Championing Reconciliation Efforts

 The Power of Truth

The world is slowly becoming more aware of the atrocities associated with Canadian residential schools as brought to light by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) and further emphasized by the recent media attention around the hundreds of unmarked grave sites of children who died at these facilities. These are not new discoveries.  Indigenous peoples have been speaking these truths for decades.  Even upon its publication in 2018 the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada identified there may be as many as 400 unmarked grave sites near the sites of former schools where close to 6000 children may be buried. This information was available as a result of the work of the TRC and survivor testimony.

In 1920 Indian Affairs Deputy Superintendent Duncan Scott indicated his intentions to “... get rid of the Indian problem... Our objective is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is no Indian question, and no Indian Department.” (RCGS, 2018, p. 63).

Acknowledging the role our ancestors played in the colonization process and how it has positioned Canadians at an advantage is critical as we continue along the path of healing and reconciliation. It requires a commitment on behalf of every Canadian to seek knowledge as this momentum must not fade after the front page headlines move on to focus on other current affairs.

Schools and Workplaces offer us the best opportunity to ensure that all Canadians are educated based on truth from their earliest experiences.  The Naut'sa mawt Initiative aims to generate and sustain the momentum to pursue reconciliation and healing by not only providing authentic, impactful cultural awareness training, but also help get valuable learning resources into all of the education communities across Canada, many of which cannot afford them. Ultimately our goal is to continue to change the attitudes of people who as of yet do not understand the scope and tremendous negative impact colonization has had on Indigenous Peoples. It also provides an opportunity to promote the importance of preserving and revitalizing the endangered cultures and languages of Indigenous Peoples from coast to coast and create a renewed Canada we can be proud of.