The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada issued 94 Calls to Action in 2015 as recommendations to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. These Calls to Action are divided into two categories: Legacy (1-42), addressing the history and consequences of residential schools, and Reconciliation (43-94), focusing on actions to build a new relationship based on recognition, respect, and cooperation.
Purpose and Importance
- The Calls to Action seek to recognize the historical and ongoing harms against Indigenous Peoples caused by residential schools, including cultural genocide and family separations.
- They aim to create awareness among all Canadians, improve education about Indigenous history and cultures, and establish systems to prevent recurrence of abuses.
- The Calls cover wide-ranging sectors such as child welfare, education, health, justice, language, culture, and reconciliation initiatives involving governments, institutions, and churches.
Examples of Calls to Action
- Reform child welfare to reduce Indigenous children placed in care.
- Incorporate Indigenous history, laws, and cultures into education and training for professionals.
- Justice reforms for fair treatment and acknowledgment of past wrongs.
- Calls for churches involved in residential schools to apologize, educate, and fund reconciliation projects.
- Support for Indigenous languages, cultural revitalization, and commemoration of residential school survivors.
Implementation
- The Canadian government and Indigenous organizations work collaboratively to implement these calls.
- Ongoing efforts include educational programs, legal reforms, and commemorative initiatives.
- The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation serves as a permanent resource for awareness and progress tracking.
These Calls to Action represent a roadmap for healing and creating respectful relationships moving forward in Canada.
