On September 30, 2023, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation took place across Canada, and people from all corners of the nation dedicated themselves to acknowledging the past and working toward a better future.
At MLT Aikins, we are taking this time to not only show our support, but to encourage and foster a new way of living through a devotion to reconciliation all year long. September 30 may have come and gone, but that is just one day. We believe for there to be progress, there must be purpose.
In light of this, we have compiled a list of resources to consult for various aspects of National Truth and Reconciliation and we hope they can illuminate, educate and inspire positive change. Commit to further learning by exploring the resources below and familiarizing yourself with these essential topics.
Educational resources to learn, affirm and share:
- What is a residential school?
- What non-Indigenous Canadians need to know
- “What is Reconciliation? Indigenous Educators Have Their Say”
- Why do Indigenous topics cause such emotional discomfort?
- Whose Land Are You On? What to Know About the Indigenous Land Back Movement | Lindsey Schneider |TED
- Phyllis Webstad Orange Shirt Day Presentation
Important films and online videos:
- First Contact
- “Bones of Crows” – CBC Gem
- Stolen Children | Residential School Survivors Speak Out
- Kamloops Residential School Survivors Recall Students Going Missing, Digging Of Graves In Orchard
- Copy of Truth and Reconciliation, Five Years Later
- “The Stranger” Official Video – Gord Downie – Secret Path
- A Day to Listen: Amplifying Indigenous Voices
Informative articles and personal memoirs:
- A Knock on the Door: The Essential History of Residential Schools from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada | Phil Fontaine, Aimée Craft and the TRC
- They Came for the Children: Canada, Aboriginal Peoples, and Residential Schools
- The Survivors Speak: A Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
- Where are the children?
- Theodore Fontaine, Broken Circle: The Dark Legacy of Indian Residential Schools: A Memoir (2010)
- Bev Sellars, They Called Me Number One: Secrets and Survival at an Indian Residential School (2012)
- Edmund Metatawabin with Alexandra Shimo, Up Ghost River: A Chief’s Journey Through the Turbulent Waters of Native History (2015)
- Joseph Auguste (Augie) Merasty, The Education of Augie Merasty: A Residential School Memoir (2015/2017)
- Isabelle Knockwood, Out of the Depths: The Experiences of Mi’kmaw Children at the Indian Residential School at Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia (1992/2015)
This list is nowhere near exhaustive, and there are endless recourses available online or at your local library for consultation. It is our job to learn about our past so we can craft a new future; do your part by getting educated on this complex history. By taking small steps forward, future generations will move toward a more enriched, understanding and loving society.
For survivors in need of support, a national Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available by calling the 24-hour service at 1-866-925-4419.
Additionally, mental health counselling and crisis support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or by online chat.