TRC to induct 14 new Honorary Witnesses at Alberta National Event

~ Gov. Gen. David Johnston, Mayor Don Iveson, Wab Kinew, Cindy Blackstock and 10 others ~ 

EDMONTON, March 26, 2014 /CNW/ - The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) announced today the names of 14 prominent Canadians who will be inducted as Honorary Witnesses at the Alberta National Event from March 27 to 30 at the Shaw Centre.  

Honorary Witnesses are public figures who commit themselves to bear witness to the truths of residential school Survivors and to share with others what they have heard and learned. All Honorary Witness inductions and reflections will be webcast at www.trc.ca .

"The concept of witnessing is common to all ancient spiritual traditions," said TRC Commissioner Marie Wilson. "Being a witness to the truths of Survivors is something for all Canadians to undertake –  Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal. This history belongs to all of us."

The following will be inducted at 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, March 27 in Hall A of the Shaw Centre:

Dr. Evan Adams, Deputy Provincial Health Officer, British Columbia (bearing witness at 5 pm, March 28)
Dr. Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada (bearing witness at 5 pm, March 28)
His Worship Bill Elliot, Mayor of Wetaskiwin (bearing witness at 5 pm on Saturday, March 29)
Jim Gladstone, Lawyer, former world champion calf roper (bearing witness at 5pm, March 29)
Hon. Frank Iacobucci, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada (bearing witness at 5 pm, March 27)
His Worship Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton (bearing witness at 5 p.m. March 29)
David Langtry, Acting Chief Commissioner, Canadian Human Rights Commission (bearing witness at 4 pm, March 30)
Jane Middelton-Moz, authority in multi-generational trauma, Director of the Middelton-Moz Institute (bearing witness at 5 pm, March 28)
Dr. Mary Simon,  Chairperson, National Committee on Inuit Education (bearing witness at 4 pm, March 30)
David Tuccaro, Founder, President & CEO, Tuccaro Inc. (bearing witness at 5 pm, March 29)
Their Excellencies, the Rt. Honourable Governor General David Johnston and Mrs. Sharon Johnston will participate in Education Day, the TRC's dedicated programming for students, on March 27. They will be inducted at 5 p.m. on March 27, and bear witness immediately after being inducted.

Joseph Boyden, award-winning author, will participate via video at 5 p.m., March 28.

Wab Kinew, musician, broadcaster and educator, will be inducted at 9 a.m., March 28 and bear witness at 5 p.m. that day.

The Rt. Hon. Michaëlle Jean was the TRC's first Honorary Witness, inducted in October 2009 at a ceremony at Rideau Hall when she was Governor General. Ms. Jean will be present at the Alberta National Event, participating in the Honorary Witness Talking Circle from 9 am to 10:30 am on March 28 in Hall A.

Several other previously inducted TRC Honorary Witnesses will also participate in the Alberta National Event, including Éloge Butera, Rt. Hon. Joe Clark, Chief Bobby Joseph, Joé Juneau, Shelagh Rogers and Robbie Waisman.

A list of current TRC Honorary Witnesses, with bios, is available at www.trc.ca under the Reconciliation tab.

A program for the Alberta National Event is available at www.trc.ca . (Click on National Event.)

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada is an independent commission established as a result of the 2007 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Its mandate is to inform all Canadians about what happened in the 130-year history of the residential schools in Canada, and to guide and inspire a process of reconciliation and renewed relationships based on mutual understanding and respect.

SOURCE: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

Heather Frayne, [email protected] , 204-297-4853