National Council for Reconciliation
On June 12, 2018, Minister Carolyn Bennett received the Interim Board of Directors’ Interim board of director’s final report on the creation of a National Council for Reconciliation.
In December 2017, the Prime Minister announced the creation of an Interim Board of Directors to make recommendations on the creation of a National Council for Reconciliation.
Interim Board of Directors
The members are:
- Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild, Chair
- Max FineDay
- Mike DeGagné
- Clint Davis
- Edith Cloutier
- Jean Teillet
The mandate of the Interim Board of Directors is to advise the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs on options for creating the National Council for Reconciliation, including:
- alternative models for the establishment of the council
- defining the scope and scale of the mandate of the council, in order to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action 53 and 54
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
Calls to Action 53 and 54
53. We call upon the Parliament of Canada, in consultation and collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to enact legislation to establish a National Council for Reconciliation. The legislation would establish the council as an independent, national, oversight body with membership jointly appointed by the Government of Canada and national Aboriginal organizations, and consisting of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal members. Its mandate would include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Monitor, evaluate, and report annually to Parliament and the people of Canada on the Government of Canada's post-apology progress on reconciliation to ensure that government accountability for reconciling the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and the Crown is maintained in the coming years.
- Monitor, evaluate, and report to Parliament and the people of Canada on reconciliation progress across all levels and sectors of Canadian society, including the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action.
- Develop and implement a multi-year National Action Plan for Reconciliation, which includes research and policy development, public education programs, and resources.
- Promote public dialogue, public/private partnerships, and public initiatives for reconciliation.
54. We call upon the Government of Canada to provide multi-year funding for the National Council for Reconciliation to ensure that it has the financial, human, and technical resources required to conduct its work, including the endowment of a National Reconciliation Trust to advance the cause of reconciliation.
The Interim Board of Directors asked for public input on two questions in April 2018:
- How can the National Council on Reconciliation implement its mandate?
- Using your expertise and knowledge, what do you think the first steps should be to get to long-term reconciliation?
The answer gathered help the Interim board to create its final report, making sure the views and the voices of participants were heard and included in this process.
Related links
- Final report of Interim Board of Directors
- Interim Board of Directors biographies
- Minister Bennett Announces Interim Board of Directors for the National Council for Reconciliation
- Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action (PDF, 300 Kb, 20 pages)