In 2015, the Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was released after seven years in development. It contained over 6,000 interviews and stories from Indigenous people, largely about their residential school experiences. While every story was different, there was a consistent experience of abuse and neglect.

The TRC Report also contained 94 Calls to Action, 76 of which are government responsibilities. These Calls to Action provided non-Indigenous Canadians with a pathway to improving their relationships with, and a better life for, Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The Report provided most Indigenous People with hope, which in turn brings expectations.

According to the Yellowhead Institute, an Indigenous Think Tank at Toronto Metropolitan University, all but 20 Calls to Action have been started but only a small percentage have been completed. They include:

• The Establishment of a National Council for Reconciliation with multi-year funding.

• Adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

• Long-term support for North American Indigenous Games.

• Establishment of a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls inquiry.

• Establishment of a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

• The Amendment of the Citizenship Act to include the observance of treaties with Indigenous Peoples.

• The Appointment of an Indigenous Language Commissioner.

Many are disappointed that more has not been done, but the 94 Calls to Action are not the only path to reconciliation. In fact, all Canadians are responsible for bringing about change, and there have been positive developments in many areas.

• $333 million has been allotted for Indigenous language preservation, and Indigenous history is being taught across the country in schools and through many online podcasts, webinars, and courses.
• Awareness among non-Indigenous people has increased immeasurably, though general knowledge is pathetically low, as evidenced by the surprise and horror of millions of non-Indigenous people on finding out a year ago about the children’s graves in Kamloops.
• A new water agreement will provide $1.8 billion to individuals affected by unclean water and $8 billion to communities to fix or replace their broken water systems.
• On February 9, 2024 the $23 billion First Nations Child welfare act was approved by the federal court, after 17 years of incredibly hard work led by Cindy Blackstock, however is not finalized.
• Indigenous people are writing excellent books about their life and heritage. Over ten years ago, Thomas King’s The Inconvenient Indian became a national bestseller. In 2018, Chief Bob Joseph released 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act, and it too has been on the best seller list. 5 Little Indians, by Michelle Good, was chosen by the CBC as the 2022 winner of Canada Reads, and in 2023 the MIT Press released the insightful Decolonizing Design: A Cultural Justice Guidebook, by Elizabeth (Dori) Tunstall. While Tunstall, who was Dean of The Faculty of Design at Ontario College of Art and Design University, begins her book with design, she quickly unpacks the many ways that anti-black and anti-Indigenous racism is literally woven into western society. After the Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the deceptively small and misleadingly titled Decolonizing Design should be essential reading for anyone who wants to address reconciliation head-on.
• Several years ago, the Pope apologized on behalf of the Catholic Church for the abuse the residential school survivors — and their families — had to endure. Most of the other churches involved and the federal government have all apologized and made substantial restitution. The Vatican, however, has not returned the many Indigenous artifacts it holds, and has not made the financial restitution it agreed to do.
• The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was introduced on September 30, 2021, with a positive response from individuals, churches, governments and business.
• Canada has its first Indigenous Governor General, The Honourable Mary Simon, an Inuit. Simon is an accomplished diplomat, having been one of the founders of the Arctic Council and Canada’s ambassador to Denmark. Wab Kinew became the first Indigenous person to be elected Premier of a Province (Manitoba) since the Metis premier John Norquay in 1887.
• In late May, Ontario NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa, the Indigenous member from Kiiwetinoong in Northwestern Ontario and a residential school survivor, addressed the Ontario Legislature in his native language Oji Cree. He was the first person to ever address the legislature in a language other than English or French. He was not allowed to speak his native language at his residential school. His 79-year-old mother and 100 others attended this historic happening.
• Reconciliation includes personal reconciliation by both non-Indigenous and Indigenous people. After receiving such terrible treatment at the hands of non-Indigenous people, many Indigenous people felt ashamed, inferior, and angry. As a result, they hid their identity. Two media personalities who sought out their Indigenous roots and have written about it are the CBC’s Jessie Wente and Duncan McCue.
• Reconciliation is also happening between Indigenous Nations. The Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe gathered for the first time since 1840. Special wampum belts were created to acknowledge this, and the Rotary-founded organization, Honouring Indigenous Peoples, was a partner in this historical initiative.
• Educational opportunities for Indigenous people are growing and improving. In Nova Scotia, Indigenous-run secondary schools have a higher percentage of people graduating than the non-Indigenous-run schools. More and more Indigenous people are obtaining post-secondary education, and beyond.
• The First Nations Bank of Canada was recently established, with Perry Belegarde, past Grand Chief of The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) named as the first Chair. It will provide much needed capital for Indigenous business In B.C., where Indigenous First Nations have partnered with forestry companies in the creation of standards for timber harvesting and the protection of old growth forests.
• Most governments and schools are now doing Indigenous Land Acknowledgements, and while our governments may be lumbering along at what seems like a snail’s pace, thousands of individual Canadians are taking action and moving us all toward true reconciliation.

…. And that is all truly good news.

Chris Snyder is the author of several books and several hundred articles on personal finance, Chris’ most recent book "Creating Opportunities-A Volunteer's Memoir" describes a lifetime of volunteer experiences, much of it as an active member of the Rotary Club of Toronto and on many not-for-profit boards. Chris is past chair of the Canadian Landmine Foundation, founding chair/current chair of HIP (Honouring Indigenous Peoples) and the Trudeau Centre of Peace, Conflict and Justice. He is the recipient of many community service awards, including the Paul Harris Fellowship Award, the Queen's Gold and Diamond Jubilee Awards, the Rotary Service-Above-Self Award and the Governor General's Sovereign Award for Volunteering. His latest book, “52+Good News Stories—Hope in a Complex World” will be published by Civil Sector Press in early 2025.