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The Canadian Library is a national community-engaged art and education initiative that serves as a living memorial to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples and the children who never returned home from residential schools.

Through remembrance, education, and collaboration with Indigenous communities, The Canadian Library inspires meaningful conversations that advance truth, understanding, and reconciliation.

Objective

Our goal is to create a national living memorial of more than 8,000 books, each representing a life, a story, and a commitment to remembering.

Through art, education, and community engagement, we seek to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples, remember the children who never returned home from residential schools, and inspire reconciliation across Canada.

The Canadian Library is an initiative that was started to promote three objectives

Remember

Honour the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples and the children who never returned home.

Educate

Deepen understanding of Indigenous histories, cultures and lived experiences.

Inspire Action

Encourage truth, reconciliation and meaningful relationships.

Vision & Mission

Each book is wrapped in Indigenous-designed fabric, creating a vibrant and meaningful reflection of the unique lives and stories of the people they honour. The names embossed on the spines transform every book into a lasting tribute, reminding us that each individual was deeply loved, valued, and should never be forgotten.

The stories shared by families and communities resonate across Canada, inviting reflection on the profound impacts of loss, colonialism, and systemic injustice. As volunteers, organizations, and communities come together to help create each Micro Gallery, they become part of a collective act of remembrance, education, and reconciliation.

Together, these beautiful bookcases form a living memorial that honours Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples and the children who never returned home from residential schools, ensuring their lives, stories, and legacies continue to be remembered for generations to come.

linda manyguns

Calgary, Alberta

Statement of Commitment

The Canadian Library is committed to honouring the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples and the children who never returned home from residential schools.

We recognize the profound and lasting impacts of colonialism, the residential school system, and systemic injustices on Indigenous individuals, families, and communities. We acknowledge that truth, remembrance, and education are essential steps on the journey toward reconciliation.

Our commitment is to work alongside Indigenous Peoples with respect, humility, and a willingness to listen and learn.

Through meaningful collaboration, we strive to create spaces that honour those who have been lost, amplify Indigenous voices, foster understanding, and inspire Canadians to learn from our shared history and contribute to a more just and equitable future.

We recognize that reconciliation is an ongoing responsibility. As The Canadian Library continues to grow, we remain dedicated to ensuring our work is guided by Indigenous knowledge, relationships, and community voices, always with the goal of remembering the past, supporting the present, and helping to build a better future together.