Latest news with #TruthAndReconciliation
CBC
an hour ago
- General
- CBC
Reconciliation takes more than students in orange shirts. But these schools are making progress
Schools are incorporating TRC's calls to action, but it's 'not enough progress' 6 hours ago Duration 1:58 Social Sharing When Niigaan Sinclair visits schools, he always asks, "How many of you have an orange shirt in your closet that you pull out at least once a year?" He considers it progress that nearly every hand goes up these days. "I'm seeing more conversations, more curriculums, and probably most important of all, the change in school culture," said the author and indigenous studies professor at the University of Manitoba. Ten years since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)'s final report, more students are marking Orange Shirt Day each September. Also known as Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, many spend at least part of the day learning about residential schools, where Indigenous children were forced into government-funded, church-run schools to strip away their culture. Yet Sinclair, also a former high school teacher, notes it's just one day set aside to talk about the impact of residential schools. "Can we do it for the other 364 days?" he said from Yellowknife. Teaching K-12 students about residential schools is just one step toward reconciliation, according to Sinclair and other educators. Sinclair believes many areas with a high Indigenous population — across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Northwestern Ontario, for instance — absolutely understand working together to achieve the TRC's recommendations, which spell out ways to address the legacy of residential schools. Schools talking about reconciliation, but more work needed 10 hours ago Duration 1:39 Yet "in many corners of the country, we're still having a conversation about the why, not about the how," said Sinclair, whose father was the late Murray Sinclair, the judge and senator who chaired the commission. "Virtually every school district in Canada has in some way or another adopted principles of reconciliation. Whether they've committed to the calls to action is a little bit different." WATCH | Urgency needed as Canada lags on 94 calls to action, says Indigenous advocate: 'Greatly concerning' that only 13 calls to action completed: Rose LeMay | Canada Tonight 8 months ago Duration 21:41 In 2023, the Yellowhead Institute, an Indigenous-led research and education group, reported that only 13 calls to action issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission had been addressed in the nearly 10 years since they were introduced. Rose LeMay, CEO of the Indigenous Reconciliation Group, says all 94 need to be addressed 'within a generation.' Also, Isabella Kulak, 14, shares the origins of Ribbon Skirt Day and talks about what the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation means to her and her family. Theme of education The theme of education runs throughout the recommendations, from calling for federal support to eliminating educational gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. For K-12, the TRC called upon federal and provincial governments to collaborate with Indigenous groups and educators to develop mandatory, age-appropriate curriculums about residential schools, treaties and Indigenous contributions, plus training for teachers. While all provinces and territories do include residential schools in their overall curriculum now, exactly where it appears, how deeply, and whether it's even compulsory varies across regions. According to non-profit group Indigenous Watchdog, which tracks progress of the calls, none of the education-related calls are fully complete. Still, progress inches forward at individual boards and schools. Building intercultural respect and understanding among K-12 students, for instance, is a part of Call 63 that resonates northwest of Toronto at the Peel District School Board, Canada's second largest and with one of the most diverse student populations. Hundreds of PDSB students, staff and community members gathered Friday at the board's Maawnjiding Wiigushkeng Centre for Indigenous Excellence and Land-Based Learning in Cheltenham, Ont., for its second annual powwow. Students spent a glorious spring day taking in dancers in vibrant regalia, drum circles and cultural pavilions that ranged from storytelling and traditional animal hide preservation to street art and Indigenous DJs. For some attendees, the joyful event built on what they learn every day. At SouthFields Village Public School, Indigenous perspectives are blended into different subjects and school-wide events. Students learn about residential schools, but also the value of time outdoors in nature and saying "thank you to what nature has given us," said Grade 4 student Ryka Gill. "Some people [who] are Indigenous, in the past, their culture was taken away," she said. "In this generation, I think it's important to learn about Indigenous culture." Gill's teacher, Laura Gibson, says educators today must "carve out spaces for voices not my own." Seeking ongoing training and development means she's more able to bring Indigenous voices to her students and spark connections. She and her colleagues incorporate Indigenous learning across different spaces. Attending the annual powwow is one example, but there are also school trips to a longhouse and Indigenous speakers regularly invited into their classrooms. Experiences like this weren't available to previous generations, according to PDSB's Indigenous education lead Nicole Reynolds. "That we can share this with students from various backgrounds and from diverse identities is really important.... They are learning with Indigenous people." 'An education system that includes us' At Yukon's First Nation School Board, engaging local First Nations has been a vital pillar of the new school authority, which started in 2022 following decades of Indigenous leaders decrying the "devastating" schooling of their children, according to Melissa Flynn, FNSB executive director. "When the education system hasn't been meeting the needs of our children ... it's not the family and the children that need to change, it was the education system and how it's being delivered," she said from the board's head office in Whitehorse. "It is changing the education system [from] a system that is happening to us as learners and families, to an education that includes us." That's meant changes to how kids are taught, like adopting structured literacy for learning how to read, more trips out on the land and developing high school courses on more resonant topics, like food sovereignty. In just three years, Flynn is heartened to see improved literacy at the board's 11 schools and every time a family reaches out to say their children now feel excited to attend school. The involvement of nine different First Nations governments, as well as Indigenous elders and knowledge-holders, has been key, she said. They consult on everything from school growth plans to next steps after the latest literacy and numeracy data is gathered to building students' sense of duty to the community. "Every single generation has a responsibility in the education of our children," Flynn said, adding that tapping into a traditional practice of multi-generational learning, mentoring and support benefits not only students, but teachers and staff, as well. "How do we bring it back into the learning system where no one learns alone?" Flynn has an eye to improve Indigenous language programs next, but feels confident overall that responding to what Indigenous students and communities need is the right approach to addressing the TRC's calls to action in education. "We all live on the territory of an Indigenous group. What a gift it would be for everyone across Canada to see this is what education looks like: It is guided by the people and the land that you live on."
CTV News
12 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Anglophone East School District marks third annual Indigenous Grad Celebration
Twenty-four students from the Anglophone East School District walked the stage for the third annual Indigenous Grad Celebration on June 2, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Alana Pickrell) It was a significant day within the Anglophone East School District as 24 students from high schools in the area walked the stage for the third annual Indigenous Grad Celebration. 'We've helped support them grow as people and as individuals and when we go to the high school graduations they're dressing in regalia as they walk across the stage and very proud of who they are as individuals, who they are as people, who they are as citizens of their community and citizens of the world,' said superintendent and CEO Randolph MacLEAN. As part of the district's call to action for Truth and Reconciliation, MacLEAN says work is being done to make sure the district is both 'academically responsive and culturally responsive to indigenous students.' This includes cultural support workers in schools and an Indigenous Services Team to ensure daily education and support throughout a student's entire educational journey. 'I see it here today, but I see it in classrooms,' he said. 'I see it in classrooms as we do cultural events and students are wearing ribbon skirts or in our peace and friendship spaces in schools and students are proud of their cultural identities and we support them. We see it in our classrooms as we intertwine our Indigenous learnings with the way we teach.' He says the first year had just three to four students take part in the culturally responsive graduation celebration. The Legend Catering room at the Moncton Coliseum was packed full of students, their families, school officials and Indigenous spiritual leaders. Ceremonial Elder Donna Augustine says this event is important because students are being honoured in a traditional way with an opening song, prayer and honour song. 'In the schools, the regular school system, they've learned academically, but in our way, it's just as important or even more important to know your roots, your heritage, who you are,' she said. Augustine is the Elder in Residence for the AESD and goes to various schools to share culture with students throughout their time at school. 'We don't want our youth to go out there in the world and hold their heads down, we want them to go out there and be proud of their heritage and who they are,' she said. 'When they walk out into this world, they're armed with their culture, their base, their root is that strong culture so as they go out into the world, they're going to excel at everything they do and so we encourage them all along the way.' MacLEAN says the district will continue to grow and foster this program and way of teaching in the future, bringing together education and culture in a significant way. Students will also attend their school graduation ceremonies to celebrate their accomplishments as they say goodbye to high school. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Statement by Prime Minister Carney on National Indigenous History Month
OTTAWA, ON, June 1, 2025 /CNW/ - "Indigenous Peoples have been stewards of Canada's lands and waters for time immemorial. National Indigenous History Month is a time to celebrate the histories, cultures, languages, knowledge, and traditions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. "Indigenous leadership and perspectives will be foundational to how this government delivers its mandate. We will address past harms, take a distinctions-based approach, and advance self-determination, while upholding Modern Treaties and self-government agreements. "Central to this commitment is the long-term wealth and prosperity of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. To that end, we have doubled the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program from $5 billion to $10 billion – and opened it to sectors outside of energy and natural resources to catalyze more Indigenous-led infrastructure, transportation, and trade projects across the country. "As Canada moves forward with nation-building projects, the government will be firmly guided by the principle of free, prior, and informed consent. "We will work in full partnership with Indigenous Peoples – advancing shared priorities from health care, food security, housing, and education to conservation, climate action, and emergency management. We move forward on the important work of the calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Final Report, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls' Calls for Justice, and the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act." This document is also available at SOURCE Prime Minister's Office View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
Northern Ontario city hires its first Indigenous policy advisor
Sault Ste. Marie created a brand new position this year: Indigenous policy and process renewal advisor (or Anishnaabe E-Wiidookaage in Anishinaabemowin). It's a long title with an even longer list of priorities - and we'll hear from Kaitlyn Neveu, the woman taking on the challenge. Kaitlyn Neveu is the City of Sault Ste. Marie's first ever Anishnaabe E-Wiidookaage. That's the Indigenous policy and process renewal adviser in Anishinaabemowin. In her new role, Neveu is tasked to make sure the northern Ontario city meets its commitments to reconciliation by applying the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls to action that relate to municipal governance. "The City of Sault Ste. Marie has taken a huge step forward and that I really, truly hope that more municipalities take on this responsibility and put into force the connections and the relationships that are needed between our Indigenous communities," she told CBC's Up North. Neveu said she works with nearby Indigenous communities and leaders, including elders and knowledge keepers to help the city meet its commitment to reconciliation. "This position is certainly a privilege to me," she said. "I'm represented both as a trusted voice for our Indigenous communities and a skilled advisor capable of navigating government structures." Neveu said the city recently approached her about developing a policy around smudging, which she sees as a success. Smudging is a cultural practice that involves burning sacred herbs, such as sage, for purification and cleansing. Before taking on her current role, Neveu said she worked in the child welfare system. "I just realized that we need so much change, and that change starts with education and knowledge," she said. Neveu added that her role lets her connect with non-Indigenous people and help educate them on where Indigenous people "are coming from." "This position allows me to speak our voice," she said.
Russia Today
3 days ago
- General
- Russia Today
South Africa appoints judges to probe Apartheid-era injustice
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed retired Constitutional Court Judge Sisi Khampepe to chair the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Inquiry into prosecutorial and investigation delays into apartheid era crimes. Khampepe will be assisted by retired Judge President Frans Diale Kgomo and Adv Andrea Gabriel SC. The commission will cover the period from 2003 to the present. Ramaphosa has signed a proclamation for the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to determine whether attempts were made to prevent the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes. In a statement by the presidency, the establishment of the commission of inquiry is part of an agreement reached in settlement discussions in a court application brought by families of victims of apartheid-era crimes. Ramaphosa said: 'For many years, there have been allegations of interference in these cases. This alleged interference is seen as the cause of an unacceptable delay in the investigation and prosecution of brutal crimes committed under apartheid. This has caused the families of victims great anguish and frustration. 'All affected families – and indeed all South Africans – deserve closure and justice. A commission of inquiry with broad and comprehensive terms of reference is an opportunity to establish the truth and provide guidance on any further action that needs to be taken.' Ramaphosa said the commission will inquire into, make findings, report on and make recommendations on: Were there any efforts to stop SAPS or the NPA from investigating TRC cases? Who made these efforts, and why? Did any SAPS or NPA members improperly cooperate with those trying to influence or pressure them? Should the state take action—like more investigations or prosecutions—against anyone who broke the law? Should any person receive constitutional damages, and if so, how much? Victims and their families with a vested interest in TRC cases, including those involved in the current legal proceedings, are among the key stakeholders. The Commission of Inquiry, established by agreement between the families and the government, has six months to complete its work and must submit its report within 60 days thereafter. While both sides agreed to the commission's formation, unresolved issues remain—the government sees them as commission matters, while families seek court adjudication. As the commission began its work, the government welcomed the NPA and SAPS's commitment to investigating and prosecuting unresolved TRC cases, with dedicated resources already in place for priority matters. Ramaphosa emphasised the importance of holding those who committed apartheid-era crimes without amnesty accountable and expressed hope that the inquiry would help uncover the truth and bring closure to a painful chapter in the nation's published by IOL
