CASP Honours National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Petitions Ottawa to Urgently Address 94 Calls to Action  

A decade after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report, the vast majority of Calls to Action remain unmet.  

TORONTO – Tuesday, September 30, 2025 – Today, the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) joins communities across the country in marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on what is the 10^th anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) final report and its 94 Calls to Action. On this solemn day, CASP invites all Canadians to honour the children who never returned home, the Survivors of residential schools, and their families and communities. 

Ten years later, the 94 Calls to Action remain a critical blueprint for reconciliation and healing. Yet a decade on, only 15 Calls to Action have been met, 62 remain underway and 17 have seen no progress at all. On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, CASP calls on the federal government to urgently address the 79/94 Calls to Action that remain unmet.  

We ask that Ottawa place special emphasis on Calls to Action #19-24, which urge Canada to close gaps in health outcomes, provide sustainable funding for Indigenous healing centres, integrate Indigenous knowledge by recognizing traditional healing practices and work with Elders and healers in health care. They also call for more Indigenous health professionals and mandatory cultural safety and Indigenous health training in medical education.  

Most of the TRC Calls (#19-24) remain only partially addressed, with some progress in cultural safety training and Indigenous health professional recruitment, but no full implementation or consistent nationwide adoption. 

As we reflect on the 10^th Anniversary of the TRC report, CASP recognizes that suicide prevention efforts in Canada must be grounded in reconciliation and rooted in the lived experiences and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples have remarkable strength to draw from through their lived and living experience and through the depth of Indigenous Knowledge they have access to in various contexts.  

CASP is committed to collaborating with Indigenous leaders, health practitioners and communities to create holistic, culturally sensitive approaches to mental health and life promotion. 

“A decade after the TRC’s final report, we cannot ignore the painful reality that many of the health-related Calls to Action remain unmet,” said Andrew Perez, Interim Executive Director of CASP. “Reconciliation requires meaningful investments in prevention, mental wellness and culturally safe services.” 

At CASP, we believe the work of suicide prevention is inseparable from life promotion: creating conditions where individuals, families and communities can thrive. This means supporting Indigenous-led mental health programs, expanding access to culturally safe care and addressing the broader social determinants of health, including housing, education and economic opportunity. 

“Through CASP-facilitated groups like our First Peoples Circle, we are committed to listening, learning and standing in solidarity with First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples,” said. Perez. “Reconciliation isn’t a one-day event or stand-alone initiative; it’s ongoing work that must inform every aspect of our work.” 

“We urge all Canadians to read the 94 Calls to Action and to reflect on how each of us can contribute to reconciliation,” said Perez. “For CASP, this means continuing to advocate for a National Suicide Prevention Strategy that is anchored in programs that close persistent health gaps, support healing from trauma and ensure that suicide prevention strategies are informed by Indigenous voices and perspectives.” 

As we mark the 10th anniversary of the TRC’s final report, let us commit to ensuring that the next decade brings far more tangible progress so that future generations can come of age in a country where reconciliation, healing and hope are more than merely aspirations; they are lived realities.