Source: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
Year: 2015
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) published its final report detailing the experiences and impacts of the residential school system, creating a historical record of its legacy and consequences. The TRC recorded testimony of more than 6,000 survivors affected by residential schools. Over more than a century, it is estimated approximately 150,000 Indigenous children were separated from their families and communities and forced to attend one of 139 residential schools across Canada.
One outcome of the report was a document detailing 94 calls to action across a wide range of areas including child welfare, education, health, justice, language and culture.
It’s important to recognize the historical and ongoing wrongs perpetrated against Indigenous peoples and the legacy of colonialism still in place today. The legacy of that separation and suppression of culture has had a profoundly negative impact on Indigenous communities, families and cultural connections through the generations.
The TRC calls to action address the ongoing impact of residential schools on survivors and their families.