Strategy for Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in Manitoba

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) was officially established on June 2, 2008 with the purpose of documenting the history and lasting negative impacts of the Canadian Indian residential school system on Indigenous students and their families.  The TRC provided residential school survivors with an opportunity to share their experiences during public and private engagement sessions held across the country.  The Commission was constituted and created through the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. 

In December 2015, the TRC released its Final Report that included 94 Calls to Action, which were intended to serve as a guide for governments and other sectors of society to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of truth and reconciliation in Canada.  Thirty-four Calls to Action were directed at provincial and territorial governments. 

Following the release of the TRC’s final report, Manitoba unanimously ratified The Path to Reconciliation Act, which came into force on March 15, 2016. The Act was the first reconciliation legislation of its kind in Canada.

Through The Path to Reconciliation Act, reconciliation of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples will be guided by the principles of respect, understanding, engagement and action.

The Act sets out the government's commitment to advancing reconciliation, led by the Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation. The Minister must lead the development of a strategy for reconciliation that is guided by:

• The TRC’s Calls to Action

• The principles set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

• The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Calls for Justice

Each year, the Minister responsible for reconciliation prepares a report about the measures the government is taking to advance reconciliation. This includes measures to engage Indigenous nations and peoples in the reconciliation process, and measures taken to implement the strategy. These reports can be found here.