As we continue our CoP journey, I'm inspired by the power of conversation and dialogue.
From Collaborate video meetings with our team, to more organize WhatsApp discussions and formalized Q&A with subject matter experts, this process has been a fantastic experience.
While our community of practice is not currently proposing actionable solutions to some of the complex problems we are learning about, I am beginning to truly appreciate the value of continued to dialogue.
Recently our CoP came up with a list of twelve questions for two of our subject matters to consider and discuss with us. Questions varied with topics including journalistic framing, business ethics of representing the best interests of the citizens of Canada, advice for communications students, Indigenous perspectives on land ownership, and more.
Adam Bailey (Strategic Partnerships Officer for Dogwood) provided some really insightful commentary I had not yet considered around how the "world is filled with talented journalists who are no longer working in journalism and often in turn are working in communications shops ... where they do a really fantastic job coming up with communications in support of their own interest". Our conversation continued into the unfortunate downside is a lack of journalists conducting thorough research on their stories and instead rely on the provided speaking notes, for example from industry, which may or may not be accurate. Further to this Russ Johnston (Sungilawakan) spoke about values, objectivity and subjectivity and raised an interesting point about our relationship to each other and to our lands: "It affects those on four legs as it affects the trees, the grasses, the water, all aspects of being and regardless of where we are on that spectrum we're in this one together no matter what. What about those that can't speak? What about those that don't have a voice? Those ancestors that have brough all of us here. What about those generations that continue forward? Who gets to speak for them? Who's taking responsibility for that?"
I look forward to continue these conversations and broadening my perspectives on this journey.
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Christopher Spencer
