Honouring the Truth Reconciling for the Future

356 • Truth & Reconciliation Commissioni. In collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, stable fundingfor, and access to, community sports programs that reflect the diverse culturesand traditional sporting activities of Aboriginal peoples.ii. An elite athlete development program for Aboriginal athletes.iii. Programs for coaches, trainers, and sports officials that are culturally relevantfor Aboriginal peoples.iv. Anti-racism awareness and training programs.The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, were held on the traditionalterritories of the Squamish, Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Lil’wat peoples,and they were an integral part of the event. In the spirit of reconciliation, which alignseasily with the spirit of the games themselves, the Four Host First Nations and theVancouver Olympic Committee formed a partnership that ensured that Indigenouspeoples were full participants in the decision-making process—a first in Olympic history.At the opening ceremonies and throughout the games, territorial protocols wererespected, and the Four Host First Nations and other Indigenous peoples from acrossthe province were a highly visible presence at various Olympic venues.91) We call upon the officials and host countries of international sporting events suchas the Olympics, Pan Am, and Commonwealth games to ensure that Indigenouspeoples’ territorial protocols are respected, and local Indigenous communities areengaged in all aspects of planning and participating in such events.Corporate sector: Land, sustainability, and economic developmentSurvivors and their family members told us that their hope for the future lies inreclaiming and regenerating their own cultures, spirituality, laws, and ways of lifethat are deeply connected to their homelands. Indigenous nations are already doingthis work in their communities, despite the many challenges they face. At the trc’sTraditional Knowledge Keepers Forum, Elder Dave Courchene said,As people who have gained this recognition to be Knowledge Keepers for ourpeople, we accept that work in the most humble way.… It’s going to be the spiritof our ancestors, the spirit that’s going to help us to reclaim our rightful place inour homeland. We do have a lot of work and there’s certainly a lot of challenges,but with the help of the spirit we will overcome [these].… We’ve arrived in a timeof great change and great opportunity … we are the true leaders of our homelandand they cannot take that away from us and they never will because our Creatorput us here. This is our homeland and we have a sacred responsibility to teach allthose that have come to our homeland how to be proper human beings because