Wednesday, October 1, 2025

September 30 was the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a recommendation made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Walrus recognizes the importance of reflecting on the legacy of residential schools and the experiences of Indigenous peoples and nations across Canada.

This year, seven writers contributed essays marking ten years since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. They explore the Canadian government’s broken promises, child welfare, economic development, and the Land Back movement.

These stories play a part in the ongoing journey toward justice for the victims and survivors of residential schools. We invite you to not just read these stories, and others by our contributors, but to carry their lessons forward, recognizing that truth and reconciliation require continuous commitment from all of us.

Read or Listen to These Stories

A red swing set is seen in front of two bombed out buildings.

The Children Russia Stole from Ukraine

Tens of thousands of children are being abducted, stripped of their identity, and taught to hate their homeland

by Sarah Treleaven, Jamie Levin

A black-and-white photo of a child outside of a school. An oversized hand is blocking them from the door

Were Immigrant Kids Barred from Quebec’s French Catholic Schools?

Former students say yes, historians say no. A new investigation is forcing the province to confront its past

by Toula Drimonis

A woman sits at a green desk, with a book open in front of her, amidst two rows of similar desks, with light falling on only one of them while the others are in the dark

In the Age of AI, Are Universities Doomed?

Higher education’s monopoly on knowledge is over. But that doesn’t make it obsolete

by Robert Gibbs

An old colour photograph showing a blue sky over several low school-like buildings. A Canadian flag is on the flag post

To Get a High School Diploma, Indigenous Kids like Me Had to Leave Behind Everything They Knew

The risk of getting lost during the journey was so high, parents had to sign a release form

by Susan Aglukark

An illustration of a girl in a school uniform at a desk. Her head is faintly scribbled over as she looks up at books and music floating in the air, including a bible

I Was a Girl with ADHD. My Teachers Never Saw Me

The biggest obstacle wasn’t my symptoms—it was the adults who ignored them

by Carla Ciccone

Today's Quiz Question

Two of the first five major national projects recently advanced by the Mark Carney government for fast tracking involve copper mines, but Canada is a relative bit player in global copper production. Which country dominates the market?

Yes, I Know the Answer

Photo illustration shows a bottle of wine sinking in water as it's pulled down by a weight with a "%" sign on it

The Wine Wars Are Back – and Alberta’s Playing Dirty

BC has vino. Alberta wants vino. Why is Danielle Smith making it so hard for them to do business?

by Christina Frangou

Carney Bets Big on Copper, but Two Fast-Tracked Mines Won’t Make Us a Powerhouse

Ottawa is selling the projects as a critical minerals breakthrough. The numbers tell a smaller story

by Wesley Wark

An illustration of a hand rolling dice that are made up of books in front of a dark blue background made up of text

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

by Tajja Isen

Photo shows a bunch of red apples hanging from a branch against a blue sky

To Understand America, Look to the Everyday Apple

The country is losing neighbourhood orchards—and a connection to its origins

by Priyanka Kumar

A MESSAGE FROM THE WALRUS LAB IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

Canadian Time Machine returns with an episode exploring the legacy of Treaty 5. “Treaty is powerful. It’s not just a document or an agreement of the past. It’s a living agreement,” says Cree lawyer and advocate Deanne Kasokeo.

Also called the Winnipeg Treaty, it shaped more First Nation communities than any other in Canada. Kasokeo reflects on her family’s history and her grandmother’s teachings, while Chief Maureen Brown of Opaskwayak Cree Nation shares how colonial policies continue to affect communities today and why she remains hopeful for the future.

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Check out the latest episode of What Happened Next

This week, host Nathan Whitlock is joined by Peter Counter. Peter is a culture critic who writes about video games, film, music, mental illness, horror, and technology. His most recent book is the memoir How to Restore a Timeline: On Violence and Memory, published by House of Anansi Press in 2023. Peter and Nathan talk about what it’s like to be a culture critic in 2025, about the various forms Peter’s memoir took over the decade or so he was writing it and trying to get it published, and about Nathan’s envy over Peter getting John Hodgman to blurb his book.

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