National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 7
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
Reflections on reconciliation
Every Indigenous person has a connection to residential schools, including me, having personal stories of my mom, my dad and other relatives that attended these schools.” Dennis Meeches,
— president of the Tribal Council Investment Group of Manitoba
Dennis Meeches, president of the Tribal Council Investment Group of Manitoba. PHOTO BY DARCY FINLEY
not so much as patients but also involved in the economic side of owning pharmacies and providing medical distribution of health-care products.” In addition to his work with TCIG, Meeches focused on reconciliation through his service to Long Plain. In 1981, the First Nation acquired 45 acres of Crown land adjacent to Portage la Prairie, which includes the site of a former residential school, as part of an outstanding treaty land settlement. A knowledge keeper recommended the creation of a residential school museum to preserve history, encourage education and improve awareness. The area was declared a provincial heritage site in 2005 and a national historic site in 2020. Today, Meeches serves as chair of the National Indigenous Residential School Museum. “Every Indigenous person has a connection to residential schools, including me, having personal stories of my mom, my dad and other relatives that attended these schools,” Meeches says. “For me, this is always a difficult time of year. At the same time, Orange Shirt Day has brought
a lot of attention to reconciliation.” The National Indigenous Residential School Museum hosts a gathering each year on Sept. 30. This year, the event will focus on healing through dance. It’s open for anyone to attend at Keeshkeemaquah in Portage la Prairie. “It’s a very important day of reflection and reconciliation. For Indigenous people, it’s a sacred day to remember thousands of children that attended these schools. It’s a long journey to healing. That journey could take generations,” he says. “We still have a lot of work to do for reconciliation because of the history of this country and how Indigenous people have been left on the fringes of society. I’m really hopeful that things will change for the better for all of us.” With a sense of optimism for the future, Meeches says he’s witnessed opportunities for positive change. “There’s a promise of tomorrow for our children to live in a country that’s come to understand the injustices and is truly and sincerely working towards reconciliation in all forms. Poverty is still deep-rooted in Indigenous
communities and also in cities such as Winnipeg. There’s still a challenge of providing good clean drinking water for Indigenous communities, as well as jobs, education and training,” he says. “As a member of Long Plain and Treaty 1, I do see a lot of positive work that’s being done for economic reconciliation. I think we’re going to see a lot of great things here in southern Manitoba with the development of urban reserves.” The positive impact of First Nations’ economic development brings benefits to the entire region, he adds. “For us, it’s really about creating generational wealth through our economy and making life better for young Indigenous people, who are the fastest growing segment of the population here in Manitoba, if not the country,” Meeches says. “It changes the narrative about how people were faced with insurmountable challenges, such as federal and provincial legislation and policies that were set out to take away from the social fabric of Indigenous people and communities. There’s a lot of work to do, but I think when we come together on important days such as Sept. 30, it shines the light on reconciliation.”
By Jennifer McFee T he path towards reconciliation and reflection needs to include economics in the equation. Dennis Meeches, president of the Tribal Council Investment Group of Manitoba (TCIG), highlights the importance of economic reconciliation. Originally from Long Plain First Nation, Treaty 1 territory, Meeches served in public office for 26 years — six years as a Long Plain council member followed by 20 years as chief. After he retired in April 2022, he accepted an offer to remain as president of TCIG, which launched in 1990 by Manitoba’s seven tribal councils. Owned and operated entirely by First Nations, TCIG includes affiliated companies in various industries, such as health care. “It’s quite a journey for this company to move into health care and we still have a lot of work to do. Economic reconciliation is on the table, and it has been for a number of years,” Meeches says. “We hope this can be a new era for how we ingrain ourselves in the health industry,
Powered by FlippingBook