Yellowknife city staff to get education about residential schools

City of Yellowknife staffwill soon be required to receive training and education about aboriginal history, treaties and the residential school system.

The changes come in response to the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

"I've been in enough meetings with residential school survivors to know the terrible impact it had on a lot of people, alot of people who we call our residents and citizens," says Mayor Mark Heyck.

"So I think starting with that education, giving a general awareness about why things are the way they are in our community and our territory and across Canada as it relates to First Nations peoples I think that will give us a good foundation to try to move our community forward in that process of healing."

The commission's final report called for more education for public servantson the history and legacy of residential schools. Right now city staff are working on creating the program, and they should know within a few weeks what it will look like.