Reconciling Truths is a forthright examination of commissions of inquiry that demonstrates the need for astute leadership and an engaging process if they are to lead to meaningful change.

Hundreds of commissions of inquiry have been struck in Canada since before Confederation, but many of their recommendations have never been implemented.

Reconciling Truths explores the role and implications of commissions such as Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and particularly their limits and possibilities in an era of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Whether it is a public inquiry, truth commission, or royal commission, the chosen leadership and processes fundamentally affect its ability to achieve its mandate. Kim Stanton provides examples and in-depth critical analysis of these factors to offer practical guidance on how to improve the odds that recommendations will be implemented.

As a forthright examination of the institutional design of public inquiries, Reconciling Truths affirms their potential to create a dialogue about issues of public importance that can prepare the way for policy development and shifts the dominant Canadian narrative over time.