International Women's Day

the staff are female or non-binary," she says, "which speaks to some of the NCTR's guiding principles of representation and inclusivity in its everyday work." For Johnston, a powerful teaching tool is the NCTR's archival collection which includes millions of records, Survivor statements and physical objects related to the residential school system. "It's important when doing this work that there is always a human el- ement, a connection, to the content to ensure that Survivors, their families and others impacted are more than just a statistic," she says. She believes International Women's day is a time to focus on women's successes and achieve- ments while also bringing attention to challenges that still exist, including reproductive rights. Dr. Levinia Brown, who received an honourary doctorate of law in 2022, and a member of the Survivor Circle, draws attention to the impor- tant role of both Survivors and women in particular. "It was Survivors that demanded government and church entities be held responsible and accountable for their actions. This continued convic- tion and passion of Survivors made it possible for the NCTR to take form, and I am proud that Survivors continue to guide the work and spirit of the NCTR in seeking the truth," Brown says. "International Women's Day hon- ours the role that women have in telling our truths and sharing sacred knowledge. So many of our valuable Knowledge Keepers and Elders are women." Dr. Catherine Cook serves a dual role as a member of the NCTR Governing Circle and the vice presi- dent (Indigenous) at the University of Manitoba. For her, International Women's Day is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of women and girls in all areas of society. "It is important to acknowledge how far we have come, particularly for Indigenous women who have been marginalized and often brutal- ized for the first century-and-a-half of Canada's history," she says. The voices of the missing children have been heard and are a power- ful influence for Canadians to come together with Indigenous Canadians to rectify the mistakes of the past, she adds. "My role is to support the coura- geous work that the NCTR staff and allies in Canada do every day to en- sure that the voices of the children are not forgotten," Cook says. As chair of the NCTR Governing Circle, Dr. Cyn- thia Wesley-Esquimaux stresses the importance of understanding the history of this country. "Indigenous peoples have been challenged many times, but we have never given up. We have persevered, and we have adapted and survived," she says. "We have never forgotten who we are and have carried our spirits, our ceremonies, our cultures and our beliefs forward. We were here yester- day, we are here today, and we will be here tomorrow." She adds that the Indigenous community respects the wisdom of women, who have always played a role in governance, spiritual practice, education and health care. For Wesley-Esquimaux, Interna- tional Women's Day honours and celebrates the hard work to secure women's ability to achieve equity and positions of authority. "We encourage our daughters to own their power and live their passion," she says, "while embrac- ing empathy and compassion for humanity." "We encourage our daughters to own their power and live their passion, while embracing empathy and compassion for humanity." – Dr. Cynthia Westley-Esquimaux, chair, NCTR Governing Circle S U P P L I E D P H O T O

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