Honouring the Truth Reconciling for the Future

The challenge of reconciliation • 263We believe there is much hope that even the process of intentionally andseriously continuing … [this work] will contribute to a truly robust reconciliationin Canada.… This work is vital for the future health and strength of Indigenoussocieties and has much to offer Canada as a whole.… Legal traditions are notonly prescriptive, they are descriptive. They ascribe meaning to human events,challenges and aspirations. They are intellectual resources that we use to frameand interpret information, to reason through and act upon current problemsand projects, to work toward our greatest societal aspirations. Finding ways tosupport Indigenous communities to access, understand and apply their ownlegal principles today is not just about repairing the immense damages fromcolonialism. As Chief Doug S. White III (Kwulasultun) puts it … “Indigenous lawis the great project of Canada and it is the essential work of our time. It is not forthe faint of heart, it is hard work. We need to create meaningful opportunities forIndigenous and non-Indigenous people to critically engage in this work becauseall our futures depend on it.” 51Call to Action:50) In keeping with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of IndigenousPeoples, we call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginalorganizations, to fund the establishment of Indigenous law institutes for thedevelopment, use, and understanding of Indigenous laws and access to justice inaccordance with the unique cultures of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.Reconciliation and accountabilityVictims of violence; holders of rightsSurvivors are more than just victims of violence. They are also holders of Treaty,constitutional, and human rights. 52 They are women and men who have resilience,courage, and vision. Many have become Elders, community leaders, educators, lawyers,and political activists who are dedicated to revitalizing their cultures, languages,Treaties, laws, and governance systems. Through lived experience, they have gaineddeep insights into what victims of violence require to heal. Equally important, theyhave provided wise counsel to political leaders, legislators, policymakers, and all citizensabout how to prevent such violence from happening again.The Commission agrees with Anishinaabe scholar and activist Leanne Simpson,who has urged Canadians not to think about reconciliation in narrow terms or to viewSurvivors only as victims. She said: