Question Period Note: Sharing of Indian Residential Schools Documents

• An independent Advisory Committee was formed in 2023 to lead a whole of government process to share additional Indian Residential Schools-related documents to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
• The Advisory Committee advanced this work through the provision of strategic direction and leadership, including on the development of a comprehensive definition of an Indian Residential School Document.
• In June 2023, it was announced that over 23 million potentially relevant School documents had been identified.
• On August 23, 2024, the Committee Chairperson advised that non-government Indigenous members of the Committee are suspending their role due to lack of funding support.
• We remain committed to continuing the work to identify and collect Indian Residential School-related documents,

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If pressed on Catholic Documents
• All parties have an obligation under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement to disclose all relevant Indian Residential Schools documents to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
• The Prime Minister has urged the Catholic Church and its entities to provide all documents related to missing children and burials at Indian Residential Schools.
• Our Government will continue to work cooperatively with survivors, the Catholic Church and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to release documents. We are hopeful that progress will continue to be made.