Tag Archives: Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Module 4 Post 1 – The Role of Philanthropy in Reconciliation

The Philanthropist is a free online journal that provides articles and information related to the non-profit sector in Canada.  They recently published a series of three pieces that delve into Indigenous Communities and Philanthropy, with the most recent (July 9th) focusing on the role that philanthropy and non-corporate involvement will need to take in future reconciliation.  The post includes an excellent video that includes interviews and discussions about how Canadians (which the video states 2/3rds of whom believe they have a responsibility towards reconciliation) can and must get involved.  Below are the three articles in the series, listed from first to last in order of posting (the video is included in the last post).

June 1st: 100 Words for Philanthropy: Traditions of Caring & Sharing in Canada:
http://thephilanthropist.ca/2015/06/100-words-for-philanthropy-traditions-of-caring-sharing-in-canada/

June 15th: The Philanthropic Community’s Declaration of Action:
http://thephilanthropist.ca/2015/06/the-philanthropic-communitys-declaration-of-action/

July 9th: Interview with Chief Dr. Robert Joseph and Karen Joseph:
http://thephilanthropist.ca/2015/07/interview-with-chief-dr-robert-joseph-and-karen-joseph/

Module 3 Post 3: Canadian Teacher’s Federation – Aboriginal Education

The Canadian Teacher’s Federation includes on their website this page about Aboriginal Education, that includes a number of links, resources, and news releases about Aboriginal Education initiatives.  It appears to be regularly updated – one recent post from June 19th describes an “educational toolkit” that the CTF will develop alongside Indigenous groups about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which will be launched at the upcoming (July 17th) CTF Annual General Meeting.  The site is relatively small, but I look forward to exploring it and checking out any resources provided regarding the toolkit.

Module 2- Post 1-The Importance of Education in the Wake of The Truth and Reconciliation Report

In an interview with CBC right before the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Report, Murray Sinclair spoke to Peter Mansbridge about the importance of education.

He stated that it was not an aboriginal problem but a Canadian problem. The same messages we were giving aboriginal students at residential school, the stereotypes of being ‘heathens’ ‘savages’ or ‘inferior’ was the same message we were giving in the public schools.

In his interview he stated, “ We need to look at how we are educating children. We need to change that message in the public schools and aboriginal schools as well to ensure that every child educated in Canada receives full and proper history of each indigenous group and the territories in which they live so that they will grow up learning how to speak to and about each other in a more respectful way.”

CBC News. June 1, 2015, retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/truth-and-reconciliation-chair-urges-canada-to-adopt-un-declaration-on-indigenous-peoples-1.3096225

Other related articles

Truth and reconciliation: Looking back on a landmark week for Canada. CBC News, June 6, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/truth-and-reconciliation-looking-back-on-a-landmark-week-for-canada-1.3102956

Legacy of residential schools hits Twitter with #MyReconciliationIncludes, CBC News, June 2, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/1.3097504

Some residential Survivors still waiting to tell their stories, CBC News, June 6, 2015. Retrieved from  http://www.cbc.ca/1.3102772

Module 2 Post 2: Ongoing Genocide

I don’t care what anyone in the media is saying in response to the TRC, we are witnesses to a genocide, both in the past and present.

Here are a couple of media texts along this theme:

Link to Maclean’s Article:  Canada, home to the suicide capital of the world 

Link to TED talk: America’s Native prisoners of war 

Module 1 Post 2 – Residential Schools & The TRC

In a previous post my classmate Erin provided a link to a TVO special about residential schools, but described it as being somewhat dated.  Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has been in the news recently, as it is ‘officially’ coming to and end soon, I wanted to look more into it – I hate to say it, but I’m pretty ignorant on the topic.

The official website for the TRC is here, and is flooded at the moment with information about the closing events and the TRC overall.
Link: Interim report from 2012
Primary Sources Link:  Online videos of statements made as part of the TRC

In my searching I also found this article from the Ottawa Citizen, quoting the head of the TRC Murray Sinclair (an Anishinaabe judge and lawyer), as saying that Canadians need to know that the history of the residential schools and its traumas “include them”.  Powerful stuff!