History is made in Rome as Pope Francis apologizes for the role some Roman Catholic clergy played in the horrific abuses conducted at residential schools.
Truth and Reconciliation Documents
The documents listed below are just a small sampling of reports. For reports from the TRC, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), various levels of government, and historical documents, see the NCTR website.
The largest class-action settlement in Canadian history, which created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada as a means of facilitating reconciliation.
The most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of Indigenous peoples. You will find both the original declaration and an adolescent-friendly version on this page.
From the Yellowhead Institute (a First Nation-led research centre) this update contains information on which TRC Calls to Action were completed in 2021. This page also includes reports from previous years, as well as executive summaries.
From CBC, this interactive resource monitors progress on the TRC's 94 Calls to Action. This resource is continually updated and describes the status of each call to action under 4 categories: not started, in progress - projects proposed, in progress - projects underway, and complete.
Books in the Library
In This Together: Fifteen Stories of Truth & Reconciliation by Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail (Editor)The release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's (TRC) findings and recommendations in the spring of 2015 was an immensely important day for the people of Canada. It marked the hopeful beginning of change--a change of thinking, a change of opinion, a change in understanding. But how do we begin? Chief Justice Murray Sinclair, chair of the TRC, says that the most common statement the commission heard from the public was: "I didn't know any of this, and I acknowledge that things are not where they should be, and that we can do better. But what can we do? What should we do?" This collection of fifteen true stories of real reconciliation by both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Canadians is in response to that question. Written by journalists, writers, academics, visual artists, filmmakers, a city planner, and a lawyer, each of these writers expound on their 'light bulb moments' regarding Canada's colonial past and present. They look at their own experiences and assumptions about race and racial divides in Canada under a microscope in hopes that the rest of the population will do the same. With an afterword that is essentially a candid conversation by renowned CBC radio host Shelagh Rogers and Chief Justice Sinclair about their time working with the TRC, this collection is one of the many ways to begin the work of reconciliation in Canada. Metcalfe-Chenail hopes that these voices will inspire other Canadians who want an open dialogue and to maintain the conversation long after the buzz of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report has faded.
Join Rosanna Deerchild for a revealing, poignant and emotional conversation with Murray Sinclair, former Senator and Lead Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
This lesson plan, from the Royal BC Museum, aims to give students a greater understanding of government action for reconciliation, and how they can contribute as well. Best for grades 9-10.
Take your students on a walking tour of downtown Ottawa, using each stop as an opportunity to learn about the role of non-Indigenous peoples and the federal government in residential schools, and the lessons we can glean from history to address contemporary injustices.
Not in Ottawa? Use Google Maps Street View to take your students on a virtual field trip!