Muffins for Granny Excerpt
Telling the urgent story of how the Canadian residential school system affected her grandmother’s life, filmmaker Nadia McLaren weaves together home movies with accounts from seven other survivors to document this painful period of Canadian history.
Two Spirits, One Voice is a community-based initiative that seeks to bolster supports for persons that identify both as LGBTQ and Indigenous: Two Spirit people. Start by watching their 16 minute video!
CBC’s As It Happens on the Truth & Reconciliation Commission
It’s a call for a nation-wide commitment to Reconciliation. After six years of hearings and testimony, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission put forward 94 recommendations to address the “cultural genocide” of Aboriginal peoples through Canada’s residential school system. Listen to interviews on CBC’s As It Happens to hear from the Commissioners
Learn about Reconciliation from Senator Murray Sinclair at the closing event of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: “Take Action: Believe that Reconciliation SHOULD happen.” You can also watch this YouTube video where Senator Murray Sinclair talks about “What is Reconciliation?”
“Heritage Minutes” by Historica Canada offer a brief glimpse into the making of Treaty 9, presenting it from the perspective of historical witness George Spence, an 18-year-old Cree hunter from Albany, James Bay. Look in This Land for more comprehensive information on treaties.
In the documentary Birth of A Family, three sisters and a brother meet for the first time. Removed from their young Dene mother during the Sixties Scoop, they were separated as infants and adopted into families across North America.
Betty Ann, Esther, Rosalie, and Ben were only four of the 20,000 Indigenous Canadian children taken from their families between 1955 and 1985, to be either adopted into white families or live in foster care. As the four siblings piece together their shared history, their connection deepens, and their family begins to take shape.
A great short video that can help us all begin the journey of reconciliation. It shows members of our communities sharing what the word reconciliation means to them.
Pilgrimage for Indigenous Rights is a documentary recording the experience of Settler and Indigenous walkers as they advocate for Bill-262 and the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. Check out this 30min YouTube video to learn about UNDRIP.
This 10 song album by Gord Downie (the Tragically Hip) tells the story of 12-year-old Chanie Wenjack of Marten Falls First Nation. Young Chanie escaped from Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in 1966 and died while trying to make his way home.
Follow these links for more opportunities to listen and watch Chief Dr. Robert Joseph invite all Canadians to become active participants in the journey of Reconciliation:
Healing a Nation Through Truth and Reconciliation | TEDxEastVan
Indigenous Children’s TV Shows
The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network has many Indigenous children’s TV shows to choose from, including for example Louis Says, a show about an Aboriginal elder who speaks mostly Cree and a 10-year old boy who speaks only English. Some episodes can also be watched online.
Heartspeak is about sharing stories that inspire and providing inspirational educational media to support well-being and success. In this segment, Senator Murray Sinclair (Chair, Truth & Reconciliation Commission) provides background on the history of residential schools and the work of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission. He highlights the need to teach the history and intergenerational impact of residential schools and our shared responsibility to forge a new relationship of mutual respect and trust.
