In December 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its full report. It paints a frank and bleak picture of the historical relationship between European settlers and Aboriginal peoples. It identifies a series of policies that aimed to assimilation. It describes the results of over 200 years of oppression and violence, and focuses on 94 recommendations for action towards reconciliation.

The then Diversity Working Group (now Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Environmental Sustainability Committee) of the CES Board of Directors put forward the following resolutions, which were adopted by the Board on May 4, 2016. CES is committed to incorporating reconciliation in its values, principles, and practices.

Whereas the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has released its findings, insights, conclusions and recommendations, on residential schools in Canada,

Whereas evidence of the colonial treatment of Aboriginal peoples in Canada is undeniable,

Whereas the TRC Report defines reconciliation as “an ongoing process of establishing and maintaining respectful relationships”,

Whereas the TRC Report includes Calls to Action where all Canadians are asked to take part in a reconciliation movement to build and restore the relationship between Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal peoples in Canada,

Whereas the TRC Report recommends monitoring, assessment, and reporting on several aspects of Aboriginal health, welfare, and education as well as progress on reconciliation,

Whereas, among other roles, evaluators document history, assess progress as well as shape the future,

Whereas CES has included attending to issues of diversity and culture as one of its competencies for Canadian evaluators, and

Whereas CES has adopted the JCSEE evaluation standards as its own and said standards include culture as well as human rights and respect, therefore, be it

Resolved that the notion of reconciliation be included in the existing CES value of inclusiveness and that CES make a public statement to that effect,

Resolved that, as part of its next competency scheme review, CES include reconciliation explicitly,

Resolved that the CES strengthen its promotion of and support for culturally responsive evaluation, and

Resolved that the Diversity Working Group supports CES in implementing consideration for reconciliation in its activities.