The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada defines reconciliation as establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada. In order for that to happen, there has to be awareness of the past, an acknowledgment of the harm that has been inflicted, atonement for the causes, and action to change behavior.
Why is this important?
Many people believe that residential schools happened long ago, however; the last residential school closed in 1996. It is important that all Canadians understand the complex truth about the history and ongoing legacy of residential schools and the resilience that Indigenous Peoples have shown amidst the collective harms and atrocities that have been endured. Reconciliation goes beyond acknowledging residential schools and the harm they created. Reconciliation also means recognizing the structures in place that enabled residential schools to happen in the first place. It calls upon all Canadians to embrace this work and seek ways to establish and maintain relationships based on the foundations of respect and understanding so that we can rise above these outdated and oppressive ways of thinking.
A Collaborative Pathway Forward Report
Principles for a Collaborative Pathway Forward in Wood Buffalo highlights the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action since becoming formally identified as a priority within the 2018-2021 Strategic Plan.
The report outlines these five key themes within the framework of the TRC's 10 Principles of Reconciliation. It is through this framework that the Municipality details the work that has been undertaken over the past four years with local Indigenous partners. It identifies areas of success, areas that require additional focus, and opportunities to prioritize commitment to the process of reconciliation moving forward. The report lays out a plan, or a pathway approach, to strengthen reconciliation and continue this important and necessary work now, and into the future.
What can you do?
There are many ways you can be a part of reconciliation. Start by signing the Reconciliation Pledge.
Learn
- Increase your awareness of Indigenous history and culture through our Indigenous Learning Series. The two interactive modules were developed by a local Indigenous company and feature a local Indigenous artist narrator.
- Join the It's Time to Read Book Club. This virtual book club will feature the works and voices of Indigenous authors to increase understanding and awareness of Indigenous culture, history, and current issues. Help build bridges through books and advance reconciliation in the region.
- We Were Children is a film from Tim Wolochatiuk and the National Film Board of Canada that tells the story about the residential school experience.
- #IndigenousReads is an initiative from the Government of Canada that encourages reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples by sharing Indigenous literature.
- Find out how the Government of Canada is acting on Truth and Reconciliation.
- Visit the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
Read
The 94 Calls Action, the 10 Principles of Reconciliation and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), provide a roadmap to transform relationships. These documents and the other resources are available to you online and can be found here:
- 94 Calls to Action
- 10 Principles of Reconciliation
- United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Our 29 Identified Calls to Action |
Calls to Action identified by the RMWB Internal Steering Committee5. We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to develop culturally appropriate parenting programs for Aboriginal families. 7. We call upon the federal government to develop with Aboriginal groups a joint strategy to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians. 8. We call upon the federal government to eliminate the discrepancy in federal education funding for First Nations children being educated on reserves and those First Nations children being educated off reserves. 11. We call upon the federal government to provide adequate funding to end the backlog of First Nations students seeking a post-secondary education. 12. We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to develop culturally appropriate early childhood education programs for Aboriginal families. 16. We call upon post-secondary institutions to create university and college degree and diploma programs in Aboriginal languages. 22. We call upon those who can effect change within the Canadian health-care system to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices and use them in the treatment of Aboriginal patients in collaboration with Aboriginal healers and Elders where requested by Aboriginal patients. 31. We call upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to provide sufficient and stable funding to implement and evaluate community sanctions that will provide realistic alternatives to imprisonment for Aboriginal offenders and respond to the underlying causes of offending. 40. We call on all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal people, to create adequately funded and accessible Aboriginal-specific victim programs and services with appropriate evaluation mechanisms. 57. We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism. 75. We call upon the federal government to work with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, churches, Aboriginal communities, former residential school students, and current landowners to develop and implement strategies and procedures for the ongoing identification, documentation, maintenance, commemoration, and protection of residential school cemeteries or other sites at which residential school children were buried. This is to include the provision of appropriate memorial ceremonies and commemorative markers to honour the deceased children. 77. We call upon provincial, territorial, municipal, and community archives to work collaboratively with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to identify and collect copies of all records relevant to the history and legacy of the residential school system, and to provide these to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. 79. We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginal organizations, and the arts community, to develop a reconciliation framework for Canadian heritage and commemoration. This would include, but not be limited to:
88. We call upon all levels of government to take action to ensure long-term Aboriginal athlete development and growth, and continued support for the North American Indigenous Games, including funding to host the games and for provincial and territorial team preparation and travel. Calls to Action identified within the TRC Calls to Action Report that call on all municipal levels of Government43. We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to fully adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the framework for reconciliation. 47. We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to repudiate concepts used to justify European sovereignty over Indigenous peoples and lands, such as the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius, and to reform those laws, government policies, and litigation strategies that continue to rely on such concepts. Calls to Action identified within the TRC Calls to Action Report that call on all levels of Government3. We call upon all levels of government to fully implement Jordan’s Principle. 17. We call upon all levels of government to enable residential school Survivors and their families to reclaim names changed by the residential school system by waiving administrative costs for a period of five years for the name-change process and the revision of official identity documents, such as birth certificates, passports, driver’s licenses, health cards, status cards, and social insurance numbers. 23. We call upon all levels of government to:
53. We call upon the Parliament of Canada, in consultation and collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to enact legislation to establish a National Council for Reconciliation. The legislation would establish the council as an independent, national, oversight body with membership jointly appointed by the Government of Canada and national Aboriginal organizations, and consisting of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal members. Its mandate would include, but not be limited to, the following:
55. We call upon all levels of government to provide annual reports or any current data requested by the National Council for Reconciliation so that it can report on the progress towards reconciliation. The reports or data would include, but not be limited to:
64. We call upon all levels of government that provide public funds to denominational schools to require such schools to provide an education on comparative religious studies, which must include a segment on Aboriginal spiritual beliefs and practices developed in collaboration with Aboriginal Elders. 87. We call upon all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, sports halls of fame, and other relevant organizations, to provide public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history. Additional RMWB Identified Calls to Action (September 2021)1. We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to commit to reducing the number of Aboriginal children in care by:
13. We call upon the federal government to acknowledge that Aboriginal rights include Aboriginal language rights. 14. We call upon the federal government to enact an Aboriginal Languages Act that incorporates the following principles:
66. We call upon the federal government to establish multiyear funding for community-based youth organizations to deliver programs on reconciliation and establish a national network to share information and best practices. 82. We call upon provincial and territorial governments, in collaboration with Survivors and their organizations, and other parties to the Settlement Agreement, to commission and install a publicly accessible, highly visible, Residential Schools Monument in each capital city to honour Survivors and all the children who were lost to their families and communities. 92. We call upon the corporate sector in Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources. This would include, but not be limited to, the following:
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Volunteer and donate
Support non-profit groups and organizations such as the Nistawoyou Association Friendship Centre. You can volunteer your time or donate to promote positive change.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Timeline
In December 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada published the Calls to Action report to foster healing with Indigenous communities in Canada. The report offers 94 recommendations to governments, educational institutions, religious organizations and other groups in Canada.
November 2016 |
We sent letters of engagement to:
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December 2016 |
We created the TRC Steering Committee made up of members from our departments to address the 94 Calls to Action. |
January 2017 |
We held a session for the TRC Steering Committee on the historical context of TRC and identified the Calls to Action that we can act on. |
February 2017 |
Council approved further engagement with Indigenous partners about TRC and the Calls to Action. |
June 2017 |
The TRC Steering Committee identified 14 Calls to Action that the Municipality had the ability to implement and influence. We hosted our first Calls to Action Symposium on June 28, 2017 and addressed how we could implement the TRC's Calls to Action. Rural and urban Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents attended. There was also representation from Athabasca Tribal Council, Nistawoyou Association Friendship Centre, Keyano College and local social profit organizations. |
January 2018 |
We held a Council meeting in the community of Fort McKay. This was the first Council meeting held in a rural community in over 17 years. |
February 2018 |
We released the 2018-2021 RMWB Strategic Plan. Rural and Indigenous communities. Indigenous partnerships were identified as a critical area of focus with four key strategic priorities:
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July 2018 |
The TRC Steering Committee met for an update on initiatives. |
March 2019 |
We added nine Calls to Action for a total of 23 Calls that we can help influence or implement. |
April to September 2019 |
A TRC Report is in development. This report will detail the municipal response to truth and reconciliation. There are several phases in this process:
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October 23, 2019 |
The TRC Sharing Circle at Shell Place included over 100 participants from the local Indigenous and non-Indigenous community that provided feedback and insight for next steps moving forward.
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June, September, and December 2020 |
“Reconciliation” Newsletter editions released. |
September 30, 2020 |
RMWB commemorates national ‘Orange Shirt Day,’ honouring attendees and Survivors of Residential Schools and their families. |
February 2021 |
Strategic Plan progress updates published, aligned with Truth and Reconciliation priority initiatives. |
May 5, 2021 |
By Council Proclamation, the RMWB recognizes the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit+ People. |
June 2021 |
RMWB marks June 21, 2021, as National Indigenous Peoples Day and celebrates the month of June and National Indigenous History month; annual Reconciliation Newsletter edition marking these occasions published. |
July 7, 2021 |
Memorial Gathering of Solidarity at Syne Point Park honouring the Survivors and victims of Residential Schools. |
August 19, 2021 |
RMWB launches 6 week Reconciliation Challenge Initiative leading up to the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. |
September 14, 2021 |
Responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action: Principles for a Collaborative Pathway in Wood Buffalo Report released to coincide with the Council meeting on this date. |
Other initiatives
- RMWB 2018-2021 Strategic Plan Priorities
- Partnerships for Commemoration and Awareness
- The completion of two TRC eLearning modules that were developed with local Indigenous input.
- The ongoing partnership with the Reconciliation Advisory Circle
- TRC Newsletters
- National Indigenous Languages Day Colouring exercise - Cree
- National Indigenous Languages Day Colouring exercise - Dene