Commemoration

Commemoration is a component of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (Settlement Agreement) that will support regional and national activities that honour, educate, remember, memorialize and/or pay tribute to former Indian Residential School (IRS) students, their families and their communities.

Twenty million dollars has been identified for funding to be disbursed over two fiscal years: $10 million in 2011/2012 and $10 million in 2012/2013.

Commemoration Objectives

The main objectives of Commemoration are to:

• Assist in honoring and validating the healing and reconciliation of former students and their families by acknowledging their experiences;
• Provide supports in an effort to improve relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people;
• Provide an opportunity for former students and their families to support one another and to recognize/celebrate their strengths, courage, resiliency and achievements;
• Promote Aboriginal languages, cultures, traditional values and spiritual beliefs;
• Ensure the legacy of IRS, former students and their families' experiences and needs are affirmed; and,
• Memorialize the Residential School experience in a tangible and permanent way.
• Former students of Residential Schools are eligible for commemoration funding, as are organizations that act on behalf of former Residential School students to develop and deliver commemoration activities.

A call for proposals for 2011-2012 was posted in the TRC’s website on January 4, 2011 with a closing date of March 18, 2011. On September 23, 2011, the TRC completed its review and provided AANDC with 72 proposals with a recommendation for funding. AANDC initially reviewed the proposals to ensure that the organizations met the program’s terms and conditions. It was found through this initial review that the timelines had passed for several projects or projects were recommended for a lesser amount than requested. AANDC is working with the TRC and applicants to finalize those applications and is continuing the approval process to enter into contribution agreements with the remaining eligible organizations.

As more information becomes available about the approved 2011/2012 projects, it will be posted on this site. For additional information on how to apply to the Commemoration Initiative, or to submit a proposal for the 2011/2012 fiscal year, please visit Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada   or contact the TRC at 1-888-872-5554.