Addressing Systemic Barriers to Truth and Reconciliation in Canadian Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

Education served as a driving force for the colonization of Indigenous Peoples in what is now known as Canada. Today, education is essential for truth and reconciliation. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada published 94 Calls to Action that demand change across the country, including in higher education. Academia's response has been slow due to systemic barriers in this inherently colonial system. The purpose of this study is to understand the systemic barriers to truth and reconciliation in Canadian higher education institutions and propose transformative solutions, in order to support the University of Waterloo's strategic response to the Calls to Action. Through a literature review, semistructured interviews (N=10), and an analysis of strategic plans for reconciliation (N=49), four thematic barriers were identified.