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, particularly their limits and possibilities in an era of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Since before Confederation, colonial governments have used this legal mechanism to address deep societal challenges. 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 in-depth critical analysis of these factors to offer practical guidance on how an inquiry can do more than have its recommendations quietly gather dust on a shelf. She argues that even if recommendations are initially ignored, holding an inquiry can create a dialogue about issues of public importance that prepares the way for attitudinal change and policy development.

As a forthright examination of the institutional design of public inquiries, Reconciling Truths acknowledges the risks inherent in their use. It also affirms their potential to shift the dominant Canadian narrative over time.