National Inuit Leader Terry Audla, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), offered his full support to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) this week in Ottawa.
Audla will issue two Inuit-specific calls to action aimed at securing recognition for the residential school survivors of Nunatsiavut.
“I call on the Government of Canada to uphold the honour of the Crown and take immediate action to recognize survivors of residential schools in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Inuit region of Nunatsiavut. I call on all parties to the Settlement Agreement to continue to pursue full recognition for these survivors until we have fulfilled our collective promise to them,” Audla said.
“I call upon the federal and provincial governments to uphold the promises of our land claims agreements, the main goals of which are to restore Inuit society to our pre-contact prosperity and self-sufficiency. Let’s stop using politics as a barrier. The political decisions were made when these agreements were negotiated and signed. Now, it’s a matter of fulfilling those commitments – for our children and grandchildren,” he added.
As part of his remarks today, Audla will deliver an Inuit Statement of Reconciliation, and formally present the TRC Commissioners with a copy of the Statement.
It will become part of the permanent record of the TRC.