On June 1, 2008, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada began its work documenting the history and impacts of the residential school system on Indigenous students and their families. Across the country residential school Survivors had the opportunity to share their experiences.

In June 2015, the commission released an executive summary of the findings along with 94 Calls to Action to promote the work of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

Today marks the five-year anniversary of the Calls to Action. The journey of reconciliation remains a part of the Treaty work of the Office of the Treaty Commissioner. In the fall of 2019, the OTC released the Vision for Truth and Reconciliation through Treaty Implementation, which share the collective hopes and goals of Saskatchewan people for the future. We are looking to understand where we are now and plan our way forward, so we can measure the growth of reconciliation in the province.

But we cannot do this work alone. Now more than ever we need everyone to remember that they are part of Treaty, and do their part to ensure Treaty rights are implemented. There are people in these territories who want to be good neighbours and Treaty partners, and through these examples we will honour the relationship our ancestors wanted for us.

We are using the anniversary in a time of COVID-19, with its health and socio-economic impacts, to call on Canada to ensure full implementation of Treaty. Treaty 6 holds the medicine chest clause where it was promised there would be relief in times of pestilence, and throughout Treaty negotiations, promises of medicine and medical care were made.

This means our communities Indigenous and non-Indigenous need to work together to safely and healthily weather this storm. Out most vulnerable population is our elderly: our Survivors of the residential school system, whose truths it is that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action were built on.

Reconciliation is a way forward from past wrongs, and current challenges.

We call on people in Saskatchewan to read the TRC Calls to Action and find ways they can engage in reconciliation. We must walk this journey together.