Canada needs to better act on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action
It has been a decade since the commission released its final report, yet only a few of its calls have come to fruition
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission investigated Canada's residential school system and its ongoing legacy towards Indigenous Peoples. (Diego Minor Martínez)
Ten years ago, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released 94 calls to action to address the devastating legacy of Canada’s residential school system and to guide a path toward meaningful and respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
Today, only a few of those 94 calls have been fulfilled. After a decade, Canada is still left with the following questions: How far have we come, and what challenges still lie ahead?
Progress has been made, but only 15 of 94 calls to action have been completed. The federal government took the initiative to establish a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday, but work still needs to be done to ensure Indigenous Peoples have fair access to education and other key areas.
I’ve attended several classes and field trips to learn about Indigenous communities and have often felt that much of the government’s efforts focus on symbolic gestures and statements rather than making real, meaningful changes.
It is the basic right of Indigenous communities to make decisions about the issues affecting their lives. Significant issues such as the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in foster care, discrimination in the justice system, and unsafe drinking water still exist.
In my agriculture class on Indigenous food systems, we discussed how many Indigenous communities still face problems with polluted water. For instance, many First Nation communities in Canada depend on the local rivers and lakes for their food and culture. But polluted water, due to industrial waste and poor waste management, harms the fish and wildlife that First Nations communities depend on.
The government has been unsuccessful in improving this issue, leading some communities to be under long-term boil-water warnings where they are supposed to boil water before using it, which is not only inconvenient but also does not solve the root cause of contamination.
This aligns with the 18th call to action for different branches of government to “recognize and implement the health-care rights of Aboriginal people as identified in international law, constitutional law, and under the Treaties.”
Access to safe drinking water is a basic health necessity, so I believe meaningful reconciliation will happen when Canada makes real changes to fix these problems beyond setting aside a day in the year to show support for Indigenous Peoples.
Within the next decade, I hope the Canadian government takes efficient steps towards reconciliation by ensuring all Indigenous communities have access to basic human rights and necessities, such as clean drinking water, safe housing, and effective health care and education.
I believe reconciliation is possible if the actions taken go beyond mere symbolic gestures, focusing more on creating respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
It is essential that the government as well as the society work together with Indigenous people, not simply for their benefit, but also to build a Canada marked by justice and equality.
