have completed our circles.
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