https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/dialogues-synopsis.pdf
This project that the City of Vancouver undertook in 2010 is interesting in that there was a formal acknowledgement of the lack of cross-cultural communication was taking place between Indigenous and immigrant communities. The project focuses on the implementation of 5 cross-cultural speaking opportunities from youth to seniors, but the desired outcomes are rather vague. UBC was involved in the project, so I would be curious to find out the project’s results and findings. One clearly stated goal of the project was for testimony from communication would inform future practice, which may have led to the following project:
The following from the project indicates that there could be a connection: “for newcomers, it seems there are few opportunities to learn about the Aboriginal community living in their midst. Some studies have shown that newcomers are generally under-informed (if not misinformed) about Aboriginal history, perspectives and issues” (City of Vancouver, 2010).
This project only started in 2020 so there likely isn’t any data yet to suggest the effectiveness of immediate cross-cultural connections between immigrant populations and Indigenous peoples, but it’s a great idea and I would have to imagine it’s more effective than reaching out to immigrant groups after they’ve already settled. If there is no quantitative or qualitative data from this project, I would still consider this as a valuable resource about analyzing different approaches that the government has taken to solve a long-identified problem.
Sources: City of Vancouver (2010). “Dialogues Between First Nations, Urban Aboriginal and Immigrant Communities in Vancouver.”
https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/dialogues-synopsis.pdf