UC's Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action
Overview & History of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was established in 2008 as part of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, the largest class-action lawsuit in Canadian history. It provided those directly or indirectly affected by the legacy of the Indian Residential Schools system with the opportunity to share their stories and experiences. After six years of travelling across Canada, hearing from more than 6,500 witnesses, the TRC released a final report with their findings in 2015.
In addition to this report, the TRC put forth 94 Calls to Action for groups and people across Canada to do their part in advancing the efforts of reconciliation in light of these atrocious events.
To answer the call, in 2018, University College established a committee to develop recommendations for the college's participation in the national project of Truth and Reconciliation. This committee comprised students, staff, faculty, UC administrators, and representatives from First Nations House (FNH), the Centre for Indigenous Studies (CIS), and the Department for the Study of Religion.
Key Documents & Objectives
Reviewing three key documents — the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action, the University of Toronto's Response to the TRC Calls to Action, and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ Response to the TRC's Calls to Action — University College's committee conducted a review of all facets of college operations with the following objective:
"Our aim is to build a foundation for University College to make the process of Truth and Reconciliation basic to our operations, to provide suggestions for improvement of our current processes and delivery of services, and to promote the telling of truth about the interactions between University College and the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island."
— University College Committee Responding to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 6 November 2019
UC’s Path to Reconciliation
The 2019 committee's review identified some activities that were already underway across the college in response to the TRC's Calls to Action. It also made recommendations for how to enhance these activities and mandated biennial reporting on progress. To further build on these efforts, in 2023, an external review was commissioned by Indigenous consultant Felicity Oien to provide a framework for the college's next phase of truth and reconciliation. The following five areas of action were identified with the recommendation that the college publicly monitor its progress:
Reporting our Progress
Since the 2019 report, the college has committed to releasing biennial reports on our progress. Copies of these reports can be found below and on our governance page.