Statement Gathering
During its mandate, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) gathered statements from Survivors, their families, and communities regarding the residential school system and its lasting impacts. The NCTR carries this legacy forward by continuing to gather the truths and lived experiences of Survivors and intergenerational Survivors. By providing a safe and supportive space for the sharing of knowledge, the Centre ensures these truths are honoured and kept safe for future generations.
Continuing the Journey – How to Share Your Statement Today
Following the principles established by the TRC, the NCTR’s statement gathering process is Survivor-centered and trauma-informed. We ensure that statement providers maintain complete ownership of their narratives.
Providers decide on the content, duration, and language of their statement, as well as their level of anonymity. Cultural and health support workers are available to ensure a safe environment, and witnesses may be present at the provider’s request. Statements can take any form—including written, audio, video, poetry, art, music, etc. There are no restrictions on what can be recorded or submitted.
The most popular formats include:
- One-on-one: A private session where an individual shares their truth directly with a statement gatherer without additional speakers or participants present.
- Sharing circle: A group setting where multiple participants share their experiences in the presence of a statement gatherer.
Statement gathering is a flexible process. Our team has gathered statements in many settings, including the NCTR’s Winnipeg office, community events and gatherings, and private residences. For those who cannot meet in person, we also offer statement gathering over the telephone or virtually via Zoom.
FAQ About the Statement Gathering Process
To learn more about sharing a statement with the NCTR, please contact our team at NCTRSG@umanitoba.ca. We work with individuals, organizations, and communities to ensure every voice is heard and preserved.
Yes. If you would like to submit a pre-recorded statement or a physical object to the NCTR, please contact us at NCTRrecords@umanitoba.ca.
By sharing your truths and lived experiences with the NCTR, you play a vital role in:
- Creating a permanent record of the residential school experience and other colonial systems.
- Assisting in ongoing research and the search for missing children and unmarked burials.
- Witnessing the ongoing impacts of settler-colonialism.
Yes. The NCTR offers training for individuals and communities based on our Statement Gathering Guide. The guide serves as a reference and provides statement gatherers with essential information needed before engaging in the process. It is a living document that continues to evolve over time to reflect best practices in trauma-informed truth-telling, ensuring that statement gathering does not cause harm.
Additional content includes setting the tone and intentions, active listening and non-verbal communication, private and public statement gathering procedures, critical incidences and serious disclosures, the importance of health support, self-care and case scenarios.
Because statement gathering is not one-size-fits-all, the guide includes prompts to help communities develop their own unique procedures.
For more information on training opportunities, please contact NCTRSG@umanitoba.ca.
Acknowledgement
The NCTR wishes to acknowledge the assistance of former TRC staff, including Dr. Saghar Birjandian and Pamela Vernaus, for helping to update and adapt the NCTR’s Statement Gathering Guide. We would also like to acknowledge the Montreal Life Stories Project, the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network (CAAN), Native Women’s Association of Canada, Library and Archives Canada, the Centre for Oral History at Concordia University, Legacy of Hope, and Shoah Foundation Institute for sharing their training materials and input.
Historical Context – The TRC Collection
About the TRC Statements
The NCTR received thousands of hours of video and audio recordings produced by the TRC during its mandate. This footage was taken at various national and regional events and includes both public and private statements made by Survivors, intergenerational Survivors, and former staff members.
Types of Audio-Visual Records Collected by the TRC
Private Statements
Private statements were provided to the TRC by Survivors, intergenerational Survivors, and former residential school staff. They are not currently available to the general public, however, those who provided statements are welcome to contact the NCTR for a copy.
Sharing Circles
Sharing circles provided an opportunity for individuals to share their residential school experiences. Members of the TRC’s Survivor Committee were present for many of the circles.
Sharing Panels
Sharing panels allowed speakers to share their statements directly with one of the TRC Commissioners.
Special Events
Special events refer to a wide range of events held by the TRC including expressions of reconciliation, calls to gather, honorary witness ceremonies, and performance art. The NCTR also preserves footage from special events from other organizations.
TRC Mini-Documentaries
The TRC produced more than 100 mini documentaries, or mini-docs, that recap key moments from the national events and regional hearings.
TRC National Events
The TRC estimates there were as many as 155,000 visits to the seven national events, with over 9,000 residential school Survivors registered to attend (many others attended but did not register).
In recognition of specific community needs, two regional events were also held: one in Victoria, the other in Whitehorse. The TRC also held 238 days of local hearings in 77 communities across the country. National events featured many different activities including sharing circles, sharing panels, private statement gathering, film screenings, performances, gestures of reconciliation and a wide range of panel discussions. Combined, video records provide a rich diversity of accounts and testimony from a wide cross-section of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
Additional statements were gathered through community events, including two sessions at correctional institutions in Kenora and Yellowknife.
Health and cultural supports workers were present while the Commission gathered statements to provide counselling as needed.
A special project also ran to gather statements from former staff of residential schools. With the assistance of the church parties involved in the Settlement Agreement, the Commission conducted 96 separate interviews with former staff and the children of former staff.
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NCTR’s spirit name – bezhig miigwan, meaning “one feather”.
Bezhig miigwan calls upon us to see each Survivor coming to the NCTR as a single eagle feather and to show those Survivors the same respect and attention an eagle feather deserves. It also teaches we are all in this together — we are all one, connected, and it is vital to work together to achieve reconciliation.