Jenny Davis, special events coordinator at Toronto's High Park Nature Centre, felt nervous meeting Indigenous elder Donna Powless, director of the Taiaiako'n Historical Preservation Society, before the centre launched its first Indigenous family nature walks. That partnership is still active eight years later.

Nearly 11 years after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its final report and its 94 calls to action, many non‑Indigenous people feel uncertain, guilty and afraid of overstepping when they try to help.

Elin Sandberg Miller, co‑author of Everyday Reconciliation, says that uncertainty and guilt often stop non‑Indigenous people from taking action.

Both Indigenous and non‑Indigenous voices point to concrete ways to get involved: attend public Indigenous ceremonies, stream music by Indigenous artists, volunteer for environmental restoration projects, and speak up when you hear racist remarks.

Derek Aronhie:nens Montour, a Mohawk from Kahnawà:ke, encourages people to shift their perspective by learning which Indigenous nation first lived on their land, reading Indigenous authors, and listening to Indigenous music.

Jenny Davis and Carolynne Crawley co‑founded Turtle Protectors, an Indigenous‑led program that protects urban turtles in Toronto parks. Volunteers must complete a workshop on Indigenous ways of knowing and a second one called “Turtles 101,” which covers turtle biology.

These examples show that everyday choices—whether joining a ceremony, supporting an artist, restoring a habitat, or challenging prejudice—can each be a step toward real reconciliation.