Honouring the Truth Reconciling for the Future

The challenge of reconciliation • 305century. Colonization as a term or concept is not mentioned in Canada Hall. Thisis something we intend to correct. Canadians made it very clear to us during thepublic engagement process that the voices and the experiences of First Peoplesmust have a place in any narrative of Canadian history.... Canadians want usto be comprehensive, frank and fair in our presentation of their history. Theywant us to examine both the good and the bad from our past. We were urgedto foster a sense of national pride without ignoring our failings, mistakes andcontroversies. 139In July 2013, the Canadian Museum of Civilization and its partner, the Canadian WarMuseum, released a joint research strategy intended to guide the research activities atboth institutions until 2023. “Memory and commemoration” is a key research theme;objectives include the presentation of competing and contentious historical narrativesof Confederation and the two world wars, and the use of “selected commemorationsto explore concepts of myth, memory, and nation.” The museums intended to“present honestly, but respectfully, for public understanding issues of contention ordebate ... [through] deliberate exploration of traumatic pasts (e.g. Africville or residentialschools).” 140Drawing on research showing that Canadians valued their “personal and familyconnections to history,” the Canadian Museum of History said that it intended to“explore the realities of contemporary life for Canada’s First Peoples [including] culturalengagements with modernity, environmental change, and globalization, evolvingconcepts of tradition, political mobilization, and new avenues of social expression... [and] the impact of rapid change in Canada’s North, especially for Inuit.” 141 Anotherkey research theme is “First Peoples,” with a particular focus on Aboriginal histories.The histories and cultures of Aboriginal peoples are central to all Canadians’understanding of their shared past. Respectful exploration of the interwoven,often difficult histories of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Peoples is aresponsible, timely contribution to contemporary Canada, and to globalunderstanding of Aboriginal Peoples.... There are four principal objectivesin exploring and sharing Aboriginal narratives.... 1) Represent Aboriginalhistories and cultures within broader Canadian narratives ... 2) Explore interculturalengagement and its continuing impacts ... 3) Broaden understanding ofAboriginal history before European contact ... [and] 4) Deepen efforts to supportFirst Peoples’ stewardship. 142We are encouraged to note that much of what the museum’s research strategyemphasizes is consistent with our own findings: Canadians, including youth andteachers, think they should learn about the history and legacy of residential schoolsand Aboriginal history more broadly. We take particular note of the prominence givento presenting both the positive and negative aspects of Canada’s history, demonstratingthe relevance of the past to the present, including marginalized voices and