One of the goals set out in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s mandate was to “witness, support, promote and facilitate truth and reconciliation events at both the national and community levels.” Witnessing in this context refers to the traditional and continuing Aboriginal practice of calling forth witnesses to validate moments of great historic significance. Their role is to recall, remember, and care for the history witnessed and experienced, to share it more widely once they are back home, and to carry the knowledge of it with others into the future. In its work, the Commission has called upon a number of prominent Canadian and international individuals, as well as a number of institutions, to serve as TRC Honorary Witnesses. It is in this spirit that those named in the list below have accepted the sacred trust of bearing witness to the truths of residential school Survivors, and of contributing to the goal of ongoing reconciliation between the Indigenous and Non-Indigenous peoples of Canada, beginning with sharing what they have heard and learned.

Individuals

Dr. Evan Adams
Her Excellency Madame Justice Louise Arbour
Dr. Cindy Blackstock
Joseph Boyden
Charles-Mathieu Brunelle
Éloge Butera
Francisco Cali Tzay
The Right Honourable Joe Clark
His Honour Charles Cunliffe Barnett
Renée Dupuis
His Worship Bill Elliot
Grand Chief Phil Fontaine
Dr. Sheila Fraser (honoris causa)
Patsy George
Jim Gladstone
The Honourable Judith Guichon
Barbara Hall
Clara Hughes
The Honourable Justice Frank Iacobucci
His Worship Don Iveson
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean
Grand Chief Edward John
His Excellency David Johnston
Her Excellency Sharon Johnston
Chief Dr. Robert Joseph (honoris causa)
Joé Juneau
Tina Keeper
Marc Kielburger
Wab Kinew
David Langtry
The Honourable Philip S. Lee
Dr. Stephen Lewis (honoris causa)
The Right Honourable Paul Martin
Sir Sidney Mead
Jane Middleton-Moz
Nick Noorani
Dr. Alanis Obomsawin (honoris causa)
The Honourable David C. Onley
Dr. Daniel Pauly
Gwendolyn Point
The Honourable Stephen Point
His Worship Gregor Robertson
Dr. Shelagh Rogers (honoris causa)
Dr. Buffy Sainte-Marie (honoris causa)
Jonathan Sas
His Worship James V. “Jim” Scarrow
The Honourable Andy Scott
Dr. Mary Simon
Sylvia Smith
Her Honour Corrine E. Sparks
The Honourable Chuck Strahl
Naty Atz Sunuc
Imam Michael Abdur Rashid Taylor
David Tuccaro
Robert Waisman
Dr. Andrea Walsh
Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux
Charlotte Wolfrey
David Wong
Victor Wong

Organizations

Association des Femmes Autochtones du Québec—Quebec Native Women’s Association (AFAQ-QNWA)
Canadians for a New Partnership (CFNP)
Connecting Home Ltd., Australia
International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ)
Maine Wabanaki State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission