The truth about reconciliation

On this day set aside for remembering and honouring victims and survivors of Canada’s Indian residential schools, it’s time for some hard truth about reconciliation.

Canadians have been horrified, over the past two years, by the continued discovery of unmarked graves on the sites of the institutions established to “take the Indian out of the child.”

Given the gravity of the atrocities committed, and the lasting damage inflicted, they might assume Canada is doing everything in its power to set things right. They might expect there is ongoing work toward meaningful reconciliation with the Indigenous people who were harmed by the grotesque policies of assimilation.

But — and here is the truth — nearly eight years after the release of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which investigated the schools and their appalling legacy, only a small fraction of the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action have been fulfilled.

It has been eight years since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “I affirm our unwavering support for the TRC’s recommendations, and call on the Government of Canada to take immediate action to implement them.”

And yet … in December of last year, the Yellowhead Institute, an Indigenous-led research and education centre that monitors progress on the Calls to Action, said just 13 of those calls had been “completed.” We have seen little movement since then.

The federal government will rightfully point out that it is not the only body responsible for meeting the recommendations of the TRC. But it can put pressure on other entities to live up to their obligations. And it can make some effort to meet its own.

Sadly, despite the prime minister’s commitments of 2015, the federal government’s response to the Calls to Action has been a series of half measures and tinkering around the edges. And progress appears to be slowing rather than accelerating.

Yes, Parliament declared the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, though the statutory holiday has yet to be adopted in all provinces and territories. We, as Indigenous women, urge every jurisdiction to get on board.

Yes, it has passed a law to promote and support the use of Indigenous languages and (finally in 2021) appointed a commissioner of Indigenous languages. Yes, it called a National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Those are important measures that are among the 94 Calls to Action.

And it has taken other steps, including committing money to a wide range of programs and services aimed at improving the Indigenous condition.

But 18 of the calls remain untouched and the majority have received limited attention — including some of the most critical.

Why would the government have so far ignored the recommendation to publish an annual report on the number of Indigenous children in foster care?

Why is there no annual report on educational funding and attainment for Indigenous children, as called for by the TRC? How can we know if the money promised for Indigenous education is improving outcomes without that accounting?

Why has the legislation to create a National Council for Reconciliation been allowed to languish in the Senate? And why has the government not committed to adequately fund that council once it is finally established?

While the government dithers, conditions in some areas covered by the TRC’s calls are deteriorating. Rather than eliminate the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in custody by 2025 (Call to Action No. 30), Indigenous women now account for more than half of the female population in federal prisons.

We knew from the outset that some of the Calls to Action would prove challenging. But even some of the easiest are going unanswered.

This is not honouring the victims and survivors of the residential schools. This is not reconciliation. If the government is truthful in its commitment to meet the Calls of the TRC, now is the time for action.