This September 30th marks the fifth annual Day for Truth and Reconciliation, in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action. This is a statutory holiday at the federal level and in some provinces, but has not been declared statutory in Quebec.
On this day, ACCM will be closed as we look to our past, our present, and our future with a critical eye and an open heart. Take time to learn and educate yourself.
Truth and Reconciliation Week
Events and Workshops to Attend
September 22 to 26
Monday, September 22 – 1:00pm EDT
Surviving the Residential School System
English with French and ASL interpretation.
This session will consider the reason why we say “Survivor” rather than “graduate”, and how many Survivors of residential schools found solace through the media of sports and the arts. Artist and Residential School Survivor Antoine Mountain and author Janice Forsyth will be joined in conversation with moderator Dr. Vanessa Watts.
Tuesday, September 23 – 1:00pm EDT
Uncovering the Truth: Ground Searches
English with French and ASL interpretation.
This session will look into the technicalities of what a ground search constitutes and many of the questions around why and how they should be done. The conversation will combine the lived experience of Residential School Survivors Francis Dickie Yuzicapi and Jacquie Bouvier with the technical expertise of moderator Bryton Bigelow.
Wednesday, September 24 – 1:00pm EDT
The Ongoing Legacy of the Residential School System through Child Welfare
English with French and ASL interpretation.
This session will look at the direct throughline from the residential school system to the Sixties Scoop through to the overwhelming number of Indigenous children in child welfare today, including the directly related aspect of forced and coerced sterilizations of Indigenous women. CFS worker Roxanne Balan will moderate a discussion between Residential School Survivor Vivian Ketchum and reproductive justice support worker Shelby Ponace.
Thursday, September 25 – 1:00pm EDT
Reflecting on the TRC’s Calls to Action 10 Years Later
English with French and ASL interpretation.
This session will reflect on the decade which has passed since the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action were published, including how many of the Calls have been fulfilled and what is still holding back progress. It will feature TRC Commissioner Dr. Marie Wilson, founding Executive Director of the NCTR Ry Moran, and will be moderated by author Connie Walker.
Thursday, September 25 – 3:00pm EDT
Corporate Conversations on Reconciliation
English with French and ASL interpretation.
This session will bring together several institutions to discuss reconciliation efforts in corporate institutions. Speakers include Dan Adams, Head of Bank of Montreal’s Office of Reconciliation; Nadine Patel, Director of Inclusion and Reconciliation at Sysco Canada; and Keira Cappo, Strategist, Indigenous Partnerships, Policy, and Strategic Initiatives at Enbridge, with moderator Fiona Kirkpatrick Parsons.
Friday, September 26 – 1:00pm EDT
Confronting Residential School Denialism
English with French and ASL interpretation.
This session will actively confront one of the largest identified barriers to reconciliation: residential school denialism. Dr. Niigaanwewidam Sinclair and Residential School Survivor Eugene Arcand will dismantle the most frequent and inaccurate denialist arguments in a conversation moderated by Dr. Savage Bear.
September 30th – 1 PM
Every Child Matters march
Things to Watch
Finding The Secret Path (Gord Downie Documentary)
Finding the Secret Path documents Gord Downie’s efforts to bring the story of Chanie Wenjack to the national stage to raise awareness of the painful legacy of Canada’s residential school system. Wenjack, a 12-year-old Anishnaabe boy, died while trying to escape a residential school in northern Ontario in 1966. The documentary includes reflections by the Wenjack family and Indigenous leaders, including former AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde, Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, and former Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Sheila North. Finding The Secret Path originally aired on CBC, October 12, 2018.
Inside the Williams Lake residential school: Violation of Trust (1991) – The Fifth Estate
WARNING: This documentary includes distressing details and could be triggering for some viewers.
Originally broadcast on Jan. 9, 1991, “Violation of Trust,” hosted by Gillian Findlay, is an in-depth examination of Canada’s residential school system and was, at the time, one of the first documentaries to reveal to a non-Indigenous audience the abuse students in the system endured. It’s important to note that some of the language used is outdated and would not be used today, nor would some of the assumptions about Indigenous people. The program focuses on St. Joseph’s Mission School, which operated from 1891 to 1981 in Williams Lake, B.C. Broadcast 10 years after the school closed, it provides what is likely the most complete visual overview of the grounds as they were when the school was in operation, an important historical record. The structures have since been demolished and in 2022, 93 potential burial sites, presumed to be the graves of children, were uncovered.
Tools for Learning
The Decolonial Toolbox: An Educational Pathway
Learn about the historical and contemporary realities of Indigenous Peoples by navigating this self-guided course. The Decolonial Toolbox’s Educational Pathway provides resources and stimulates reflection to help you understand the impacts of colonization and offer guidance to challenge colonialism in your everyday life. These stepping stones will guide you as you embark on a personal journey toward decolonization and meaningful allyship.