One of the remaining members of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission says the former chairman is wrong about the direction of the group.

Claudette Dumont-Smith said she didn't try to push the commission to focus more on the "truth" aspect of the residential school experience. "The purpose of [the commission] is to hear the stories of the survivors is, to document the stories of the survivors," she told CBC News. "I give it equal weight as to the reconciliation component. I don’t give one more weight than the other."

She said former chairman Harry LaForme, an Ontario appeal court justice and member of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, never brought up the issue. She disputed his suggestion that the other two commissioners didn't listen to him or respect his authority.

Jane Morley, the other commissioner, said LaForme didn't want to sit down and resolve any differences they may have had.

Get the Story:
We were all equal, residential-school commissioner says (CBC 10/22)
Harry LaForme resigns (Indian Country Today 10/21)

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