Marketing and Reconciliation:

We recently attended the June Breakfast Forum hosted by the Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada (SMCC), focused on Marketing, Sponsorship & Meaningful Connections with Indigenous Culture. 

Myan Marcen-Gaudaur, Director, Indigenous Relations & Reconciliation, opened the day with a reflection on the 10th anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. She emphasized that reconciliation is everyone’s responsibility and that marketing teams are uniquely positioned to drive real outcomes. From there, we heard from inspiring voices offering powerful insights into how brands and organizations can meaningfully engage with Indigenous communities and storytelling:

• Jeff Burnett of Seeing RED Media underscored that Indigenous collaboration has not yet reached its tipping point and challenged marketers to move beyond performative gestures like land acknowledgements into deeper partnerships with Indigenous voices.
• Nicole Martin from Jays Care Foundation shared how baseball is becoming a tool for intergenerational healing and community resilience. The Indigenous Rookie League is not just about sport; it is about language revitalization, cultural pride, and building spaces for Indigenous youth to thrive.
• David Morrison of imagineNATIVE highlighted how Indigenous artists are reclaiming narrative sovereignty. The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival now spans over 100 works annually from Indigenous creators worldwide, demonstrating how storytelling fuels cultural resurgence and creates new industry pathways.
• Kate Karen of MasterCard offered insights into economic reconciliation. From pitch competitions like Pow Wow Pitch to data-driven research partnerships, MasterCard is investing in Indigenous entrepreneurship and seeking authentic co-creation rather than transactional sponsorships.
• Kevin Eshkawkogan from Indigenous Tourism Ontario spoke about how ITO works to unite Indigenous tourism providers, promote authentic cultural experiences, and build sustainable economic opportunities across the province. He outlined ITO’s four strategic pillars: cultural authenticity, product development, workforce development, and marketing and branding. His presentation emphasized how Indigenous tourism is not only about business but about preserving culture, sharing stories, and creating meaningful connections between visitors and Indigenous communities.

Beyond the individual presentations, the panel discussion added important nuance. One audience question stood out:

“Where does truth fit in? What have organizations done to ensure truth comes before, or at least alongside, reconciliation?”

Panelists emphasized that:

• Reconciliation without truth is incomplete.
• Brands and organizations need to learn and acknowledge the real history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, including the difficult truths that have often been erased.
• Symbolic gestures alone are not enough. Genuine change requires ongoing learning, measurable actions, and authentic relationships.

Kevin Eshkawkogan reminded everyone that while discomfort is part of this work, engagement cannot stay transactional. Real progress happens through relationships built on trust, respect, and the willingness to learn and sometimes make mistakes.

The forum was a powerful reminder that reconciliation is not a campaign. It is a commitment to truth, respect, and meaningful action.