The Office of the Treaty Commissioner is pleased to be part of a podcast, The Story of a National Crime, created to mark 100th anniversary of a publication by the same name.

The document was written by Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce and contained evidence of neglect, negligence and harm to First Nations children and their communities. It was designed to appeal for justice and his condemnation of federal inaction.

The podcast looks at the practices, policies, and official correspondence to reveal the intentional actions and acts of indifference that contributed to poor health and lethal outcomes.

In the final episode about how people and organizations are supporting survivors and families find out what happened in sanatoria and segregated hospitals in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, OTC Executive Director Angie Merasty and Director of Archives Sheldon Krasowski describe barriers to accessing records and how knowing what happened and sharing experiences contribute to Survivors’ healing

“If the Office of the Treaty Commissioner can make it easier for any First Nations person looking for any kind of a record of their loved ones, whether it be in the sanatoriums or the Residential Schools, then we are here to help,” Merasty said.

Listen to the entire podcast here, and then do more download the listening guide, and use the discussion questions to have conversations with family, friends and colleagues.

Trigger Warning: The podcast contains material that some listeners could find triggering. If you are a Residential School Survivor or Intergenerational Survivor, you can access support through the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419.