The Indigenous Ally Toolkit is a resource created by the Montreal Indigenous Community Network.
The Indigenous Ally Toolkit contains information about different terminology and definitions, and some key directions around thinking through why you or your organization is seeking ‘to be an ally’ to Indigenous peoples:
“When it comes to creating a positive & sustainable impact on the lives of Indigenous Peoples living in Montreal, it is important to understand the role that an individual occupies and plays within the collective experience. The term ally has been around for some time, and recently many critics 3, 15 say that it has lost its original meaning. Instead of being used to identify one’s role within a collective struggle, it has come to symbolize a token identity – a kind of “badge” that people wear to show they are one of the “good guys”. There are multiple terms to define the role that people can actively play within anti-oppressive work. Neither role is better than the other and, regardless of which you play, each plays an important part in this kind of work. Many want to be an ally, which is why this pamphlet focuses on that term. However, being an ally is not a self-appointed identity and requires you to show your understanding through actions, relations, and recognition by the community.”
Here is the link to access the Toolkit as a pdf to download and use: https://reseaumtlnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Ally_March.pdf