Five members of Coldstream Monthly Meeting formed a Truth and Reconciliation Response Committee (TRRC) in 2018 in order to understand the 94 Calls to Action put forward by Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and to support the Meeting in learning more about Truth and Reconciliation.
The TRRC recognized that it was building on work already done by Coldstream Meeting in establishing closer links with Indigenous Peoples. Previous activities included inviting several First Nations peoples to speak about their community and their spiritual practices, adding books related to First Nations peoples to the Coldstream Library and the development of a ‘heart’ garden beside the Meeting House to act as a reminder of the hardships suffered by Indigenous Peoples.
In January 2019, the TRRC held a workshop at the Meeting House in order to explore the history and context of the 94 Calls to Action as well as the government’s response. The TRRC recognized that it could contribute to a wider understanding for all Canadians about Truth and Reconciliation.
The TRRC developed a speakers’ series around Truth and Reconciliation for October and November 2019 in partnership with the London Public Library. Other organizations and Indigenous Peoples’ groups joined with the TRRC and the library to help bring this about. As TRRC connects more deeply with its mandate, the power of connecting in wider circles increases.
Resources for Indigenous Rights in Canada
Coldstream Quakers 