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The University of British Columbia
Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre
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  • The Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at UBC

    Photo by Andrew Latreille

  • Reconciliation Pole, Hereditary Chief 7idansuu (James Hart), Haida

    Photo by Hover Collective / UBC Brand & Marketing

  • The Wall

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The Catholic Church and Indian Residential School Survivors

With the visit of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit delegations to the Vatican, the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre has published an online exhibition about the Catholic Church and the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (2006). The exhibition includes previously unavailable files from the 2015 court case, Fontaine v Saskatchewan (Attorney General), in which the Canadian courts released the Catholic Entities from their obligations to Survivors. The exhibition features a background note from the Centre’s Academic Director, Dr. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond (Aki-Kwe); timelines of the Settlement Agreement and the 2015 Court Case; and court files from the court case.

Explore the Exhibition

Image credit: [Untitled] by George Wylesol (2021). Source: The Globe and Mail. Used with permission of artist.

Latest News

  • Report Marks the End of Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond’s 4-Year Term at the CentreJune 30, 2022
    Marking the end of Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond’s term as Academic Director of the Centre, 4 Years in Review, 2018–2022, presents a comprehensive overview of activities and achievements since the Centre’s inauguration.
  • Call for xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Artists: Orange Shirt Day 2022June 27, 2022
    The Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at UBC (“the Centre”), located on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) peoples, in collaboration with Musqueam Indian Band, is inviting xʷməθkʷəy̓əm artists to submit expressions of interest to create original artwork for the 2022 Orange Shirt […]
  • Globe and Mail: B.C. sees spike in critical injuries to youth in government care during pandemic’s first yearJune 27, 2022
    Dr. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, Aki-kwe, Academic Director of the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre and law professor at UBC, comments on the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development withholding data.
  • Indigenous Peoples Day at the CentreJune 20, 2022
    June 21, 10 AM – 4 PM Join us in the gallery space for a day of refreshments, crafts and films. Staff will be available to answer questions about Centre’s work and the Indian residential school system, and to demonstrate the interactive technology. What’s happening Snacks and refreshments provided Crafting […]
  • Indigenous History Month: See What’s Happening at UBCJune 16, 2022
    June commemorates Indigenous History Month in Canada. The month encourages people to learn about, appreciate and acknowledge the rich history, heritage, resilience, contributions and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across the country.


The records offer diverse perspectives (former students, officials, journalists, scholars) and include Survivor testimonies, Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings, photographs, maps, government documents, church documents, and newspaper articles.

Responding to Survivors’ desire to have a single point of access to residential school records, the Centre provides access to an online database containing digital copies of records from partner organizations. This single access point brings together records that are otherwise dispersed online and in physical spaces.

Explore the Collections

The Centre is located on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam people). We are privileged to work with the Musqueam First Nation and the Musqueam Archives as community partners.

Learn more

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Need support? The Indian Residential School Survivor Support Society
has established a 24-hour Crisis Line for former students and their families. Call: 1-866-925-4419.
Find additional wellness resources and supports.

Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre
1985 Learners' Walk
Vancouver, BC CA V6T 1Z1
Tel 604 822 6941
Website irshdc.ubc.ca
Email irshdc.info@ubc.ca
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