At Birds Canada, we are committed to fostering a culture that values Indigenous Engagement and Reconciliation, and Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) as integral approaches that shape all that we do in our organization and for nature. We recognize that prejudice, bigotry, and discrimination impact people across Canada and worldwide, and we firmly stand against these unjust practices. We believe that we must ensure opportunities for people of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, and experiences to participate and have a sense of belonging, in order to achieve the goal of protecting wild birds and their habitats.

This will require an ongoing commitment to continue to learn, evolve, and improve as an organization. As our knowledge grows and evolves our language and learnings will continue to reflect that.

Our Commitment to Indigenous Engagement and Reconciliation

Birds Canada acknowledges that the land now known as Canada is home to over 650 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. First Peoples have a direct relationship with the land that they have cared for and sustainably managed for millennia and Indigenous lands are disproportionately protecting biodiversity in Canada and beyond. Birds Canada is privileged to work with many unique and diverse Indigenous communities or groups in all 13 Canadian provinces and territories. We are dedicated to supporting their work and uplifting their voices, knowledge systems, and languages in ways that will help wild birds to thrive in sustainable ecosystems.

We support the needs, aspirations, and rights of Indigenous peoples to care for the land. In our own path toward truth and reconciliation, we:

• Formed an Indigenous Allies Working Group responsible for delivering Birds Canada’s Indigenous Reconciliation and Engagement Action Plan.
• Support each of our staff to follow a meaningful self-guided Indigenous learning journey that we have created and populated with helpful resources and teachings.
• Lead Indigenous Awareness workshops for all staff, focused on acknowledgment of the truth and increasing our understanding of Indigenous history, culture, and rights.

Birds Canada staff and members of Malahat, Lyackson, Halalt, and Cowichan First Nations on a boat-based bird photography workshop around Thetis Island, BC. Photo: Kris Cu

Our Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility

At Birds Canada, we are committed to fostering a culture that prioritizes Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) as integral values that shape all that we do in our organization and for nature. To ensure opportunities for people of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, and experiences can participate and have a sense of belonging we pledge to:

• Firmly stand against the unjust practices of prejudice, bigotry, and discrimination.
• Foster an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible environment and network for bird conservation.
• Cultivate a work culture and program environments that are inclusive, diverse, equitable, accessible, respectful, and safe for all.
• Actively promote a culture of IDEA among our board, staff, volunteers, supporters, and the wider birding and conservation community. Through leading by example, we strive to better understand and remove barriers faced by disenfranchised people and to foster inclusive and equitable treatment of all.
• Speak up where IDEA is compromised and amplify the voices of disenfranchised people in conservation to support meaningful changes.

Employing appropriate and inclusive language is important to us. As our knowledge grows and evolves, our language will continue to reflect this.

Our commitment to IDEA will require an ongoing effort to continue to learn, evolve, and improve as an organization. We are open to feedback on our progress and invite you to reach out to our IDEA Committee at any time.