How to Support Truth and Reconciliation
Ten years after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its 94 Calls to Action, we must ask: Are we and our government doing enough? While progress has been made, the road to sustained, meaningful reconciliation is far, far from complete.
With the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation approaching, we’re revisiting what has (and what has not) been done, where steps towards righting wrongs have been made, and how we can continue to take individual, actionable steps to be better allies.
In this article, we will cover:
The History of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) released their 6-volume final report, which contained the stories and historical accounts of Indigenous experiences within the residential school system.
It also included the 94 Calls to Action (CTAs), a list of recommended actions, policies, and procedures to achieve in the process of reconciliation across all sectors of Canadian society.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a response to CTA #80, which states:
We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honor the Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of of the reconciliation process.
On September 30, 2021, the federal government marked the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation honors and recognizes the over 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children who were taken away from their families and into the Residential “School” System. These children, many of whom did not return, experienced atrocities and cruelty with the goal of erasing their heritage and assimilating them into society.
An Overview of the Residential School System:
Residential schools operated from the 1870s until 1996, when the last school was shut down.
There were 139 residential schools identified, funded, and operated by the federal government alongside a religious group; however, schools funded by the provincial government and/or religious group are not included in this number.
The Canadian government was responsible for the schools in partnership with the Anglican and Catholic church, among others.
Residential schools forced children to abandon their language and culture, causing them to lose their sense of self, belonging, and suffer trauma that has echoed across generations.
What is Orange Shirt Day?
Phyllis (Jack) Webstad spoke of her first day at residential school at age 6. She was given a new orange shirt by her grandmother, describing it as laced in the front, and bright and exciting. It was rare, as she had grown up without much money, but her grandmother had somehow managed to purchase it for her.
Except when she arrived, she was stripped and her clothes were taken away. She never wore them again. From then on, the color orange reminded Phyllis of how worthless she felt in that moment.
In 2013, Orange Shirt Day was established to spread awareness of the treatment of children in the residential school system, and has taken place on September 30 every year since.
How Many of the 94 Calls to Action Have Been Completed?
Overall, there are notable discrepancies in how many CTAs are reported as in progress, completed, or not yet started. Below is a summary of the numbers and corresponding CTAs as of 2025, each reported through a different organization or institution:
Assembly of First Nations’ Progress on Realizing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action (September 2025)
No new CTAs were completed in 2024–25, with 13 completed.
Yellowhead Institute’s Calls to Action Accountability: A 2023 Status Update on Reconciliation:
Their final published report related to the CTAs showed zero completed that year and a total of 13 completed to date.
To that end, the Yellowhead Institute decided to cease their report, stating: “there are limits to how many times you can write a report about how Canada, once again, has failed to make any meaningful progress.”
Cites that 15 CTA’s have been completed
Maintains a general progress page without a specific count, only stating that “85% of CTAs are completed or well underway.”
The First-Voice Perspective
For our analysis, we will primarily reference reports from Indigenous Watchdog. Being researched and led by Indigenous individuals, these institutions offer a first-voice perspective, ensuring a more culturally-informed, community-centered approach to tracking the reconciliation process.
Indigenous Watchdog reported that, as of September 19, 2025, the progress of the CTAs are as follows:
17% are not started
45% are in progress in some way
23% have been stalled
15% have been completed
The Yellowhead Institute, an Indigenous-led research and education center based out of Toronto Metropolitan University, releases an annual Calls to Action Accountability report, which records the progress of the 94 Calls to Action and the Canadian government’s progress towards reconciliation.
Their second and final report, published in 2023, reported that after no CTAs were (once again) not achieved, they ceased to publish their report, stating:
“There are limits to how many times you can write a report about how Canada, once again, has failed to make any meaningful progress.”
Addressing the Gaps in Reconciliation
The 94 CTAs are divided into six categories, which allows us to easily break down gaps in Canada’s reconciliation efforts. Indigenous Watchdog breaks the numbers down as follows:
Child Welfare 0/5 CTAs completed
Education 0/11 CTAs completed
Language and Culture 2/5 CTAs completed
Health 0/7 CTAs completed
Justice 1/21 CTAs completed
Reconciliation 11/45 CTAs completed
Child Welfare
There are five CTAs that are centered around the betterment of Indigenous children. These include:
CTA #1: Reduce the number of Aboriginal children in care
This particular CTA is stalled, with an Indigenous child welfare bill passed in 2019. However, the number of Indigenous children in care has not been reduced. In fact, Statistics Canada reported that Indigenous children make up 53.8% of children in foster care in 2021, with 7.7% being aged 14 or younger.
This number worsens when you look at it provincially. For example, in Manitoba there are approximately 12,000 children in care, and 10,000 of them are Indigenous.
CTA #2: Publish annual reports on the number of Aboriginal children in care
In a meeting held January 25-26, 2018, Indigenous Services Canada launched a series of new strategies to increase data collection and reporting as well as help better understand ways to reduce the number of Indigenous children and youth in care.
There have been no detailed reports or milestones announced otherwise.
Education
Once again, zero of the seven CTAs centered on educational outcomes have been completed. One of these is:
CTA #6: Repeal Section 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada
What is Section 43? Well, it directly states that:
Every schoolteacher, parent or person standing in the place of a parent is justified in using force by way of correction toward a pupil or child.
In short, Section 43, also known as the “Spanking” law, states that a guardian of a child can use reasonable force as discipline. When it comes to this CTA, there has been no progress being made since 2022. However, in August of 2025 the Government of Canada announced they are exploring how to respond CTA #6.
Justice
In Canada, the incarceration rate of Indigenous people across 5 provinces (Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia) is 42.6 per 100,000. For non-Indigenous individuals this number is 4 per 100,000.
While there has not been movement on this CTA, on March 10, 2025, the Government of Canada released their first Indigenous Justice Strategy to advance reforms. Guided by Indigenous justice and healing strategies, the official Strategy has a goal of considering the whole person, recognizing trauma, and respecting diversity overall amongst First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
What Can Non-Indigenous People Do to Help?
While we often feel like we don’t have the power to help, there are a number of ways to implement good allyship.
1. Continue to educate yourself
Understanding the struggles and histories of Indigenous peoples creates a powerful level of awareness. This includes alleviating the burden on Indigenous people to educate non-Indigneous people. This means we must actively seek educational resources that are created by or developed with the input and approval of Indigenous communities.
Here are some resources below:
Native Land Digital - This interactive map tool to view Indigenous lands throughout the world.
Missing and Murdered: Finding Cleo - a two-season podcast series dedicated to understanding and uncovering the story of Cleo Semaganis Nicotine, a Cree girl who went missing in the 1970s.
Indigenous Ally Toolkit - A detailed resource to work towards better allyship, including important terms, dos and don'ts, and more.
For more information, visit the Museum of Toronto’s list of resources and recommendations.
2. Support Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs
Purchasing goods and services from Indigenous businesses is a direct way to create sustainable economic opportunities, reduce poverty, and improve community well-being. It enables self-sufficiency and financial independence, and is a tangible way to contribute to reconciliation efforts.
Moreover, supporting Indigenous businesses aligns with the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion by supporting and uplifting marginalized communities.
Shop First Nations is a one-stop shop to search for Indigenous goods like food, clothes, toys, and books.
IndigenousSME Magazine regularly publishes and highlights Indigenous businesses throughout Canada.
CultureAlly’s blog, “30 Indigenous Resources to Check Out Today”, is a quick resource to check out if you’re looking to directly support Indigenous independent businesses.
3. Donate to organizations that support Indigenous reconciliation
There are a number of organizations that support Indigenous peoples in a variety of ways. These include crisis lines, organizations that provide resources to residential school survivors, and programs that focus on the revitalization of language and culture.
Orange Shirt Society - Founded to raise awareness of the intergenerational impact of residential schools, the Orange Shirt Society supports reconciliation and educates the public about the lasting effects of this trauma.
Indigenous Youth Roots - A national, youth-led organization that offers grants, opportunities, and collaborative programming to amplify the voices of Indigenous youth.
Indian Residential School Survivors Society - A non-profit, provincial organization that provides essential services to residential school survivors and their families.
Native Women Association of Canada - An organization dedicated to defending the rights and amplifying the voices of Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, transgender, and gender-diverse peoples in Canada.
Among the visuals illustrated for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation above, the Eagle represents the First Nations, the Narwhal represents the Inuit, and the Beaded Flower represents the Métis Peoples.
4. Amplify the voices of Indigenous peoples
As non-Indigenous individuals, there are times where our role is to take a step back and listen to the stories, histories, and direct needs of Indigenous individuals. We should strive to avoid speaking on behalf of Indigenous voices, and make sure they have the space for self-governance and self-expression."
5. Attend anti-racism training
Explore options for you, family, friends, and colleagues to receive anti-racism training specifically focused on anti-Indigenous sentiments and biases.
Additionally, training on unconscious bias, observance days, and inclusivity can ensure you are creating a safe space for Indigenous peoples around you.
Additional Resources for Truth & Reconciliation
The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419
National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation - Education Resources
National Day of Truth & Reconciliation in Ontario
