One week from this issue’s release is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR). First established in 2021, this day provides an annual opportunity to reflect on the atrocities committed to Indigenous communities in residential schools.
For this issue, The Cascade decided to spotlight UFV’s Peace and Reconciliation Centre (PARC), which was formed in 2020 and is primarily located on UFV’s Chilliwack campus. To learn more about PARC and to discuss the significance of Sept. 30, The Cascade spoke with Dr. Keith Carlson, the current director of PARC. In addition to that role, Carlson is a history professor at UFV and holds a Tier One Canada Research Chair in Indigenous and Community-Engaged History.
The Peace and Reconciliation Centre
According to PARC’s website, their mission is to, “facilitate opportunities and innovative processes for faculty, students, and community partners to co-design and co-execute innovative research, scholarly and artistic activities, and then to cooperate in translating and mobilizing that new knowledge so it will have real world impacts and applications.”
When asked to elaborate on this statement, Carlson explained that PARC’s ultimate mission is to be responsive.
“We are a publicly funded institution with a mandate to educate and to conduct research, and we’re a research centre, so that’s our primary focus. And we want to build peace. We want to ensure there is movement toward genuine reconciliation, and so we’re doing that in ways that are responsive to needs that communities identify.”
Carlson added that PARC’s resources are not only limited to Indigenous communities.
“If it’s reconciliation between two different faith communities that have had tension or misunderstanding, if it’s reconciliation between people who come from the LGBTQ+ community and a heteronormative kind of community, if it’s between Indigenous communities and settler communities — whatever it might be, we’re trying to say, ‘come identify with us what challenges you’re seeing, and let’s see how we can turn those into opportunities.’”
According to Carlson, PARC is essentially a place of research for all communities, and as a place for students to gain research experience.
“That’s what I see PARC as being: a place where Indigenous and non-Indigenous students working with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities can have really meaningful experiences to conduct original research that helps make positive change in those communities.”
Discussing residential schools
PARC is involved in a number of events aimed at creating dialogue and promoting positive change. One such event is “Discussing Residential Schools: Local Perspectives,” which is part of Stó:l? Research and Resource Management Centre’s Cultural Experience Series Events. Carlson explained these discussions are recurring events for Indigenous leaders to share information with the public about the tragedies committed at residential schools. The evening also includes an opportunity for questions in an effort to foster productive discussions.
“PARC is one of the partners with the Stó:l? Research and Resource Management Centre, conducting research into the history of children who did not return from residential school … As we do that work, we pass that forward and it sits with the Stó:l? chiefs [and] the Stó:l? communities [who] share that internally with the families and the communities … Then they decide eventually when it’s the right time to make that information more broadly known.”
PARC’s latest discussion occurred on Sept. 9 at Spirit of Hope Secondary School. The next is scheduled for Nov. 18 at the Gathering Space on UFV’s Chilliwack Campus at 6 p.m.
Addressing the denialists
Unfortunately, not everyone believes that residential schools were as harmful as survivors say. Earlier this year, residential school denialist demonstrations hit some British Columbian campuses including UFV and the University of British Columbia. Carlson noted the rise of misinformation fuelling such demonstrations comes from those who doubt the amount of abuse committed at schools. However, Carlson, who clarified that these doubts were unfounded, emphasized the fact that the function of the residential school system was nonetheless a cruel attempt at oppression and cultural genocide.
“Even if all the teachers were wonderful people and kind — but they weren’t — and even if [students] weren’t being abused when they [were] there, the system itself, the school itself, was designed to take people out of their community, strip away their culture, and make them working-class, racialized people in Canada who did not have rights to their land, did not have rights to their resources, did not have the right to self-governance.”
Carlson doesn’t understand why the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is at all controversial, and addressed those who object.
“The people who criticize the day because maybe we haven’t yet fully presented all the reports and all the findings on the tragic story of children who didn’t come back from school — I don’t understand what their concern is. To me, it seems unequivocal that Canada needs a day where we stop and pause and reflect upon this, so that we can move forward with Indigenous people in a positive way.
“And that’s what the survivors are saying — and as they refer to themselves as ‘thrivers’ today — they haven’t been saying, ‘go home, leave this country, go back to Europe, go back to Asia, go back.’ What they’ve been saying is, ‘we would like to live here with you, and be at the table.’”
To Carlson, NDTR should be thought of similarly to how we treat other statutory holidays that don’t face the same controversy, such as Family Day and Labour Day.
“Family Day, a day just in February to sit with your family and try to think ‘how do I bring reconciliation between this tension between my aunt and my mother? How do I make sure I spend a bit more time with grandma before she passes away? How do I become a better brother to my little sibling?’ That’s an important day.
“We have Labour Day, right? The unions of this country fought to get kids out of factories, to make sure that people got decent benefits and payment. That’s a wonderful day. Let’s celebrate those achievements — and let’s make Reconciliation Day something that is like that. That is saying we’re building towards something better, and we’re doing that in partnership.”
Carlson expressed confusion at the amount of accusations coming from people who deny the harm done at residential schools and even threaten to disturb events being held for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
“The last few weeks on social media, there’s been some really angry, divisive people talking about reconciliation in some very unproductive and inaccurate ways, and potentially threatening to disrupt the reconciliation day events, and I really hope that doesn’t happen. These are days where Indigenous knowledge keepers and survivors are coming together to share their stories, to be vulnerable, and to work with the broader community who is asking sincere and genuine questions about how [to] bring Canada to a better place.”
According to Carlson, deniers have a misguided notion of what the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation actually stands for. He shared that for him, the day isn’t necessarily “anti-Canada” in the way that many of these individuals believe, but rather a time of reflection to prevent history from repeating itself.
“A lot of the so-called denialists and others will say [to] people like myself, ‘You hate Canada. You’re trying to tear everything down.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. I love this country, and I just want it to be a better place. That means taking the things that work well and celebrating them and enhancing them, and taking the things that haven’t been right, that have been unjust, and exposing them, and finding ways to correct or compensate for that, and then moving forward so that they don’t happen again. That’s what Reconciliation Day is all about.”
Carlson acknowledged that the issue isn’t that people have questions, but rather the hostile nature of those also making assumptions.
“It’s completely legitimate for people to have questions and to ask questions. What I don’t understand is the anger and the accusations of cover-ups and hiding.”
Positive change for a better future
Despite all the negativity, there are good things happening. Carlson shared that PARC is currently working with local authorities to improve their interactions with Stó:l? communities.
“PARC is involved with the Abbotsford Police and the Chilliwack RCMP and helping them to engage better with Stó:l? communities to create training programs and professional development and cross-cultural understandings. We’re developing new curriculum[s] through the Peace and Reconciliation Centre with the Abbotsford School District, with some Stó:l? First Nations, Seabird Island, and others.”
Another of PARC’s projects includes Beaver Tales, which Carlson explained is a book project PARC is working on in partnership with Matsqui First Nation that will explore ancient legends that have been lost or forgotten due to the effects of colonialism.
“Working with UFV students, artists from the Matsqui community, knowledge keepers — we’re actually creating a book that will come out this winter that brings all those stories back to life with some beautiful illustrations and other things. So, there’s lots of exciting, positive things going on that’s great to be a part of.”
BMO Collaboratorium
According to Carlson, PARC’s most active and ongoing method of engaging with students is through the BMO Collaboratorium — named due to the funding PARC receives from the Bank of Montreal.
“We create opportunities for students to work directly with community partners on projects that the communities themselves identify as priorities, and that the communities provide funding to the university to cover the students’ wages so they can have meaningful and paid internships over the summer, or part-time internships that run through the winter.”
The BMO Collaboratorium, as Carlson explains on the project’s webpage, came from his observation of a need for a space where students could practically apply the research skills they’d been learning. Thus, the BMO Collaboratorium was born, which Carlson shared continues to be a space for students to refine their research skills.
“Through those internships, students get to bring skills and knowledge that they’ve already acquired in their classes, and refine those and expand those as they work on very particular research questions that communities have asked them to do as they generate reports, databases, curriculum education, resources, whatever it might be.”
Xwelítem Siyáya: Allyship and Reconciliation Building
Another of PARC’s major programs is the Xwelítem Siyáya: Allyship and Reconciliation Building, in which PARC collaborates with UFV’s School of Continuing Education, Stó:l? Nation, Stó:l? Research and Resource Management Centre, Stó:l? Tribal Council, and Stó:l? Grand Chief’s Council.
Carlson stated that this program welcomes those from the general public who want to deepen their understanding of Indigenous matters, further explaining that doing so can be beneficial both professionally and personally.
“That’s a program that we offer to the general public to say, ‘hey, are you interested in learning more about the Stó:l?, about the history of Indigenous settler relations, and to do that in a way that will enable you to have capacity to go back as a school teacher, as a prison guard, as a social worker, as an RCMP officer, to then bring those insights and that relationship building back into your organizations or your families, even right as individuals?”
According to PARC’s website, the program is offered in two different learning streams: Foundations and Expanded Learnings.
“The program’s new structure is intentionally designed to support participants at different stages of that journey. Foundations provides a shared grounding in Indigenous–settler histories, responsibilities, and relationships rooted in Stó:l? Téméxw. Expanded Learnings invites participants who have established that foundation to continue engaging more deeply through focused, action-oriented learning opportunities.”
While the Expanded Learnings stream is still being developed, the Foundations stream currently totals 45 hours of workshop and research sessions.
However, as stated on PARC’s website, PARC recognizes that reconciliation cannot be fully realized through one program.
“Xwelítem Siyáya is grounded in the understanding that reconciliation is not a single workshop, module, or moment of awareness. It is an ongoing practice of learning, listening, relationship-building, reflection, and action.”
Legacy of a Lynching
The next event PARC has lined up (taking place the evening of this issue’s release, in fact), is a debut screening of the new documentary Legacy of a Lynching — Creating a Resting Heart (2026). Presented in partnership with the City of Abbotsford’s Culture City Program Series, Legacy of a Lynching shares the story of Louie Sam, a 15-year-old Stó:l? boy who was framed for murder and lynched by an American mob in 1884. According to PARC’s webpage, the screening will be followed by a Q&A with Carlson, Grand Chief Clarence “Kat” Pennier, Chief Dalton Silver, John Emmery, and Desiré Kokuvi Amouzou.
This is the second time Carlson has been involved in a film about this tragedy, the first being The Lynching of Louie Sam (2005). A key difference between the two films, however, is that Legacy of a Lynching will also follow a descendant of one of the American lynchers, John Emmery. Carlson shared that the idea for this upcoming documentary started when Emmery reached out to PARC after watching the 2005 documentary.
“He had seen a documentary film [that] I was involved in back in [2005] that told the accurate story about what happened, how this boy was framed, and how this lynching occurred in Canadian soil by [an] American lynch mob who came across the border, took a young boy from Canadian police authorities and lynched him.”
Carlson explained that Emmery wanted to make amends with the Sumas community for the harm his ancestor caused.
“He was devastated to find out the true story … Not only did it have these tragic consequences in the Sumas community, it had tragic consequences for those who were the perpetrators of that, because they were racked with guilt and sickness for generations.
“He wanted to make amends as best he could. He wanted to offer an apology to the Sumas community directly, personally, and made a point of coming out here to do that. And when he came here, and he did that, the Sumas community, with a generosity of spirit that was just incredible, reached back to him and helped him heal.”
1884 marked a turning point in the relationship between Stó:l? communities and the Canadian government, then led by Prime Minister John A. Macdonald. Carlson pointed out that after the lynching, Canada chose not to pursue justice for Louis Sam’s murder in fear of risking relations with the American government. He also shared that that same year, the Canadian government outlawed the potlatch and restricted the selling of salmon caught in the Fraser River — which significantly impacted the economy in Stó:l? communities.
“The Canadians had decided that it was more important to placate the Americans than to bring justice to the Stó:l? … The year Louis Sam is lynched is also the year that the Stó:l? had their governance taken away with the potlatch and had their economy taken away, and they then were completely marginalized economically, socially, politically onto small tracts of land, as other people moved in and and became wealthy and prosperous people in this territory.”
For readers interested in attending, the public screening of Legacy of a Lynching is on Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium in Abbotsford.
Stetís ímexstowx (“walk beside us”) event
As for how PARC will be recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Carlson shared that the centre will be partnering with the City of Abbotsford, the Abbotsford School District, the Reach Gallery Museum, and other local organizations for Abbotsford’s annual Stetís ímexstowx (“walk beside us”) event.
“All these great local Abbotsford area partners are all coming together with the Sumas community, with Matsqui community, with some individual First Nations and Métis people to try to create a day that is truth-telling, but in a way that is really driven towards giving people opportunities to take positive action that will make positive change.”
This free event will run on Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. around Thunderbird Square and Civic Plaza in Abbotsford. According to the event’s website, attendees can expect food trucks, vendors, and a variety of activities — some of which will be presented by PARC including “Beyond Blankets: A Stó:l? Lands Exercise,” and “Sts’elemeqw Residential School Thriver’s Society Videos.” Carlson also added that the event is intended for all ages.
“The topics are heavy, but the fielding is upbeat in some ways, if that makes sense. We have a wide range of activities that are going on … that are all designed [for] children to senior citizens, from people who’ve lived in the valley for multiple generations, to the most recently arrived people in the valley. There’s something for everybody.”
Help make a difference
When asked how readers can engage with PARC, Carlson encouraged them to visit the PARC website and to contact the centre’s Program Coordinator, Leanne Jarrett. Carlson also took the opportunity to share that PARC is not the only organization at UFV working toward shaping a better future, and that students should also consider reaching out to spaces like the Community Health and Social Innovation (CHASI) and the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI).
“I would encourage you to please come check out the PARC website but [also] reach out to our program coordinator and others for opportunities. There’s always things happening and we’re not the only ones — do that with SASI, do that with CHASI, because there are some really fantastic research opportunities for undergraduate students at this university that don’t have parallels at the big universities.”
Transparency note: the Editor in Chief and Creative Director of The Cascade are contracted student researchers with the Peace and Reconciliation Centre.
