Honouring the Truth Reconciling for the Future

The challenge of reconciliation • 347in Port Alberni, British Columbia, was demolished by Survivors and their families,who burned sage and cedar in ceremonies in order to “cleanse and allow the trappedspirits to finally be freed.” 238 Where commemoration activities have involved thedestruction of a residential school structure, such actions are in direct conflict withCanadian heritage goals. 239Ultimately, reconciliation requires a paradigm shift in Canada’s national heritagevalues, policies, and practices that focus on conservation and continue to excludeIndigenous history, heritage values, and memory practices, which prioritize healingand the reclaiming of culture in public commemoration. 240 For this to happen, ParksCanada’s heritage and commemoration policies and programs must change.By shaping commemoration projects to meet their own needs, Survivors, theirfamilies, and communities have provided a wealth of information and best practicesfor commemorating the history and legacy of the residential school system. These caninform and enrich the National Program of Historical Commemoration and the workof the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada to ensure that Canada’s heritageand commemoration legislation, programs, policies, and practices contributeconstructively to the reconciliation process in the years ahead.Calls to Action79) We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginalorganizations, and the arts community, to develop a reconciliation framework forCanadian heritage and commemoration. This would include, but not be limited to:i. Amending the Historic Sites and Monuments Act to include First Nations,Inuit, and Métis representation on the Historic Sites and Monuments Board ofCanada and its Secretariat.ii. Revising the policies, criteria, and practices of the National Program ofHistorical Commemoration to integrate Indigenous history, heritage values,and memory practices into Canada’s national heritage and history.iii. Developing and implementing a national heritage plan and strategy forcommemorating residential school sites, the history and legacy of residentialschools, and the contributions of Aboriginal peoples to Canada’s history.80) We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples,to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliationto honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that publiccommemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vitalcomponent of the reconciliation process.