FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(OTTAWA – MARCH 3, 2008) The Aboriginal Healing Foundation today released a major new publication — twenty essays by twenty-three authors, each expressing a perspective on truth and reconciliation in Canada.

This 425-page document was prepared in anticipation of Canada’s five-year Truth and Reconciliation Commission, mandated by the Federal Government to complete an accurate and public historical record of Canada’s Indian Residential School System, including testimonies from former students and administrators, and to promote awareness and public education about this history and its legacy.

Aboriginal Healing Foundation President, Georges Erasmus, noted that truthtelling is a necessary step in repairing the broken relationship between Canada and Aboriginal people. He expressed his hope that this timely publication will encourage Canadians to participate in the Commission’s important work.

“If we don’t have healing and reconciliation in this country, your grandchildren and my grandchildren will inherit the mess. It doesn’t have to be that way,” he said.

Historic trauma, institutional physical and sexual abuse, forced removal of children, relocation of communities, and forced assimilation are at the root of many of today’s challenges faced by Aboriginal people. Healing of these deep historic wounds is critical to our ability to create a better future. Reconciliation is critical to our collective ability to move to a better relationship.

“Canada has much to gain from a meaningful, effective grassroots healing and reconciliation movement,” Mr. Erasmus added. “We have reached a point where the choices are clear: we can perpetuate the wounds of the past or we can move forward. There’s no third way.”

The Aboriginal Healing Foundation funds community-based healing initiatives which address the legacy of physical and sexual abuse at residential schools, including intergenerational impacts. The AHF has received over 1.3 billion dollars in funding requests and has committed over $400 million to community-based grants.

We encourage the public to contact our office in Ottawa or visit our website at www.ahf.ca to receive free copies of this timely publication

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(613) 237-4441, toll-free 1-888-725-8886 (Extension 237).

..DOWNLOAD 'From Truth to Reconciliation Transforming the Legacy of Residential Schools'