Addressing the Legacy of Indian Residential Schools in Canada

Abstract

This thesis investigates the ways in which select groups and their advocates interpret and seek to address the Indian Residential School (IRS) experience and legacy. It also considers the extent to which their aims are being realized through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) and other components of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA). Through the qualitative content analysis of data gathered from four organizations, and in-depth interviews with six of their representatives, this study has uncovered that despite the somewhat diverse methods used by these organizations and advocates to address the legacy of IRS, perspectives were nonetheless based on the same fundamental notion: the need to incorporate and pursue decolonizing principles and aims. Moreover, it found that while some goals were being forwarded by the TRC and IRSSA, in several ways, the official process underway in Canada has failed to incorporate the needs and aims of these organizations.