The Yellowhead Institute, an indigenous think tank at Toronto Metropolitan University, has announced that it is abandoning its efforts to monitor the implementation of the 94 recommendations—Calls to Action—in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report. These recommendations are intended to foster reconciliation between indigenous people and other Canadians, but the institute concluded, after five years, that continuing to monitor their implementation is futile.
This decision should come as no surprise, given the vague and imprecise nature of the majority of the 94 recommendations. For example, Call to Action 1 calls for a commitment to reducing the number of Aboriginal children in care without specifying clear guidelines. The lack of clarity makes it difficult to assess whether the recommendations have been implemented or not.
Furthermore, the Yellowhead Institute identified ambiguities and challenges in other recommendations such as Call to Action 61, which requires church parties to establish permanent funding for indigenous people without any mechanism for accountability and oversight.
In addition to these challenges, the TRC’s recommendations are criticized for being paternalistic, placing the burden of reconciliation entirely on non-indigenous Canadians without any reciprocal responsibilities from indigenous people. The federal government and the commission have accepted this approach as necessary for reconciliation, despite claims of paternalism.
Overall, the institute’s decision to halt its monitoring activities reflects the broader challenges and limitations of the TRC’s recommendations in addressing the complex issues of reconciliation. A more balanced and reciprocal approach is needed to foster genuine reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians.