Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Moxy · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Established	2008
Dissolved	2015
Jurisdiction	Canada
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Chief1 name	Justice Murray Sinclair
Chief1 position	Chair

Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission was a commission created to investigate the history and legacy of the Canadian Indian residential school system and to document the experiences of survivors from across Canada. Chaired by Murray Sinclair and constituted under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, the commission held national, regional, and community events and produced a multi-volume final report in 2015. The commission's work intersected with legal processes, cultural institutions, and policy debates involving Indigenous peoples including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.

Background and establishment

The commission originated from negotiations culminating in the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement reached among claimants, Assembly of First Nations, National Chief representatives, law firms such as Nanaimo law firm signatories, and the Government of Canada. The settlement followed litigation stemming from historical practices at institutions administered by religious organizations including the Roman Catholic Church in Canada, United Church of Canada, Anglican Church of Canada, and Presbyterian Church in Canada. Establishment drew on precedents such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa) and inquiries into abuses like the Gustafsen Lake standoff and the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. The commission was formally constituted in 2008 with funding provisions negotiated among litigants, survivor groups, and federal departments including offices in Ottawa.

Mandate and objectives

Mandated by the settlement, the commission's objectives included documenting residential school history, facilitating survivor testimony, and promoting public education about assimilationist policies enacted under statutes like the Indian Act. Its mandate intersected with institutions such as Indian Affairs and Northern Development and legal frameworks including litigation settlements and courtroom processes. Commissioners drew on methodologies from previous inquiries including the Truth Commission (Argentina) and the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. The commission worked with survivor advocacy organizations such as the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, and community partners including tribal councils, band offices, and cultural organizations.

Investigations and hearings

The commission conducted national events, community hearings, and research projects, receiving testimony from survivors, former staff, and experts associated with institutions such as St. Michael's Residential School (Duck Lake) and Kamloops Indian Residential School. Investigations incorporated archival research in repositories like the Library and Archives Canada and records from religious bodies including the Oblate Fathers and diocesan archives associated with the Roman Catholic Church in Canada. Public hearings featured witnesses from communities represented by leaders such as Phil Fontaine and scholars affiliated with universities including University of Manitoba and University of British Columbia. The commission also held closed sessions for sensitive testimony and coordinated with ongoing litigation such as class actions and criminal investigations involving historic abuse allegations.

Findings and report

The commission's multi-volume final report characterized the residential school system as a cultural genocide and documented extensive harms including family separation, physical and sexual abuse, and intergenerational trauma affecting communities like the Squamish Nation, Cree Nation, and Mi'kmaq. The report synthesized evidence from archival records, survivor statements, and expert analyses by scholars such as J.R. Miller and institutions like the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Conclusions referenced historical policies enacted by figures and offices such as John A. Macdonald era policies and administrative practices of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The final report issued recommendations aimed at redress and structural reform and received responses from bodies including the Government of Canada, provincial governments like Ontario, and churches such as the United Church of Canada.

Calls to action and implementation

The commission issued 94 Calls to Action addressing sectors including education, health, justice, and cultural revitalization, urging participation from bodies such as school boards, universities, and the Supreme Court of Canada. Key recommendations called for measures by the Canadian Armed Forces for honors, commemorations by municipal governments including City of Toronto, and legislative changes involving parliamentary actors. Implementation involved agencies such as the Department of Justice (Canada), the Department of Health (Canada), provincial ministries, and Indigenous organizations including the Native Women's Association of Canada. Responses varied: some institutions such as the University of British Columbia and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police engaged in reforms, while churches like the Anglican Church of Canada issued apologies and settlement negotiations continued with various dioceses.

Impact and legacy

The commission's legacy includes the creation of permanent repositories such as the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and influence on cultural works including exhibitions at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and documentaries involving filmmakers from communities like Hank Bull collaborators. It spurred educational curriculum changes in provinces such as British Columbia and prompted legislative initiatives in bodies like the House of Commons of Canada. The report shaped public discourse involving media outlets and scholars including those at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and research centers at University of Toronto and McGill University. Ongoing debates involve implementation of the Calls to Action, reconciliation processes with religious institutions such as the Roman Catholic Church in Canada and continued efforts by survivors and organizations including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada legacy institutions to address the long-term effects on communities including Nisga'a Nation, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and Métis National Council.

Category:Truth and reconciliation commissions Category:Indigenous rights in Canada