Ottawa — In recognition of Human Rights Day, members of the media and community are invited to attend the third annual Ottawa Police Service Human Rights Learning Forum on Wednesday, December 13, 2017, from 8:30am to 4:00pm at the Hellenic Meeting and Reception Centre, 1315 Prince of Wales Drive, Ottawa.

At this forum, participants will participate in a process of Facilitating Reconciliation by Understanding the History of Canada’s Indigenous Peoples. In order to achieve the goal of this forum, participants will:

Learn the legal history of colonialism, Canada’s assimilation policies, and the legacy of the residential school system;

Hear firsthand the personal impacts of the residential school system and cultural reconciliation from an Indigenous perspective; and

Identify strategies and best practice tools to effectively provide services and interact with the urban Indigenous population while creating a foundation to further enhance the Indigenous-police relationship.

The forum will begin at 9:00 am with a traditional opening by Elder Irene Lindsay

A personal journey of learning, truth, and reconciliation will be presented in a panel discussion format in the afternoon at 1:30 p.m.:

Mr. Veldon Coburn, adoptive father to daughter of Annie Pootoogook

Sgt. Chris Hrnchiar, Ottawa Police Service

For more information, visit www.ottawapolice.ca/diversity. You can follow us on twitter at @DRRmatters.