The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is mandated to host seven national events in different regions across Canada with the goal of engaging the Canadian public, providing education about the history and legacy of the Indian Residential Schools system, and sharing and honouring the experiences of former students and their families.
The Vancouver national event will be the sixth of the TRC's seven national events. The seven events include:
- Winnipeg – June 2010;
- Inuvik – June 2011;
- Halifax – October 2011;
- Saskatoon – June 2012;
- Montreal – April 2013;
- Vancouver – September 2013; and
- Edmonton – March 2014.
The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development has attended and provided gestures of reconciliation at each of the events held to date. The gestures offered have included:
- the Government's announcement of its intent to repeal those sections of the Indian Act that allowed for the establishment of Indian Residential Schools and the removal of children from their homes and communities;
- over $1 million in funding to help support the participation of former students in TRC national events; and
- funding for Aboriginal partner organizations to present and distribute their projects and print publications at the national events.
For the TRC's Vancouver national event, the Government of Canada is offering the following gestures of reconciliation:
- a contribution of $150,000 to be distributed to select Advocacy and Public Information Program (APIP) partners in British Columbia to support former students' travel to the event; and
- the provision of $50,000 through APIP for two Aboriginal partner organizations to showcase their Indian residential schools-related projects at the national event.
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) officials have created a photo book that showcases British Columbia commemoration projects. Minister Valcourt presented this photo book to the TRC as a gesture of reconciliation.
Furthermore, AANDC officials working with the Independent Assessment Process have prepared a statement underscoring the significance of the work and their hopes for its legacy.
