News and Stories

TRC57 Speaker Series 2026 calls on Public Institutions to Engage with Reconciliation as Ongoing Practice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Trusted, province-wide space for reconciliation-focused public learning launches sixth season

Nanaimo, BC – What if reconciliation is not a destination, but a practice—one learned through attention, responsibility, and care over time?

The TRC57 Speaker Series is back for a new season inviting community members across British Columbia to sit with this question through a free, virtual public education series grounded in Indigenous law, land-based teachings, and lived relationships.

Launching on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, the TRC57 Speaker Series brings together Indigenous and settler scholars, writers, and legal thinkers whose work centres the Land as teacher.

This free, virtual series offers an opportunity to engage with Indigenous knowledge and perspectives, directly supporting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action #57, which calls on federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations

In 2026, Vancouver Island Regional Library assumes stewardship of the series from Nanaimo Ladysmith Public School (NLPS) in collaboration with UBC Press and welcomes University of Toronto Press as a guest partner for Season 6. NLPS continues as a valued legacy partner. VIRL approaches stewardship of the series as both an honour and a responsibility—focused on accessibility, sustainability, and respectful partnership so the series can continue reaching communities across the province.

“Public libraries are uniquely positioned to support reconciliation-focused learning,” said Eileen Gillette, Executive Director of Vancouver Island Regional Library. “VIRL welcomes everyone into this virtual space so that we can explore our understanding of the world, our relationship to the land and to each other. “Through this series, community members will engage deeply with a wealth of knowledge—offered generously by speakers who share their learning widely, inviting deeper understanding and reflection.”

The 2026 season is grounded in the anthology Resurgence and Reconciliation: Indigenous–Settler Relations and Earth Teachings, edited by Dr. Michael Asch, John Borrows, and James Tully. Featuring several of the book’s authors and collaborators, the series explores how Indigenous laws, treaties, stories, and relationships to the living world continue to shape the responsibilities people carry toward one another—and toward the more-than-human relations that sustain life.

Since its launch in 2020, recordings from the TRC57 Speaker Series have reached thousands of viewers and continue to be accessed well beyond the live events. Recordings from the first five seasons have been integrated into school curricula, post-secondary courses, professional development, and independent study across Canada, extending the series’ impact nationwide.

Register to attend online (free)
To register via Zoom for each event in the series, visit www.trc57speakerseries.ca

All sessions are free and open to the public. Programs are recorded, shared on YouTube, and hosted at www.trc57speakerseries.ca for ongoing educational use.

#####

About the TRC57 Speaker Series

The series responds directly to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action #57, which calls on all levels of government to provide education for public servants on the history of Indigenous Peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, Indigenous law, treaties and Aboriginal rights, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. While open to everyone, the series is intentionally designed as a practical and accessible learning opportunity for those working in public institutions—including libraries—whose roles shape community life across the province.

Founded in 2020 through the leadership of Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools (NLPS), in partnership with UBC Press and Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL), the TRC57 Speaker Series has grown into a trusted, province-wide space for reconciliation-focused public learning. Formerly known as Learning with Syeyutsus, NLPS stewarded the first five seasons of the series, establishing a foundation rooted in intellectual rigour, care, and accountability.

About Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL)

Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) connects and empowers island and coastal communities by providing equitable, barrier-free access to essential library services. We serve 38 jurisdictions spanning more than 42,000 km². VIRL is a vital hub for connection, discovery and community conversations throughout one of Canada’s most diverse regions.

For more information, interviews, or media inquiries, please contact:

VIRL Media Contact
Natasha Bartlett, Assistant Director of Marketing & Development
250.327.3114
nbartlett@virl.bc.ca