On September 26, the TWU community will gather together for a Day of Learning in anticipation of Canada’s fifth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR). Arising from the grassroots Orange Shirt Day movement and the call of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for a national day of commemoration, the NDTR honours the victims and survivors of residential schools as well as their families and communities. 

The Day of Learning is a fantastic way to engage with Stó:lō protocols and traditions, hear from a number of Indigenous speakers and delve deeper into the TRC calls to action and current research projects inspired by Indigenous ways of knowing and being. However, you may have questions about truth and reconciliation not addressed on the Day of Learning. Or maybe a speaker or activity sparks your curiosity and you want to extend your learning. Here are a handful of insightful books about the legacy of Canada’s residential school system and what reconciliation might look like for our fractured nation. 

Who We Are: Four Questions for a Life and a Nation by Justice Murray Sinclair

In this powerful memoir, former judge, senator and activist Murray Sinclair explores four essential questions—Where do I come from? Where am I going? Why am I here? Who am I?—to pull readers into his legacy of leadership and service as well as his inclusive vision of a shared country. Assistant Professor of Communication Loranne Brown is vigilant about including truth and reconciliation content in her courses, which introduce students to Indigenous journalists and memoirists. On her reading list last year, Who We Are—released less than two months before Sinclair’s death—was one of her top recommendations.

Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga

Between 2000 and 2011, seven high school students, each of whom had moved to Thunder Bay, Ont. to pursue the high school education that was inaccessible in their remote hometowns, lost their lives in tragic circumstances. Seven Fallen Feathers, a sweeping exposé by pioneering Anishinaabe journalist and speaker Tanya Talaga, seamlessly weaves together each student’s story with historical and current background information that helps readers better understand the barriers stacked against Indigenous Canadians. From the establishment of reserves and the imposition of treaties to the Indian Act and residential schools, Talaga pieces together the actions that have led to the current situation.

52 Ways to Reconcile: How to Walk with Indigenous Peoples on the Path to Healing by David A. Robertson

Understanding history is critical to making progress with truth and reconciliation, but there is another pressing question we often struggle to answer: what can I do now to make a difference? In this straightforward guide, Robertson outlines a year’s worth of meaningful weekly actions designed to strengthen relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. By exploring Indigenous food, arts, culture and history, we stand to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the rich nations on whose land we live, work and play.