Section Five: Concluding Remarks
"... Now you understand about why things are the way they are in the Indigenous community... why the social conditions are so horrendous, and why the government of Canada and the Indigenous community are so at odds with each other and in a state of constant conflict... It has to do with trust, and we do not yet trust each other. It is going to take a while…The ones who are going to lead us are the young Indigenous and non-Indigenous students... they can turn this experience into the foundation of a new relationship... But keep in mind that for young Indigenous Peoples, before we can talk about mutual relationship, we have to give them an opportunity to develop self-respect first... and we need to do what we can to help them to find their self-respect before we say we have to have mutual respect."
As TMU implements its response to the TRC Calls to Action, it faces immense challenges in acknowledging the negative impacts on Indigenous education and communities within its past as well as the current inequities and educational gaps that exist today. The university must emerge from an unbalanced system that has resulted in a current climate of tension and distrust and embrace practical mechanisms to resolve accumulated disputes and regulate the daily workings of the new relationship.
This report reflects only the ending of the first stage of the path to reconciliation that needs to take place, and those who have contributed to this report are all aware that the most challenging stages of the path are to come. As we move to this next stage in the process, it is useful to keep in mind the ultimate aim that lies ahead.
If TMU is willing to embrace the path to reconciliation and the institutional changes this path necessitates, it has the opportunity to become a place where both Indigenous and nonIndigenous Peoples can come together to celebrate and learn about Indigenous values and cultures. The benefits that would flow from this institutional shift are incalculable, not just for TMU itself as an institution, but for the broader society. By becoming a leader in Indigenous education, the university will not just be making amends for a painful past, but build a new foundation for a far more progressive, intellectually rich and inclusive future for generations to come.