UFCW 832 member shares his Indigenous Lobby Day experience
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| UFCW Local 832 member Steve McGillivary (on the right wearing a red t-shirt) and the UFCW Canada Indigenous Sub-Committee on the lawns of Parliament Hill in Ottawa |
Winnipeg – January 16, 2024 – I am Steve McGillivary, and I was born and raised in Winnipeg. I’m Indigenous, a Cree Aboriginal from Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN), also known as The Pas. Growing up in the city had its ups and downs. I, for one, have had my share of experiences along with poverty as well as homelessness.
I’ve had several interesting jobs, including deliveries for the Winnipeg Free Press and as a roadie at the MTS Centre. I met a lot of celebrities and great people over the years and really enjoyed when we welcomed back our Winnipeg Jets, as it led to an opportunity to set up the arena and clean the hockey glass for home games.
I’m a Shop Steward at Westburne Electric in Winnipeg, where I’ve worked for nine years. Shortly after I started, I realized that I wanted to get more involved with our union. Since that time, I have been asked to be on the UFCW Canada Indigenous sub-committee, made up of 14 Indigenous members from across Canada. It’s been interesting to see what our committee brings to the union in advancing Truth and Reconciliation.
This year we took a trip to Ottawa. It was my first time being on a plane and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had a great time. We met with a group called the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada. They’re a knowledgeable group that creates awareness and shares their stories on how Truth and Reconciliation has impacted their lives.
We also attended a Canadian Labour Congress Indigenous lobby day with other Canadian unions, where we were broken into small groups to meet with Members of Parliament (MPs) and discuss and encourage action on three issues. As an Indigenous person, these are things we’ve been dealing with for what feels like years already:
- Safe drinking water
- Justice for MMIWG2S
- Honouring residential school children and their families.
This experience helped me understand how the political process works and how issues are discussed with our government. My group also had the opportunity to be involved in a pipe ceremony in front of Parliament Hill led by UFCW Canada Elder (and former UFCW 832 member) Eric Flett. It was an awesome experience and felt like our ancestors were there with us. I then had the honour of taking a short trip across the provincial border to Gatineau, Quebec, to a place called the Native Women’s Association of Canada. This place had great people, the art was absolutely stunning and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes art or wants to learn more about Indigenous people.
During that visit, my group and I were able to use an Indigenous drum to play a song, led by Elder Flett. For some in the group, playing the drum was a first-time experience. It was an honour for everyone involved and I will remember it forever.
I learned a lot on this adventure. Overall, I had a great experience with my committee members and I know that we will remember this trip for a long time. I encourage anyone to take a trip to Ottawa as there is a lot to see, visit and eat.
Chi-Miigwetch
This story first appeared in the December issue of UNION, The UFCW Local 832 Membership Magazine.
