A Prince Edward Island senator spent $3,500 of taxpayers’ money for an indigenous sensitivity training course, which facilitators typically state takes about three hours to complete..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Senator Brian Francis' office declined to provide specific details about the expenses..“Senator Francis is the caucus chair of the Progressive Senate Group,” formerly the Liberal Senate Caucus, said spokesperson Jean Castro Werry. .“In this capacity, he hosted a Kairos Blanket Exercise for senators and staff.”.Francis is a former chief of the Abegweit First Nation of Mount Stewart, Prince Edward Island. In 2018, he was appointed the province’s first Mi’kmaw senator..Expense records show Francis billed $3,500 for a Kairos Blanket Exercise last May 31. It is a “90-minute experiential activity that aims to foster understanding” with non-indigenous people, according to a Brandon University training program for facilitators. A standard fee is $200, it said..In a statement, Kairos Canada recommended approximately three hours for the Blanket Exercise when conducting it with adult groups..Senator Francis' office stated that three facilitators were present at his Kairos Blanket Exercise event..As seen in the photo, five senators and three private consultants participated in the event, which included 19 people.. Sensitivity .It was “an educational, emotional and inspiring experience,” Francis wrote in a Twitter post that day..Lakehead University’s Office of Indigenous conducts Blanket Exercises and explained their purpose. “The Kairos Blanket Exercise is an experiential workshop that explores the nation-to-nation relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous people in Canada,” it said..“Blankets arranged on the floor represent land and participants are invited to step into the roles of First Nations, Inuit and later Métis peoples,” wrote Lakehead University. .“The workshop helps people to understand how the colonization of this land impacts those who were here long before settlers arrived. It engages people’s minds and hearts in understanding why the relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples is often broken and how we can take action together.”.A 2019 inquiry by the cabinet and presented in the Commons revealed that the government had spent $4.6 million on indigenous sensitivity training for public employees. This training included activities like the Kairos Blanket Exercises..“To ensure authentic, truth-based training, content development is guided by a governance structure that includes indigenous representatives, Elders, academia, subject matter experts and senior public service leaders who provide advice and guidance,” said the Inquiry..The spending included workshops, seminars, and videos, such as "What Does Indigenous Mean?" .This initiative aligned with a recommendation from the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which called for "skills-based training in intercultural competency.".“We call upon federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments to provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of Residential Schools,” said the Commission’s Call to Action.
