This year’s annual report in to Canada’s progress on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action has been released.
Produced annually by the Yellowhead Institute, this is the third report, and the one which saw the most progress.
However, that progress is still significantly lacking, as in 6 years, just 11 of the calls to action have been answered.
Three of those came over a three week period this year in the wake of the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves under a former Kamloops residential school.
Those three weeks saw Canada appoint a language commissioner, establish a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and a replacement for the oath of citizenship.
But, in examining the calls to action which have been completed, the Institute noticed a trend.
Only the symbolic calls, or those which make it to the International media cycle, are actually completed.
On top of that, structural calls to action requiring true long-term commitment have seen little progress.
The report also highlights a number of structural barriers preventing progress: a “we know best” attitude from government, structural discrimination, non-Indigenous public interest, lack of adequate resources and funding for First Nations, and efforts to exploit reconciliation to improve Canada’s global reputation.
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