February 5, 2025

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We acknowledge the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.

I am grateful for this opportunity to reflect on the legacy of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission with all of you.

My heartfelt thanks go to Ry Moran and the entire University of Victoria community for organizing this meaningful discussion.

I will always remember the day I told my story at the TRC. I did not expect to feel so emotional, talking about my childhood in Nunavik, my education and the children in my community who were sent to residential schools.

At one point during the session, the late Senator Murray Sinclair came to me and comforted me with warmth and compassion.

We were living a historic moment.

The TRC created the first national platform for residential school Survivors and their communities to talk about their experiences publicly.

When the TRC report was released 10 years ago, most Canadians learned about what happened for the first time. I remember people being horrified and saying: “I did not know.”

Years later, the findings of unmarked graves of children at former residential school sites moved people even more.

I saw this in 2021, at the beginning of my mandate as governor general, when I visited the TK’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation in Kamloops.

The truths Survivors had spoken about for decades, both privately and publicly, were confirmed in images before our very eyes. I saw a nationwide show of support for Indigenous peoples and grieving families.

Now, after all these years, and after the phenomenal work we’ve accomplished, it is no longer acceptable for anyone in Canada to claim: "I did not know."

We are past the stage of mere awareness. Canadians are shifting from learning to action.

The TRC’s 94 calls to action speak to a variety of areas where reconciliation advancements are so needed, from child welfare to health care and education.

And yes, there is still much work to be done on the calls to action.

But this is only one part of reconciliation.

Reconciliation is happening across the country. There has been groundbreaking work to renew the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

We are seeing more and more signs that the Canadian public supports reconciliation efforts. The symbol of the orange shirt and the meaning of “Every Child Matters” have become widespread, as well as local initiatives around the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

We have seen rallying events like Vancouver’s Walk for Reconciliation. I recently presented a Meritorious Service Decoration to Karen Joseph, the founder of Reconciliation Canada, for promoting meaningful dialogue through this initiative.

We are also seeing more research initiatives like Thinking Historically for Canada’s Future, supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, which focuses on how history is taught within the public education system.

This is very important for me, as someone from the Inuit culture. We were never taught our culture nor our language when we went to school. And now, we have an opportunity to recognize the history of our country in a way that is inclusive of all the nations that live here.

Economic reconciliation has also become an area of growing interest at various conferences across the country.

We all know that progress is slow. But when you look back, you see things have started moving. I’ve been in this job for four and a half years. Now, as I travel across the country, there are many more people that are open and willing to talk about the issues that divide us. These are hard conversations to have, but they are necessary to build a society that allows Indigenous people to be themselves—to live in their cultures and languages.

There is a loss of Indigenous languages across the country. In my community up north in the Arctic, we see our language eroding. In some communities, there are only one or two Elders left who speak Inuktitut. This is a very urgent issue.

The TRC sparked an awakening that is reshaping our nation. And we must continue to move forward.

In recent years, I had the privilege of witnessing the historic apology of His Holiness Pope Francis for the harmful actions of members of the Catholic Church in Canada’s residential school system.

I also participated in a memorable meeting between the leaders of Canada’s national Indigenous organizations and His Majesty King Charles the Third, days before his Coronation. It was a historic day that marked the beginning of a renewed relationship with the Crown through reconciliation.

And last fall, I was deeply honoured to host some of the last Survivors of the residential school system at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

Kimberly Murray, the Independent Special Interlocutor, had just completed her sacred work of recovering the missing children, which has helped so many people in their healing journeys. I am hopeful that her landmark report will serve as a valuable roadmap for our future efforts.

We have seen important milestones in recent years.

And today, my message to you, to all levels of government and to all Canadians is simple:

As difficult and long as this road to reconciliation can be, it is having a positive impact—and we cannot give up.

Governments, institutions and every Canadian must renew their commitment to reconciliation. In every field, and through diverse efforts.

Reconciliation means different things to different people—and so much the better, because every action counts.

We must encourage more non-Indigenous people to act and help us counter residential school denialism.

As the late Senator Sinclair insisted, it all starts with education—and I want to salute the innovative work that the University of Victoria is doing in that regard.

Your institution has become a hub for knowledge exchange on Indigenous resurgence and decolonization, and you now offer the world's first master’s degree in advancing reconciliation. Congratulations, and thank you.

Other institutions across the country are following suit.

I visited First Nations University of Canada in Regina, Saskatchewan, the first First Nations-controlled university in Canada.

I met Innu youth participating in a marine science expedition in Labrador’s Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve, as part of the Indigenous Guardians program.

And I was proud to learn that Inuit Nunangat University will be launched in the North in a few years. It will be the first Canadian university grounded in Inuit culture and language.

I feel a strong sense of hope when I see young Indigenous people today forging their future careers while proudly embracing their identity. It is a huge step forward.

This ten-year anniversary does not mark an end to our work, but the beginning of a new chapter.

Let’s keep creating brave spaces in our institutions for conversations like those we are having today. Spaces where people can think critically about what they were taught. And unlearn. And re-learn.

And most importantly, let’s continue engaging students and youth in all our efforts. Let’s consider the unique insights they bring to these important discussions. They will be the ones to carry reconciliation into the future.

Thank you. I look forward to hearing your views.