Canadian society has called for its institutions to be more diverse and inclusive. The Canadian Avalanche Association accepts its obligation to recognize Canada's diversity and to act in an inclusive manner as it engages with members, students, employees, the general public, and others. The inclusivity statement below describes general principles the CAA aspires to as we embark on this journey. We recognize that we do not meet all these objectives at the current time, but are working to revise our programs to get closer to these ideals. The statement itself is subject to change overtime as required.
 
We welcome your feedback. If you have any comments, please let us know via info@avalancheassociation.ca   

CAA Inclusivity Statement  

Approved by the Board of Directors June 16, 2021

Statement:

The Canadian Avalanche Association actively works to foster a diverse and inclusive professional culture, where an individual’s work, contributions, and access to opportunity are assessed on merit, without discrimination.

Objectives:

The Canadian Avalanche Association strives to offer services to our membership, students, and other stakeholders in a manner that supports the following objectives:

• All individuals’ work or contributions are assessed on their merits without consideration of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, family status, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, sex, gender, age, sexual orientation, or political belief.
• All individuals feel welcome and safe to participate in CAA Membership, training, and events at whatever capacity and level is appropriate for their abilities, experience, and training.
• All individuals feel welcome to engage in open conversations around inclusivity, without fearing reprisal.
• All individuals accept that mental health and discrimination pose difficult psychological challenges within the profession, and they are empowered to ask for help and share their learnings without fear of judgement.
• All individuals participate actively in examining and overcoming unchecked personal or organizational biases that lead to harmful actions and perceptions. 
• All individuals recognize the objectives above require dedication and lifelong learning.

Resources:

The resources below are offered as a courtesy to members and others visiting the CAA website. The views and representations expressed within the links below are those of the authors and do not necessarily constitute CAA policy or positions.

General Resources


1. The Trek: Various approaches to inclusion
   
2. SFU Avalanche Research Group Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion statement 
   
3. Executive summary, CAA diversity and inclusion Study
   

  

First Nation Resources


1. Truth and Reconcilliation Commission Calls to Action.
2. Recognizing first nations territories across Canada, with University examples for each province at bottom of article .
3. Indigenous land use guide for curriculum developers.
4. BC campus webinar about the importance of land acknowledgments and some things to include in your own land acknowledgement.                  

 

Mental Health


1. CAA Mental Health resources
   

 

Racism / Microaggression


1. How to be Anti-Racist
2. Interrupting Bias: Calling Out vs. Calling In
3. Microaggression: More Than Just Race

 

Gender and Sexual Identity


1. LGBTQ Outdoor Summit
2. Gender Based Analysis Plus- Free online course
3. Essential Tips for LGBTQ Travelers in The Great Outdoors