New Video Themes

Listen to readings that describe the core of Reconciliation Principles: Two excerpts from the TRC final report (pages 6-8 and pages 25-26), comments by Senator Murray Sinclair in an article by Ruth Shead published in UM Today: The Magazine and material from an article by Maggie Hodgson in “From Truth to Reconciliation: Transforming the Legacy of Residential Schools”. Full urls for these sources can be found on our website at this link: https://circlesforreconciliation.ca/gathering-theme-reconciliation/

This page is primarily for facilitators, to help them organize their Circles.

These are the guided discussion themes for Circles for Reconciliation. Facilitators are free to choose the themes that they would like to address in their Circle; this decision will depend, to some extent, on the interests of the participants.

The facilitators will determine and announce the theme that will be presented during the Circle meeting a week in advance. In preparation for the weekly meeting, participants may be invited to read additional, overlapping themes on their own. For example, there are a number of themes on Métis people that participants could read even if only one of the themes is presented during the Circle. Also, additional readings or videos chosen from the “Resources” section of our website can be recommended to participants to complement a theme.

Each document title is linked to the Theme Page.

Documents Used For Each Gathering

Kéhtéyátis (Elder) Clarence Anderson shares a story about The Mouse and The Weasel speaking in Cree.
“If you talk to me, I will be your friend too…”

New Theme Video

Circles for Reconciliation is recognizing the principles in Call To Action #14 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Report – “i. Aboriginal languages are a fundamental and valued element of Canadian culture and society, and there is an urgency to preserve them.” This video is used in the theme presentations in our Sharing Circles. Video editing provided by Austin Apetagon.

Read more about Kéhtéyátis (Elder) Clarence Anderson at this link.

Basic Understanding of Reconciliation

The following themes will familiarize all participants with a basic understanding of Reconciliation the during the first few Circle meetings.

Historical Development

The following themes are listed in order of their historical development, which we suggest following, even if not all are chosen for the Circle.

Final Week of Circle

We strongly suggest the following theme be the final week of a Circle.

Interests of Participants

The following themes are options that can be chosen, based on the interests of the participants.

Forthcoming

• Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)

• Education

• Inuit People

• White Privilege

• Sport