Reflections on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Newsroom staff recently sat down with Elder David G. LaFrance and his wife, Sister Lori LaFrance. Elder LaFrance was named a member of the sixth Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the April 2020 general conference. He is responsible for the North America Northeast Area, Toronto Co-ordinating Council. The LaFrances were invited to share their thoughts on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is observed in Canada on September 30. “It is a day to honour the survivors, families and communities affected by the residential school system,” noted Elder LaFrance. “This day holds significance as it encourages reflection, education and action toward healing and reconciliation.”

President Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in an October 2018 general conference talk titled “The Ministry of Reconciliation,” reminded us to be followers and disciples of Jesus Christ: “Jesus is asking us to be instruments of His grace — to be ‘ambassadors for Christ’ in ‘the ministry of reconciliation,’ as Paul described it to the Corinthians. The Healer of every wound, He who rights every wrong, asks us to labor with Him in the daunting task of peacemaking in a world that won’t find it any other way.”

Can you tell us a little about yourselves by explaining the communities you come from and your heritage?

Elder LaFrance: I was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. My ancestors come from England on my maternal line, and my paternal line is from Quebec, with my Indigenous line going back more than 11 generations in Canada.

From a young age, I was introduced to my Indigenous family history. I remember my father sharing stories about his kind grandmother, Virginie Leblanc, from Oka, Quebec, who was a member of the Algonquin First Nation. I learned about her father, Pierre Mathias Ouabichib Leblanc, known as “White Duck.” Our family has kept this heritage alive by continuing some Indigenous traditions, which remain a meaningful part of our identity today.

In recent years, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the devastating impact residential schools had on Indigenous families across Canada. Although I don’t have a direct record of how my great-grandparents were affected by this program, I feel a deeper empathy for those who carry the emotional scars left by such experiences. While our heritage is something to be proud of, it also carries the weight of a painful history, much of which remains unknown.

Sister LaFrance: I was born in southern Alberta and raised in various places across Western Canada. My ancestors come from England, Ireland, Scotland and the U.S.A. When I was young, my grandparents participated in the Indian Student Placement Program. As part of this program, they invited a young Indigenous boy named Colin Manitoken from the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation to live with their family during the school year. This young man was fostered by my extended family from the time he was 12, and he became my uncle.

My Uncle Colin’s life story is a testament to the importance of familial bonds, the resilience of Indigenous culture and the power of healing across generations.

My uncle was born into a family deeply scarred by Canada’s residential school system. His mother, Mary, was a survivor of residential schools. She was among the many Indigenous children taken from their homes and placed in Canada’s residential school system — a system designed to assimilate Indigenous youth into mainstream white society. These schools were infamous for their harsh, often abusive environments, where Indigenous languages and traditions were repressed.

Mary entered residential school as a young girl and remembered that she was forbidden to speak Cree. Over time, the language that connected her to her heritage began to fade. Constant repression, combined with the physical and emotional abuse, took a heavy toll on Mary. Around the age of 14, she ran away from the school, seeking freedom from institutional structures that had shaped her childhood.

The trauma Mary endured at the residential school made it difficult for her to cope with motherhood. When my uncle was born, she made the decision to abandon him at the hospital, leaving him in the care of his great-grandmother, Mary Greyeyes Manitoken.

At the age of 70, Greyeyes Manitoken was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and she and my uncle were baptized. Due to her advanced age and inability to care for him any longer, she felt the best option for my uncle was to place him in a safer, more stable home with younger parents. So, around the age of 12, my uncle entered the Indian Student Placement Program. My uncle returned [to his home] each summer, reconnecting with his siblings and maintaining his ties to his family, even as he spent the school year living with my extended family members.

The Indian Student Placement Program, like many programs of its time, was not without its complexities. While it offered some Indigenous children opportunities for education and stability, it also contributed to the loss of cultural identity. For my uncle, the program provided him with a different kind of security, though it came at the cost of being separated from his family and traditions for much of the year.

Despite these challenges, the relationships forged through the program left a lasting impact on our family. My uncle and his descendants continue to be deeply connected with the descendants of our family, his foster family.

What are some ways you engage in National Day for Truth and Reconciliation or learn more about Indigenous communities in your area?

Elder and Sister LaFrance: Over the years, we have engaged in various activities to learn more about Indigenous communities in our area. Our family has attended pow-wows and other ceremonial events. Our children have participated in Indigenous educational initiatives related to the history and legacy of Indigenous peoples. We’ve had the privilege of meeting with Indigenous leaders and learning from their perspectives and experiences.

Here are a few other ideas we have for observing National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

• Organize or participate in workshops and study sessions focused on the history of Indigenous peoples and the impact of residential schools.

• Engage in service projects that support local Indigenous communities, such as volunteering at community centres, participating in clean-up efforts or assisting with food drives.

• Support Indigenous-owned businesses and artists. This promotes economic empowerment and appreciation for Indigenous culture.

• Engage in respectful dialogue about the experiences of Indigenous peoples. Invite Indigenous speakers to share their stories and perspectives.

• Participate in Orange Shirt Day (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) by wearing orange and explaining its significance to others. This simple act can spread awareness and spark important conversations.

Can you provide some examples of ways that the Church in Canada is trying to support Indigenous communities?

Elder LaFrance: I am grateful for the efforts The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made to support Indigenous communities across the country. For example, the Church has been actively involved in co-operative projects with a number of Indigenous communities in Eastern Canada. Over the past three years, the Church has provided funds to purchase medical equipment for the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority, which serves six remote First Nations communities in Ontario. This includes providing funds for two X-ray machines, the most recent of which was in 2024 for the Fort Albany reserve.

Since Indigenous community members are three to five times more likely to suffer from diabetes, the Church funded the development of a recently completed diabetes prevention program specifically designed for and in co-operation with the Haudenosaunee, composed of the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora. This year, the Church continues its efforts, funding the work that began last winter on a second diabetes prevention program designed in co-operation with and for the Anishinaabe, which include Algonquin, Chippewa, Mississauga, Nipissing, Odawa, Ojibwe, Potawatomi and Saulteaux. (Some Métis and Oji-Cree consider themselves part of this cultural and linguistic group.)

Do you have any final thoughts to share about National Day for Truth and Reconciliation?

Sister LaFrance: I believe there can be healing and reconciliation across generations. My uncle’s story reflects the complex and often painful history of Indigenous experiences in Canada and is a testament to the power of family and community and the possibility of healing. Family connections and our ability to strengthen ties with each other are what will lead us toward reconciliation.

Elder LaFrance: The principles of “truth and reconciliation” are deeply rooted in our faith. We are taught to seek truth and work to reconcile ourselves with God and those we may have wronged. These principles resonate strongly as I reflect on the history and experiences of Indigenous peoples. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an opportunity for all Canadians to acknowledge the past and commit to a hopeful future.

May comfort be found in the Saviour’s invitation to “come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal [you]” (3 Nephi 18:32). His promise of healing extends to all who seek Him.

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