Our role as a museum is to ensure that the history and stories of the Indigenous community are included in our collection and shared with the community. We need to continue educating and holding ourselves accountable for our commitments to Truth and Reconciliation.
Released in 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Report outlined ninety-four Calls to Action including the need for every Canadian to educate themselves about Indigenous history and the legacy of Residential Schools.
The Report outlines fifteen calls to action that are related to history and commemoration, including a sub-section that is specifically addressed to the museum and archive sector. The Aurora Museum & Archives is committed to Truth and Reconciliation and responding to the calls to action.
To do this, we pledge the following:
1. Connect with and listen to the Indigenous Community.
2. Broaden and re-evaluate our understanding of the historical record.
3. Decolonize our museum procedures and practices.
4. Create space for different forms of knowledge and storytelling.
5. Implement recommendations, frameworks, and principles developed by sector authorities, in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, that are a direct response to the calls to action.
In 2022, the Canadian Museum Association released their final report and recommendations that were a direct response to Call to Action #67. The Aurora Museum & Archives is committed to implementing the standards and recommendations put forth in this report in our museum practice. The same year, the Steering Committee on Canada's Archives released their Reconciliation Framework, which was a direct response to Call to Action #70. We are committed to implementing the reconciliation framework in our archival practice.
We urge all Canadians to take the time to celebrate and learn more about the diverse cultural heritage of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.