How to Support Truth and Reconciliation
Eight years after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its 94 Calls to Action, we must ask: Are we doing enough to move forward, or just treading water? While progress has been made, the road to meaningful, sustained reconciliation is far from complete.
With the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation approaching, we wanted to take a look at what has—and what has not—been done, how we can do better, and how to take individual, actionable steps to be a better ally.
In this article, we will cover:
The History of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) released their 6-volume final report, which contained the stories and historical accounts of Indigenous experiences within the residential school system.
It also included the 94 Calls to Action (CTAs), a list of recommended actions, policies, and procedures to achieve in the process of reconciliation across all sectors of Canadian society.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a response to CTA #80, which states:
We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honor the Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of of the reconciliation process.
On September 30, 2021, the federal government marked the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation honors and recognizes the over 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children who were taken away from their families and into the Residential “School” System. These children, many of whom did not return, experienced atrocities and cruelty with the goal of erasing their heritage and assimilating them into society.
An Overview of the Residential School System:
Residential schools operated from the 1870s until 1996, when the last school was shut down.
There were 139 residential schools identified, funded, and operated by the federal government alongside a religious group; however, schools funded by the provincial government and/or religious group are not included in this number.
The Canadian government was responsible for the schools in partnership with the Anglican and Catholic church, among others.
Residential schools forced children to abandon their language and culture, causing them to lose their sense of self, belonging, and suffer trauma that has echoed across generations.
What is Orange Shirt Day?
Phyllis (Jack) Webstad spoke of her first day at residential school at age 6. She was given a new orange shirt by her grandmother, describing it as laced in the front, and bright and exciting. It was rare, as she had grown up without much money, but her grandmother had somehow managed to purchase it for her.
Except when she arrived, she was stripped and her clothes were taken away. She never wore them again. From then on, the color orange reminded Phyllis of how worthless she felt in that moment.
In 2013, Orange Shirt Day was established to spread awareness of the treatment of children in the residential school system, and has taken place on September 30 every year since.
How Many of the 94 Calls to Action Have Been Completed?
There are four main sources that report on which of the 94 CTAs completed. These include:
Between these four institutions, there are notable discrepancies in how many CTAs are reported as in progress, completed, or not yet started. Below is a summary of the numbers and corresponding CTAs:
The Federal Government: 17 CTAs reported as completed
The Yellowhead Institute: 13 CTAs reported (as of December 2023)
Indigenous Watchdog: 14 CTAs reported as completed (September 2024)
Beyond 94: 13 CTAs reported as completed
For our analysis, we will primarily reference reports from The Yellowhead Institute and Indigenous Watchdog. Being researched and led by Indigenous individuals, these institutions offer a first-voice perspective, ensuring a more culturally-informed, community-centered approach to tracking the reconciliation process.
Indigenous Watchdog reported that, as of September 4, 2024, the progress of the CTAs are as follows:
14 CTAs have been completed
15 CTAs have not been started
19 CTAs have been stalled
46 CTAs are in progress
And in 2023 there were zero CTAs completed.
The Yellowhead Institute, an Indigenous-led research and education center based out of Toronto Metropolitan University, releases an annual Calls to Action Accountability report, which records the progress of the 94 Calls to Action and the Canadian government’s progress towards reconciliation.
For them, this is the second report announced where no Calls to Action (CTAs) were achieved—a repeat of 2020.
To that end, the Yellowhead Institute decided to cease their report, stating: “there are limits to how many times you can write a report about how Canada, once again, has failed to make any meaningful progress.”
Addressing the Gaps in Reconciliation
The 94 CTAs are divided into six categories, which allows us to easily break down gaps in Canada’s reconciliation efforts. Indigenous Watchdog breaks the numbers down as follows:
Child Welfare 0 CTAs completed
Education 0 CTAs completed
Language and Culture 2 CTAs completed
Health 0 CTAs completed
Justice 1 CTAs completed
Reconciliation 11 CTAs completed
Child Welfare
There are five CTAs that are centered around the betterment of Indigenous children. These include:
CTA #1: Reduce the number of Aboriginal children in care
This particular CTA is stated to be in progress, with an Indigenous child welfare bill passed in 2019. However, the number of Indigenous children in care has not been reduced. In fact, Statistics Canada reported that Indigenous children make up 53.8% of children in foster care in 2021, with 7.7% being aged 14 or younger.
This number worsens when you look at it provincially. For example, in Manitoba there are approximately 12,000 children in care, and 10,000 of them are Indigenous.
CTA #2: Publish annual reports on the number of Aboriginal children in care
This has not been started; rather, any statistics on the number of Indigenous children in care is relayed via census data taking place every 5 years.
CTA #5: Develop culturally appropriate parenting programs for Aboriginal families
Negotiations between First Nations groups and the federal government have taken place, but have been at a standstill since April 2023.
Directly addressing the state of Indigenous child welfare would mean confronting the systemic ways that Indigenous children have been taken from their parents at birth from the Sixties Scoop until today. However, comprehensive action would be hugely beneficial for the outcomes of Indigenous families, their children, and the generations to come.
Education
Once again, zero of the seven CTAs centered on educational outcomes have been completed. One of these is CTA #9, which calls upon the government to:
Publish annual reports on education funding and educational and income attainments.
To this end, the federal government has published varying forms of these reports, but they are not annual and do not address federal funding for schools off- and on-reserve.
What Can Non-Indigenous People Do to Help?
While we often feel like we don’t have the power to help, there are a number of ways to implement good allyship.
1. Continue to educate yourself
Understanding the struggles and histories of Indigenous peoples creates a powerful level of awareness. This includes alleviating the burden on Indigenous people to educate non-Indigneous people. This means we must actively seek educational resources that are created by or developed with the input and approval of Indigenous communities.
Here are some resources below:
Native Land Digital - This interactive map tool to view Indigenous lands throughout the world.
Missing and Murdered: Finding Cleo - a two-season podcast series dedicated to understanding and uncovering the story of Cleo Semaganis Nicotine, a Cree girl who went missing in the 1970s.
Indigenous Ally Toolkit - A detailed resource to work towards better allyship, including important terms, dos and don'ts, and more.
For more information, visit the Museum of Toronto’s list of resources and recommendations.
2. Support Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs
Purchasing goods and services from Indigenous businesses is a direct way to create sustainable economic opportunities, reduce poverty, and improve community well-being. It enables self-sufficiency and financial independence, and is a tangible way to contribute to reconciliation efforts.
Moreover, supporting Indigenous businesses aligns with the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion by supporting and uplifting marginalized communities.
Shop First Nations is a one-stop shop to search for Indigenous goods like food, clothes, toys, and books.
IndigenousSME Magazine regularly publishes and highlights Indigenous businesses throughout Canada.
3. Donate to organizations that support Indigenous reconciliation
There are a number of organizations that support Indigenous peoples in a variety of ways. These include crisis lines, organizations that provide resources to residential school survivors, and programs that focus on the revitalization of language and culture.
Orange Shirt Society - Founded to raise awareness of the intergenerational impact of residential schools, the Orange Shirt Society supports reconciliation and educates the public about the lasting effects of this trauma.
Indigenous Youth Roots - A national, youth-led organization that offers grants, opportunities, and collaborative programming to amplify the voices of Indigenous youth.
Indian Residential School Survivors Society - A non-profit, provincial organization that provides essential services to residential school survivors and their families.
Native Women Association of Canada - An organization dedicated to defending the rights and amplifying the voices of Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, transgender, and gender-diverse peoples in Canada.
Among the visuals illustrated for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation above, the Eagle represents the First Nations, the Narwhal represents the Inuit, and the Beaded Flower represents the Métis Peoples.
4. Amplify the voices of Indigenous peoples
As non-Indigenous individuals, there are times where our role is to take a step back and listen to the stories, histories, and direct needs of Indigenous individuals. We should strive to avoid speaking on behalf of Indigenous voices, and make sure they have the space for self-governance and self-expression."
5. Attend anti-racism training
Explore options for you, family, friends, and colleagues to receive anti-racism training specifically focused on anti-Indigenous sentiments and biases.
Additionally, training on unconscious bias, observance days, and inclusivity can ensure you are creating a safe space for Indigenous peoples around you.
Additional Resources for Truth & Reconciliation
The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419
National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation - Education Resources
National Day of Truth & Reconciliation in Ontario