Search for Common Ground 0
Researcher Jim Robson
Miner and News
Research unveiled Thursday revealed local citizens do not have a common understanding of common ground.
Seeking to define itself and the movement it's designed to observe, the Common Ground Research Forum conducted surveys with local people to determine the meaning of the term "common ground" and found diversity in the response.
For some, common ground is the idea of nurturing cross-cultural relationships between settler and aboriginal populations, coupled with renewing a sustainable relationship with land. Others recognize the term from its use in the political movements that bear its name, from art and storytelling to establishing partnerships between Kenora and three surrounding First Nations, using the Treaty 3 document as a blueprint for the relationship.
The definition is rooted in Tunnel Island, which is a physical representation of both the idea of shared space and a legal relationship of shared ownership. While the spiritual and recreational use of that shared space contributes positively to the concept, the political relationship has been stalled for years.
"Common ground is not just about the land, which is why it's being used in all these initiatives," said Jim Robson, who conducted the research. "It's about something bigger that's going on in Kenora. Only one or two things are about the physical space. The one that connects them all is about building relationships, not just among cultures but to form better communities."
Robson found diversity even among those actively involved in those initiatives. He identified 32 people he called "in the know," drawn from the research forum's executive and partners as well as those involved in political movements and other interested parties.
Where nine of the 32 "in the know" saw common ground as sharing of the land, eight saw it as a metaphor for building relationships and 13 saw it as both of those things.
Using the impressions of "those in the know," he devised questions for man-on-the-street interviews with the public, asking "what do you understand common ground to mean?" Again, the responses were diverse. Legal and social relationship-building definitions were more of a focus among aboriginals where access to land was a priority for settlers.
In the public, 10 of 31 viewed common ground as sharing land, seven as a metaphor and zero identified it as both.
While Robson found positive resonance for cross-cultural collaboration, he also found a limited understanding of Treaty relationships among the public.
"I think it spoke directly to the lack of public outreach in terms of the common ground process so far because there has been no discussion at the community level as to what these initiatives are trying to do," he said. "There has been no discussion as to what does common ground means. Does it mean one thing or does it mean several things? For that reason, the public is unclear as to its meaning."
In small-group brainstorming at Robson's presentation, even those present could not agree as to whether a single definition of common ground is necessary - whether it would galvanize a movement or limit the concept's potential.
"When you look at the dictionary definition, it speaks to a foundation - a starting point," Robson explained. "That points to a question about whether the social capital is there. Is Kenora ready for this? Is this Kenora's great stab at cross-cultural collaboration and if so, are the pieces in place to make that a success? Does it matter or do you get that cross-cultural collaboration through the process?"