As you know, September 30, is Canada’s first ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This is the first year that Canada will observe this incredibly poignant day of remembrance dedicated to the more than 4,100 children who died while in the residential school system and countless others who were mistreated and abused. The acknowledgment of the deep and unhealable wounds that this day of recognition represents barely scratches the surface in terms of reconciliation. How can there ever be true reconciliation following the crimes and damage inflicted upon the Aboriginal people of Turtle Island?

Following are a few facts that you may not know about Canada and its relationship to the Indigenous people whose ancestors called this place home before it was colonized beginning in the late 15th century.

• As of August of this year there are 51 long-term drinking water advisories in effect in Aboriginal communities across Canada. 32 Canadian communities are still without safe drinking water. 
• The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada contains 94 Calls to Action, only 8 of which have been implemented to date.
• In 2019 the 1,200 page report resulting from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual) people made 231 Calls for Justice and another 21 were added in the Supplementary Report. According to a 2014 RCMP report, 1,017 women and girls identified as Indigenous were murdered between 1980 and 2012—a homicide rate roughly 4.5 times higher than that of all other women in Canada.
• South Africa’s Apartheid was partially modelled on Canada’s Indian Act, status cards and reserve system. Canada has very publicly and fervently condemned Apartheid over the years. However, in the 1940s delegations of South African politicians visited Canada to study and emulate these practices.

I don’t write these things to bring shame or guilt onto any of you. They are simply horrendous facts that form a part of our country’s history and continue to leave their indelible mark to this day. Facts that make the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation a necessity.

This week on my drive into the office I listened to an interview on CBC with Jesse Wente, Founding Executive Director of the Indigenous Screen Office and the first Indigenous person to serve as Chair of Canada’s Council for the Arts. He’s been a culture critic with CBC Radio and was Director of Film Programmes for TIFF Bell Lightbox. In this interview, Jesse was speaking to Matt Galloway about his recently released book titled Unreconciled: Family, Truth and Indigenous Resistance. Jesse is one of our own and this is his account of what growing up Indigenous in Canada was like and the profound impact that he experienced as a result of his Indigeneity. 

When asked about the recent Federal Election Jesse told Matt, “Indigenous issues transcend partisan politics as they speak to the country and its origins. We need to see any government look to support Indigenous lives, culture and language with the same vigour and abundance that they supported the denial of those things for our people.” Well said and quite right Jesse! 

As I stated in my Canada Day message early this year, there are actions we can all take:

• Wear an Orange Shirt and help to spread the word about Orange Shirt Day on September 30.
• Access the DGC BC Digital Diversity Library and read any number of titles on Indigenous issues (Member login required).
• Read the Truth and Reconciliation Reports.
• Write a letter to your Member of Parliament urging ongoing funding of forensic searches of past Residential School sites. 
• Write a letter to your MP urging that access to clean and potable drinking water be made available to every Indigenous community in Canada.
• Donate to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.
• Enrol in the free 12 week online Indigenous Canada course offered by University of Alberta.
• Purchase music, books or art from Indigenous creators.
• Seek information on how to be an ally to Indigenous People on your sets and in your community.

Today as we reflect on our country’s past please don’t waste your energy on guilt or shame. Take that energy and put it into action for change.

My very best,
Kendrie Upton