Eleven years ago this month, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) hosted its closing events in Algonquin Territory-Ottawa and released 94 Calls to Action to the people of Canada. At that event, and others before it, TRC Lead Commissioner, the late Murray Sinclair, explained that reconciliation will take at least several generations. June…
After more than 20 years working for a Canadian justice ministry, I am grateful for the opportunity to share some observations on the sacred calling of all Christians to be agents of justice, peace, and reconciliation. Small is okay When I first started at the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue in 2002, it was…
In the work of faith and justice, we stand on the shoulders of faithful servants from previous generations. Arie Van Eek is one of this cloud of witnesses who Creator blessed us with for 91 years. Arie was the first Executive Secretary of the Council of Christian Reformed Churches in Canada (CCRCC). His affable and…
Lead Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Commissioner Murray Sinclair is known for speaking in memorable one-liners. Seven years after the TRC’s release, two of these have stuck with me: “education got us into this mess and education will get us out” and “reconciliation is a generational project.” Both of these zingers have inspired our long-term…
December 15, 2021 was the sixth anniversary of the release of the complete findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). I remember sitting in a conference hall in Ottawa on that release day in 2015. I was moved by the prayers of Elders, the presence of Survivors and the profound speeches of the Commissioners…
There is a truism credited to a number of wise folks (Elie Wiesel among them), that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.Late last Spring, as political machinations pointed to an election, the stark truths of recovered unmarked graves at Residential School sites were high in the public mind. Given what Elders and…
For 50 years (and more!), God’s call to justice and reconciliation has been a core part of the Christian Reformed (CRC) churches’ efforts to be a faithful messenger of the gospel in Canada.
To honour the TRC’s call to reconciliation, we at the Centre have been advocating for follow-through on TRC Calls to Action 7-10, which call for reform of K-12 education for Indigenous peoples, by Indigenous peoples. The Trudeau government has expressed strong support for reconciliation in many ways: committing to the implementation of all TRC Calls to Action; mandating all Cabinet Ministers to prioritize building relationships with Indigenous peoples on a Nation to Nation basis; and making historic and much-needed financial commitments to Indigenous communities in all three of its budgets. These have been important steps.
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