The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has been committed to Reconciliation since our establishment in 2002. This year marks a significant milestone in the organization’s history as we prepare to select a site for a deep geological repository for Canada’s used nuclear fuel.
Importantly, 2024 is also the five-year anniversary of the NWMO’s Reconciliation Policy (2019). This governing document was blessed through a Traditional Sunrise Ceremony, which included members of the NWMO’s Executive Committee, our Board of Directors and the Council of Elders and Youth (an independent advisory body), as well as a number of special guests.
In line with our commitment to Reconciliation, the NWMO has been clear that we will only proceed with selecting a site for a repository in an area with informed and willing hosts, with the involvement of municipal and Indigenous communities.
“Working with Indigenous peoples, learning from Indigenous Knowledge and introducing Indigenous perspectives in our work is not only the right thing to do. It makes the work better,” said Laurie Swami, President and CEO of the NWMO. “Reconciliation is critical to the NWMO’s work, which requires collaborating extensively with communities to safely contain and isolate Canada’s used nuclear fuel for generations to come.”
Click here to read key lessons the NWMO President and CEO shared with a federal parliamentary committee on aligning Indigenous Knowledge and western science.
The NWMO’s Reconciliation commitment
As defined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada’s final report (2015), Reconciliation is an ongoing process of establishing and maintaining respectful relationships.
The NWMO’s commitment to contribute to Reconciliation is not only upheld by internal mechanisms, such as representation on our Executive Committee, Board of Directors and Advisory Council, but is further reinforced through accountability and learning mechanisms like:
- Meaningful policies, e.g. our Reconciliation Policy (2019) and Indigenous Knowledge Policy (2020);
- An intensive four-part cultural awareness and Reconciliation training program;
- Our Reconciliation measurement matrix and assessment tool; and
- The Council of Elders and Youth, an independent advisory body to the NWMO.
“The TRC’s Call to Action 92 calls upon the corporate sector to display leadership and adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as a Reconciliation framework, which emphasizes building respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples,” said Bob Watts, Vice-President of Indigenous Relations and Strategic Programs at the NWMO. “In response, the NWMO has elevated our work by incorporating our Reconciliation commitment into the fabric of our organization, by encouraging intentional action in our past, present and future planning.”
Click here to learn more about the NWMO’s Reconciliation learning journey (2002-24).
Accountability and annual reporting
Consistent with the NWMO’s Reconciliation Policy, the NWMO measures and publicly reports on the implementation of our Reconciliation commitments. Activities tracked include mandatory staff training and continuous learning opportunities, informal training opportunities, staff support systems and community-driven work plans.
To produce this report, the NWMO works with a third-party Indigenous organization that evaluates outcomes and impacts of the Reconciliation Policy within the circles of work of NWMO staff, as well as the continuation and growth of our Reconciliation journey.
Annual reports have been published for 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Looking ahead
Later this year, the NWMO will choose a site for Canada’s used nuclear fuel repository and begin undergoing a rigorous, multi-year impact assessment. Action and accountability to Reconciliation will continue to be vital to the project’s success.
To continue the momentum of organization-wide Reconciliation work, the NWMO will continue to implement accountability mechanisms while focusing on the four key areas of learning, action, relationship and healing.
“Looking to the future, the NWMO recognizes that the current need is to enable and support the more complex and intricate aspects of Reconciliation as the organization evolves,” said Bob Watts. “The NWMO’s commitment to a Reconciliation journey ensures safety for generations to come, not only from a technical standpoint, but from a relational and reciprocal perspective that requires all voices and knowledge systems to be considered.”