Brodie Thomas
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 9, 2008

YELLOWKNIFE - The Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission is now established and operational according to the commissions' website. There is no word on when the commission will be coming North, or what communities it will be visiting.

"With respect to the timeframe and venues, those details still need to be confirmed," said commission spokesperson Kimberly Phillips.

At least one Northern leader has spoken out in favour of hosting the commission. Nellie Cournoyea said she would like to see the commission come to Inuvik.

Under the commission's mandate, it must hold seven "national events" in the first two years and an undetermined amount of "community events" over its five year mandate.

"The national events will be public and may include forums for statement taking," said Phillips. They are intended to be more ceremonial and will include members of the church, and the opportunity for a "sample number" of former students to share their experiences.

For the smaller community events, the commission will call on each community to help in designing an event to fit the needs of the people.

The commission must also create a record of the residential school system and legacy. The record will eventually be made public. The importance of privacy is noted several times throughout the commission's mandate. The commission my not divulge the name of an individual in its report unless the individual gives consent that his or her name be used.

The only exception is if the person's name has already been established through legal proceedings or by admission. That means that a survivor may come forward and name an abuser, but unless the abuser has been found guilty in a court of law, their name will not be made public.

The commission is not to be a legal proceeding according to its mandate. It may not hold formal hearings or act as a public inquiry. Nobody can be forced to attend or speak.

The commission will be chaired by Justice Harry S. LaForme, a member of the Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation located in southern Ontario. The other two commissioners are Claudette Dumont-Smith and Jane Morley.

Even with a member of the First Nations' community as the chair of the commission, The sensitivity of the residential school issue will be of great concern. .

"For many individuals the memories will be emotionally difficult. For this reason the commission is looking at ways to be sure people can describe their experience in a safe and culturally sensitive manner," said Phillips.

She said the options currently being explored include public forums, written statements, and one-on-one interviews.