No Turning Back

Summary: On November 21, 1996, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples delivered its recommendations on the status of Canada's First Nations. For five years, the Commission traveled to more than 100 communities and heard from more than 3000 representatives. The Royal Commission focused its inquiry on sixteen Indigenous issues and became a sounding board for all the past government injustices including the slow process of land claim settlement, the reluctance to recognize Indigenous self-government, the inequity of Indigenous prisoners held in jail, and the legacy of residential schools. For two-and-a-half years, Edmonton director, Greg Coyes, worked with teams of Indigenous filmmakers, following the Commission on its journey from coast to coast. The video weaves the passionate and articulate voices of Indigenous, Inuit, and Métis people with the history of Canada's relationship with its First Nations peoples. In this video, Canadian Indigenous voices are heard collectively, providing a valuable tool for informing both non-Indigenous and Indigenous people about their living conditions and their history.