Truth and Reconciliation: Toronto - An Invitation

The Aboriginal Justice Team invite you to attend

The Meeting Place - Truth and Reconciliation Toronto 2012

Witness and honour courageous truth-telling.

Be a partner in the journey of reconciliation.

May 31, June 1-2

The Sheraton Centre Hotel, 123 Queen Street West, Toronto

Part of the mandate of the Aboriginal Justice Team is education and advocacy around the larger history of colonialism; linking this history with the ongoing struggles of Indigenous communities to maintain their traditional ways and treaty rights. In Canada, knowing the history of the Residential School system is essential to understanding Aboriginal Justice.

The Indian Residential Schools were a crucial tool of the colonial project. Funded by the government of Canada and administered by churches, the schools subjected Indigenous children to a programme of aggressive assimilation that aimed to eradicate their culture, language and identity. As well as the deplorable intentions behind the system, children were subjected to sexual, emotional, and physical abuse, families were broken up, and diseases like tuberculosis claimed many lives. Over 150,000 children were removed from their families, with around a third of that number never returning home. The last Residential School closed in 1996.

In recent years there has been increasing recognition of the abuse inflicted on generations of Indigenous children, and the impact that it has had on the social wellbeing of many communities. Many survivors have taken the courageous step of testifying about their experiences. Many of the churches involved and the Government of Canada have issued apologies and recognised the system's aims, assumptions and methods as wrong.

Currently, a historic series of regional and national events under the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are taking place across Canada, to collect and honour testimony, present statements of apology and create a permanent historical record.

The Toronto event (details above) is an opportunity to learn about this painful part of the shared history of this land, and to work towards reconciliation.

The Aboriginal Justice Team will be faciliatating a workshop exploring the intention of the Residential School system to clear the land for resource exploitation and settlement by eliminating Indigenous title. We will look at how to support Indigenous communities resisting this ongoing process. 

For more information on the event, please see http://www.councilfire.ca/TruthandReconciliation.html