Mr. Speaker, today I would like to share the meaningful progress we are making on the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action number 82, which calls upon provincial and territorial governments, in collaboration with survivors, to commission and install a publicly accessible, highly visible, residential schools monument in each capital city to honour survivors and all the children who were lost to their families and communities.
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future, its summary final report. This landmark document and its recommendations confront the devastating legacy of residential schools in Canada and chart a path toward reconciliation. The TRC Calls to Action continue to shape public discourse about the actions required to achieve reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
Here in the NWT, where half our population is Indigenous, the painful legacy of residential schools run deep. The trauma lives on in communities, whether felt directly by survivors or carried by those who love them. As part of this government's mandate, we are addressing the ongoing effects of this trauma and supporting residents and communities on their healing journeys.
Mr. Speaker, to this end, the GNWT has committed to working alongside Dene, Metis, and Inuit communities to establish a permanent monument here in our capital city. The monument will honour the children who never returned home, as well as the survivors, their families, and their communities.
What makes this project special is that it is led by residential school survivors with the GNWT in a supporting role. Guiding the vision for this monument is the We Always Remember Circle for northern residential school survivors, also known as the WAR Circle. It brings together residential school survivors from across the NWT who contribute their own experiences and commitment to ensuring that as a territory and as a country, we never forget.
While the GNWT is funding the monument, the design will be chosen by the Members of the WAR Circle and the artist or artists they select. The GNWT will continue to provide project management support and to engage with Indigenous governments, survivors and residents. We aim to see the monument completed by June 2027.
Mr. Speaker, as a government we remember and honour survivors, their families and their communities, and are committed to continued healing and reconciliation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
