Warning: This statement contains subject matter that some readers may find disturbing. Please engage in self-care as you read this material. Safe and respectful mental health and emotional support services are available 24/7 without judgment and are completely confidential. The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of a residential school experience – call 1-866-925-4419. The Hope for Wellness Help Line is available to all Indigenous people across Canada – call 1-855-242-3310 or chat online. Further supports are listed on the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) website.
Today marks 10 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) released its final report, a landmark document that further exposed the harmful legacy of residential schools. It shared Survivors’ experiences and laid out principles for reconciliation, documenting the persisting legacy of colonialism and the harms and intergenerational suffering Indigenous peoples carry.
Among its conclusions, the TRC declared that the residential school system was part of a policy of “cultural genocide” and outlined 94 calls to action for the whole of Canadian society to redress this legacy.
Reconciliation has been and continues to be a priority for the OHRC. The OHRC recognizes the enduring impact of colonialism on Indigenous peoples and the important role the Commission must play in addressing critical human rights issues affecting Indigenous communities.
The OHRC continues to honour its commitment to meaningfully engaging with First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and urban Indigenous partners in the context of both its regular activities and thematic projects – in line with the TRC’s Principle for Reconciliation 2 and 4. Since 2019, the OHRC has been guided by the Indigenous Reconciliation Advisory Group to deepen efforts to establish and maintain trusting relationships built on dignity and respect with Indigenous peoples.
The OHRC has maintained its commitment to truth and reconciliation through its strategic efforts, which advance the rights of Indigenous peoples by taking consistent action to foster systemic change across Ontario. Recent actions include:
- filing a human rights application on the deaths of Joey Knapaysweet and Agnes Sutherland
- announcing and launching a project to develop human rights policy guidance addressing anti-Indigenous discrimination in healthcare, and
- releasing a policy statement on appropriately hiring for Indigenous-specific positions and a guide on anti-Indigenous discrimination and harassment in retail settings.
As part of its commitment to reconciliation, the OHRC will also continue to highlight the intersections between the Ontario Human Rights Code and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (the Declaration). The Commission urges all duty-holders, including the government of Ontario, to explore relevant intersections between the Declaration and Ontario legislation, and to adopt the Declaration as a framework for reconciliation and for the full implementation of Indigenous peoples’ human rights in Ontario.
The OHRC will continue to work with Indigenous communities to identify and advance their human rights priorities and to uphold its commitments to truth and reconciliation. The 10th anniversary of the TRC is an opportunity for renewed leadership and dialogue, particularly on the Calls to Actions and principles for reconciliation outlined by the TRC.
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