Indigenous-led group asks federal leaders to make reconciliation an election priority

An indigenous-led organization has sent letters to each of the federal party leaders, asking what they'll do to move forward on reconciliation between Aboriginal Peoples and all Canadians.

"We really believe that reconciliation must be one of the key issues leading up to this federal election," says Karen Joseph, chief executive officer of Reconciliation Canada,a Vancouver-basedorganization thataims to uphold the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

All but the federal Conservatives have responded, Joseph says.

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"It's disappointing for us," she says."But should they [Conservatives] provide a response for us, we'll openly support that."

In the letters, Reconciliation Canada posedthree questions toleaders ofthe Bloc Qubcois, Conservatives, Greens, Liberalsand NDP:

• What steps will your party take to create a deeper understanding of the current realities of the residential school legacy for all Canadians?
• What steps will your party take to move forward with reconciliation among Aboriginal Peoples and all Canadians?
• What steps will your party take to achieve economic parity between Aboriginal Peoples and all Canadians?

Four federal leaders responded by the group's deadline of Sept.28.

Some of those commitments include the BlocQubcoisvowing to make the federal government recognize the residential school system as cultural genocide; a Liberal pledge to make the history of the schools part of curriculaacross the country; the Green Party's intention to implementthe UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and the NDP promise to increase funding for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

"All of the parties that responded showed a willingness to support reconciliation, and it's good to see that every one of them have made commitments to moving reconciliation forward," Joseph says.

It's been four months since the Truth and Reconciliation Commissionreleased a summary of its findings, after sixyears of public hearings about the abuses that happened in the residential school system.It included94 recommendations for change in policies, programs and the "way we talk to, and about, each other."

"Reconciliation is talking about what kind of future we want to create for Canada," Joseph says."That's relevant regardless of any party, andit's the responsibility of all Canadians to have that conversation."