“Truth Telling: Seven Conversations about Indigenous Life in Canada”

by Michelle Good Harper Collins Publishers

More and more, we hear the refrain that there can be no reconciliation without truth. When we say truth is called for, prayed for, and so desperately needed, we are not just asking for the acknowledgment that the residential schools existed and harmed so many innocent children. The truth that is needed is that this Canadian genocide happened and continues to happen. Only when people understand and admit to the depth of the violence and injustice levelled against Indigenous Peoples will there be an impetus to promote and support structural change and a willingness to embrace a new Canada.

Ironically, on October 27, 2022, the House of Commons unanimously approved a motion put forth by Indigenous MP Leah Gazan recognizing that the residential school endeavour was in fact a genocide. Just a few months later, the Winnipeg Police Service refused to search a landfill for the remains of Indigenous women murdered by a serial killer. So, while the House of Commons performs its acknowledgment of genocide, the systems of government continue to reflect the violence and disregard inherent in colonial values.

Let the age of the apology end. We don’t need any more apologies. We need an acknowledgment of the harm that’s been done. We need a mea culpa, followed by full and proper restitution.