Recommended Resources & Reading for Indigenous Learning

“We have described for you a mountain. We have shown you the path to the top. We call upon you to do the climbing”
—Justice Murray Sinclair

As part of CDHA’s commitment to building new relationships with Indigenous peoples, we encourage you to explore the following websites and resources prior to attending the summit and to draw on them regularly after our gathering is over. Use these resources to pave a road to allyship, establish your foundational knowledge, enrich your learning, and enhance your understanding of Indigenous issues, culture, and history.

Start here! Learn about the history of the land on which you reside and the history of the land in Whitehorse, Yukon. Do you live near the site of a former residential school?

Did you know? National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30, has been declared Orange Shirt Day. CDHA invites you to wear orange to the event in recognition of the harms inflicted by the residential school system and to affirm your commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Learn more about Phyllis’ Story and the original orange shirt in both English and French.

Explore some of the following readings and resources or make a donation to an Indigenous charity to support Indigenous peoples’ culture, health, and well-being.

Online Course

• The Path: Your Journey through Indigenous Canada (français)

CDHA is proud to partner with NVision Insight Group to bring you this new course which meets various Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action for Canadians. It will help you establish foundational learning and support Indigenous peoples in achieving optimal health and wellness.

Consider Donating to:

• Indigenous Dental Association of Canada
• Kochita: Empowering Indigenous Youth to Reach Their Career Potential
• National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
• Skookum Jim Friendship Centre (Whitehorse)

The Canada Helps website lists many other Indigenous charities in need of support.

Recommended Reading

• Beyond the Orange Shirt Story
• Building Inclusion for Indigenous Peoples in Canadian Workplaces
• National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Reports
• Truth & Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
• Commission de vérité et réconciliation du Canada : Appels à l’action
• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
• Déclaration des Nations Unies sur les droits des peuples autochtones
• Understanding the factors influencing the Aboriginal healthcare experience

Learn more about Indigenous contributions to Canadian literature through the #IndigenousReads campaign supported by the Government of Canada.

Additional Resources

• British Columbia Cultural Safety and Humility Standard
• Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business
• CCDI: Educational Resources on Indigenous Inclusion
• CCDI: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
• Government of Canada: Jordan’s Principle
• Indigenous Dental Association of Canada: Membership
• Indigenous Works
• The IRG: Education for Reconciliation
• National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
• Non-Insured Health Benefits Program: Dental Benefits Guide
• TRC Reading Guide for Non-Indigenous Organizations
• Reconciliation Canada

The information provided on this webpage is intended to complement the summit program and to encourage reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. The resources and reading above contain information that may be disturbing to some individuals, especially to residential school survivors. If you or someone you know is triggered by the content on this webpage, please call the 24-Hour National Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419.