In addition to Survivors of the Indian Residential School (IRS), survivors of other colonial school systems the Canadian government initiated and implemented for over a century and a half also deserve recognition. As a member of the Kainai (Blood Tribe) of the Blackfoot Confederacy in Treaty 7 territory in Alberta, Tiffany Prete’s research has involved analyzing the educational policies behind the IRS and other colonial schooling models. The focus has been on understanding how these policies have impacted the broader community of the Blood People.

Beyond IRS, the Canadian government implemented various colonial schooling models, including the industrial school system and boarding schools (precursor to residential schools); the residency system (where some residential schools became places where students lived while bussed off-reserve to attend public school —St. Paul’s on the Blood Reserve, for example, became a residency or hostel while Blood children were bussed to the nearest public school); and the day school system and the public school system. Each new system emerged as a response to the failures of the preceding model, illustrating the government's persistent attempt to assimilate Indigenous children.

As a society, it is crucial to acknowledge survivors from each school model, recognizing the profound impacts on survivors, their descendants, and society at large. Throughout Tiffany’s work in this field, she discovered that educational policies were often not explained to children and their families in these systems. According to her, addressing this knowledge gap is imperative for survivors, their descendants, and all Canadians. She points out that understanding the truth about what happened to survivors is essential for healing and the journey of reconciliation.

When the Galt Museum & Archives | Akaisamitohkanao’pa (eternal gathering place) approached Tiffany to be a guest curator and create a traveling museum exhibit based on her TRC research, she decided to use the opportunity to address the gap of knowledge so many in society have about educational policy.

Named Stolen Kainai Children: Stories of Survival, the exhibit aligns with the TRC's 2015 Calls to Action, particularly number 69, urging museums and archives to offer more programming on "the truth about what happened and why." The exhibit showcases photographs and stories from survivors, the Canadian government, Christian religions and missionaries, Indian Agents, and Indian school inspectors.

Highlighting the evolution of the colonial school system from mission schools to band-controlled education, the exhibit includes a timeline comparing different school models, accompanied by relevant photographs and educational policies. Crucially, it shares stories from survivors, concluding on a note of hope by emphasizing the resilience of the Kainai People.

The Stolen Kainai Children: Stories of Survival exhibit is on display at the Galt Museum & Archives until March 3, 2024.