NipU hosting conference on truth, reconciliation and residential schools

Nipissing University
News Release

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Nipissing University will host the Truth, Reconciliation and the Residential Schools Conference, March 5 – 7, 2010.

This interdisciplinary conference brings together a range of communities — Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, scholarly, activist, artistic, policy and service-oriented—to advance a series of critical and constructive conversations about the possibilities of truth and reconciliation.

Residential schools were put in place by the government of Canada and operated from the 1840s to 1996. Over 150,000 First Nation, Inuit and Metis children and youth were removed from their families, their homes and their communities to attend.

“Residential schools are recognized as a very dark period in Canada’s history, and their impact continues to haunt this country. What we hope to achieve by holding this conference is discussion and dialogue around the ideas of truth, justice and reconciliation that are meaningful and legitimate to people whose lives are directly affected by residential schools,” said Dr. Rosemary Nagy, Nipissing professor and conference co-chair. “Our aim is not to dredge the history of residential schools. Rather, we hope to discuss the meaning and value of truth and reconciliation. We aim to explore the question ‘Are truth and reconciliation even possible?’.”

On Friday, March 5, Mike DeGagné, executive director of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, will deliver the keynote address, titled Truth, Reconciliation and Healing: A Challenge for All Canadians, at 7:30 p.m. in the Nipissing University Theatre (F213). The keynote address is free of charge and open to the public.

On Saturday, March 6, Nipissing First Nation is hosting a special lecture in support of the conference. Carol Clark, Aboriginal Policing Unit, OPP; and June Commanda, Nipissing First Nation will speak on The Intergenerational Effects of Residential Schools. The lecture takes place at Nbisiing Secondary School (469-B George Couchie Memorial Drive), from 9 - 11:30 a.m.

This talk is free of charge and open to the public; breakfast will be served.

For further information on the conference, please visit the web site: www.nipissingu.ca/TRCConference/

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