Federal parties’ reconciliation efforts must include urban Indigenous communities – The Star

Sept. 20, 2021

As we head into this election, relationships and reconciliation with Indigenous people are a top priority for many Canadians. Events of the past months have awoken Canadians to the realities facing Indigenous communities across the country, including the ongoing, intergenerational impacts of colonial policies such as residential schools.

At last count, nearly 1.7 million people identified as Indigenous — about one in 20 people living in Canada (4.9 per cent). That number is on the rise, and a large majority live in cities, towns and rural communities. In Ontario, that number is 85.5% of the Indigenous population, most of whom have some relationship to residential schools, either having survived them or having family members who did. With a growth rate over four times that of non-Indigenous people (4.25 per cent per year), our population will continue to expand. We are your neighbours, colleagues, teammates and fellow residents.

Read More: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2021/09/20/federal-parties-reconciliation-efforts-must-include-urban-indigenous-communities.html