Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its calls to action
There were 140 federally-run Indian Residential Schools which operated in Canada between 1831 and 1998. The last school closed only 23 years ago. Survivors advocated for recognition and reparations and demanded accountability for the lasting legacy of harms caused. These efforts culminated in:
– the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement
– apologies by the government
– the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
– the creation of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission ran from 2008 to 2015 and provided those directly or indirectly affected by the legacy of the Indian Residential Schools policy with an opportunity to share their stories and experiences. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has become the permanent archive for the statements, documents and other materials the Commission gathered, and its library and collections are the foundation for ongoing learning and research.
The Commission released its final report detailing 94 calls to action. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a direct response to Call to Action 80, which called for a federal statutory day of commemoration.
Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html
Resources
The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples
For the Classroom
First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada –