Reconciliation in action
$2-million gift from Winnipeg-based Canada Life and Power Corporation of Canada shines a light on corporate commitment to Truth and Reconciliation in Canada
A transformational $2-million gift from Canada Life and Power Corporation of Canada marks a significant milestone in the $40-million capital campaign to build a new, permanent home for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) in Winnipeg on land donated by the University of Manitoba (UM).
This gift will support the development of a landmark space dedicated to not only preserving the truths of Residential School Survivors and educating generations of Canadians about our shared history but also acting as a national and international beacon of truth and reconciliation, education, and healing.
UM spoke with Stephanie Scott (SS), Executive Director of the NCTR, and Paul Mahon (PM), President and CEO of Canada Life, to talk about the significance of this gift and how it supports the work of the NCTR.
Winnipeg: The Heart of Turtle Island
The Centre’s home in Winnipeg, MB is deeply symbolic. Known in Prairie cultures as the heart of Turtle Island, the city sits at the geographic centre of Canada and has long served as a gathering place for diverse peoples.
Q: How does the location of the NCTR in Winnipeg—both physically and symbolically—reflect its role in truth and reconciliation across Canada?
SS: “Winnipeg has always supported Truth and Reconciliation, and it’s where the Truth and Reconciliation Commission held its earliest events. The NCTR is surrounded by some of the country’s largest Indigenous populations and is rooted in strong community partnerships.”
PM: “Indigenous leaders tell us that this land where Winnipeg is has been a meeting place for thousands of years. I believe that continues to be just as true today as it has always been. With the establishment of a permanent home, the NCTR will be able to continue bringing people together in the shared goal of reconciliation.”
A New Home for the NCTR — A National Space for Healing and Learning
The NCTR’s new building will be a space where Survivors and their families can gather to share their truths, knowledge, and experiences. It will also be a place for reflection and reconnection—where families can visit to heal, remember lost loved ones, and reclaim erased histories.
Since 2015, the NCTR has preserved more than 7,000 Survivor statements, thousands of photographs, and sacred items entrusted to its care. Until now, it has operated from a temporary space on UM’s campus. The new facility will allow the Centre to continue this work on a scale that matches its national and global significance.
Q: The NCTR is dedicated to preserving Survivor’s truths—how does this funding help ensure that their truths are heard and learned from?
SS: “The Centre works on behalf of Survivors, alongside a network of partners and supporters, to expand and promote the ongoing research and learning of residential schools and their lasting impacts. With each story we preserve, we safeguard the truth for future generations—and this funding brings us one step closer to making the Survivor’s vision of a permanent home a reality.”
Q: Why did Canada Life and Power Corporation of Canada choose to support the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation with this $2 million gift?
PM: “Our relationship with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has been one focused on advancing reconciliation. And while we are proud of the work we’ve done so far, we also recognize that the work is far from finished. The decision to support the NCTR’s campaign to build a permanent home is part of our ongoing commitment to doing better. This is a gift of responsibility. A recognition that we have a role to play, and that reconciliation is not someone else’s job—it belongs to all of us. It’s one step—among many—in a journey we are committed to taking.”
Q: What message do you think this gift sends to other corporate and philanthropic organizations in Canada?
SS: “We cannot do this work alone. This gift shows other corporate and philanthropic organizations that they, too, can belong to this movement. There is space for everyone to contribute to truth and reconciliation.”
PM: “Reconciliation is not a box to be checked. It’s not a single act. It’s a continuous process—one that calls on us to listen more deeply, to act more meaningfully. I see the potential for our whole community to come together in reconciliation. Putting our foot forward this way calls on other organizations across Canada to do their part as well, and I think that is what’s most important.”
A Call for Collective Action
This gift is more than a contribution—it is a call to action, as lasting change requires widespread participation.
Q: Why is it important for Canadian businesses and corporations to take an active role in Truth and Reconciliation?
PM: “After the Truth and Reconciliation Commission published its report and Calls to Action, we were asked to join the Winnipeg Indigenous Accord. By signing the Accord, we committed ourselves to supporting Reconciliation. Looking back, I’m very proud that Canada Life is one of the founding signatories to the Accord.
Aligned to the Call to Action #92, we began a journey that continues to this day. We’ve engaged Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and other Indigenous voices to help amplify their stories. Through this, both our company, and our employees have learned more about the importance of Truth and Reconciliation and our role in it. As a company, we’ve made a point to raise the Survivors flag, honour Orange Shirt Day, and voluntarily provide all of our employees with a day away from work on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to allow them to engage on this important day.
For Canada Life, these actions are entirely aligned to our values and our purpose as a company. These actions have strengthened the fabric of our culture as an organization. They also connect us more deeply to the communities we serve and operate in. I’m hopeful that other businesses will continue to walk with us on this journey to advance Truth and Reconciliation Reconciliation in Canada.
We recognize that we all have a role to play in supporting Truth and Reconciliation. This is a responsibility that belongs to all of us. The NCTR will continue to guide all of us in this work, and they’ll be enabled by a permanent home here in Manitoba.”
Looking Ahead
The NCTR is more than a building. It is a living legacy. A space where Indigenous and non-Indigenous people can gather, learn, and heal together.
Q: For Canadians who want to support Truth and Reconciliation but aren’t sure how, what advice would you give them?
SS: “Every Canadian has a role to play. I would encourage all to reach out to learn more about the NCTR and our mandate and priorities. People can attend a monthly webinar, Residential Schools 101, participate in ongoing NCTR Dialogues on a variety of topics, or attend events during our annual Truth and Reconciliation Week at the end of September. The most powerful thing you can do is show up, listen, and carry those truths with you.”
The journey of truth and reconciliation continues—and with support from allies like Canada Life and Power Corporation of Canada, that journey is taking shape in Winnipeg, MB — at the heart of the nation.
To learn more about NCTR corporate giving, please contact Janell Melenchuk, Director of Major & Corporate Giving at janell.melenchuk@umanitoba.ca. For other ways to support the NCTR, please visit their website.