I know some of my friends, good people, are getting tired of hearing about residential schools and reconciliation. Who can blame them? We would all like to move on.

But as Chairperson Judge Murray Sinclair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission said, Canada should spend as much effort repairing the damage it caused to the indigenous people as it did in inflicting the harm in the first place.

I am not saying each of us should wear only sack cloth and mourning clothes until this is resolved, or that each of us should purchase an AR-15 assault rifle and a pith helmet so we can lead the revolution into Premier Heather Stephenson’s back yard.  Each of us have only limited talents. But the talent we have should be used to remedy an historical harm.  At least a little bit.

What can we do? It depends on our talents. We can speak up when we hear someone utter an ignorant racial smear or unnecessary demeaning remark about indigenous people. We should speak up as kindly as we can but firmly enough to make it clear that we dissent from such remarks. Or if we hear someone else speaking up against injustice we can make it clear that we concur. That might be difficult. We can reach out to our political representatives that we expect them to do better. If we see someone in trouble we can offer a helping hand. We can read one article about reconciliation. We can make an effort to learn. We can make an effort to learn the truth somewhere about one indigenous issue. We can call up someone who has knowledge for guidance or information. We can watch a film about indigenous issues. Someone told me that is all you cans see these days. We can make a gesture of support to indigenous people somewhere or somehow.

We should recognize that to say we are simply tired and don’t want to do anything is understandable, but that is not the best me I am putting forward. What have we  done to renounce the privilege we enjoy solely by virtue of the colour of our skin, that indigenous people do not enjoy? To say ‘absolutely nothing’ is not the finest answer. If we can say we have done a small thing or even 2 small things that is much better.

If  we have resolved to pay a little more attention and will do something in the future and to pass that thought on to others or have resolved to do better, that is an improvement.

Then we will be ready to return to our life of watching Yahoos opining on our favourite sport or watching the Mad Housewives of Blumenort and carry on your life again.

None of us are saints or heroes, but we are not incapacitated either. We can do a little bit while returning to the life we enjoy. I think that is at least a small step towards reconciliation.