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Or sign-in if you have an account.A massive red cedar sculpture created by master carver Stanley C. Hunt as a memorial to the children who never returned from Canada's residential schools. Photo by Jean Levac /PostmediaCanadians are more likely to reject the idea that historic injustices against Indigenous peoples are “mostly in the past,” according to a new Leger poll conducted for the Association of Canadian Studies.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Accountor“The survey is especially relevant to debates about reconciliation and suggests that many Canadians believe acknowledging past injustices should inform current policy responses,” Jack Jedwab, president and CEO of the Association, told National Post in an interview.“At the same time,” he said, “the sizeable share who say these injustices are mostly in the past shows that Canadians differ in the degree of ownership, responsibility, or urgency they feel regarding historical wrongs.”Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againAs a result, Jedwab suggested the survey, released for National Indigenous Peoples Day on Sunday, points to a key challenge for reconciliation efforts. He says it raises the question of how advocates could build support for present-day action “in a society where many recognize the continuing impact of past injustice, but many others are not persuaded that the injustices should drive current policy decisions.”The data reflects this existential divide, with 48 per cent agreeing that the historical injustices against Indigenous peoples are still relevant, compared with 42 per cent who disagree.Meanwhile, noted Jedwab, survey respondents differed by gender, age, and region. For example, women are more likely than men to view these injustices as still relevant. “I would suggest that men may be less likely to connect historic injustice to current social and economic inequalities, whereas women may feel that they better understand such inequalities,” says Jedwab.Canadians under 55 are more likely than people over 55 to disagree the issue is mostly in the past. The numbers on disagreement break down by age as follows: 18-34 (47 per cent), 35-54 (52 per cent) and 55+ (45 per cent).Jedwab suggested this difference could be attributed to the possibility that Canadians under 55 have been “more exposed to public conversations about residential schools, reconciliation, land acknowledgements and Indigenous injustices” through their schooling and workplaces, the media and public institutions. “These issues have become a greater part of the conversation about identity in Canada, with more recent generations more inclined to see relations between Indigenous and non-indigenous as the defining marker of the country’s historic existential challenge.”Regionally, Ontarians are least likely to agree that historic injustices against Indigenous people have lost relevance (38 per cent). In contrast, residents of Manitoba and Saskatchewan are more likely to say they are past (51 per cent). That latter part of the country “has the highest percentage of indigenous persons,” said Jedwab. “It may reflect different views about the role of government, greater polarization around Indigenous issues and/or local tensions where questions around land, resources, poverty, justice, and Indigenous rights are especially pronounced.”He added that it may also reflect the perception that acknowledging historic injustice has “not been effective at addressing persisting inequities.”French speakers and allophones, persons whose mother tongue is neither English nor French, are more evenly split on the question of historic injustices committed against Indigenous peoples, according to the survey. By comparison, noted Jedwab, English speakers are somewhat more likely to disagree, with 49% disagreeing and 41% agreeing. “It suggests that some groups may be less settled in their views, or may interpret Canada’s historic injustices through varying historical, linguistic, cultural, or immigrant orientations.”The survey findings show a similar pattern regarding the history of slavery and anti-Black racism in North America. According to the survey data, half of Canadians disagree that the history of these historic aspects of life is mostly in the past, while 41 per cent say that they are.And, again, the gender difference is substantial, with men more likely to agree (49 per cent) these issues are past, while women are far more likely to disagree (56 per cent).“The gender pattern on slavery and anti-Black racism is very similar to the pattern on Indigenous injustices,” said Jedwab. “It’s possible that women are more likely to see historic discrimination as connected to present-day inequality and racism, whereas men may be more likely to see these issues as structural or ongoing.”Older Canadians are somewhat more likely to agree that historic anti-Black racism and slavery are less relevant today, though among respondent 55 and older, almost half disagreed with that premise.On a regional basis, British Columbians are most likely to say anti-Black racism and slavery remain relevant, while similar to Indigenous historical injustices, Manitobans and Saskatchewan are more likely to say they are in the past.The findings arise from a survey of Canadians conducted by the firm Leger for the Association for Canadian Studies between June 5 and 7, 2026. The survey was conducted with 1518 respondents in Canada. A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey for comparison purposes. A probability sample of 1518 respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.5%, 19 times out of 20.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.