National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation facts for kids

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) is a very important place in Canada. It is like a special library and archive. Its main job is to keep all the information and stories collected by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. This helps everyone learn the complete history of Canada's residential school system and its lasting effects.

History of the NCTR

How the Centre Began

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation was created as part of a big agreement in 2007. This agreement was called the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. It said that a permanent archive needed to be built. This archive would hold all the records from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The TRC worked from 2009 to 2015.

The Centre now holds many important items. These include stories from over 7,000 residential school survivors. It also has millions of records from churches and the government. Plus, there are hundreds of old photographs from the residential schools.

Opening and Recognition

The NCTR officially opened in the fall of 2015. It is located in Winnipeg, on the campus of the University of Manitoba. The digital part of the archive, which people can access online, opened on November 3, 2015.

In December 2016, the Government of Canada gave the NCTR $10 million. This money helps the Centre continue its important work. In September 2019, the NCTR was added to the UNESCO Canada Memory of the World Register. This means its collections are recognized as very important for human history and memory.

How the NCTR Works

The NCTR's main goal is to be a complete collection of the history of the residential school system. It aims to teach all Canadians about this part of their country's past.

Who Manages the Centre

The NCTR is managed through an agreement between the TRC and the University of Manitoba. A group of seven people, called the governing circle, oversees the Centre. This group includes three residential school survivors. It also has two people from the University of Manitoba. The last two members are from partner organizations.

There is also a special group called the Survivor Circle. This group includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit survivors. They come from all over Canada and help guide the NCTR's work.

What the Centre Collects

Under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, churches and government groups had to send their residential school records to the TRC. These records were then moved to the NCTR.

In 2018, it was found that the NCTR was still waiting for some items. These included over 3,000 photographs and many boxes of legal documents. These items were expected from the Grey Nuns of Montreal. The NCTR continues to work to gather all missing records.

Educational Programs

The NCTR offers many programs for learning and research. These programs focus on residential schools, healing, and reconciliation. Here are some examples:

• "Imagine a Canada": This is a national art and essay program. It encourages young Canadians to think about what reconciliation means to them.
• "Lessons from the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement": This program gathers feedback from survivors. It helps people discuss what worked and what didn't work with the settlement agreement process.

On September 30, 2019, the NCTR released a special memorial register. This was done on Orange Shirt Day. The register lists 4,037 students who died while attending residential schools across Canada. Creating this register was a key recommendation from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report. The NCTR noted that the register is still not complete. Many names of students who died are still unknown. The Centre continues to work on finding and adding these names.

See also

• Canadian Indian residential school system
• Indigenous peoples in Canada