FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022
A SUPPLEMENT TO THE
NATIONAL DAY for TRUTH and RECONCILIATION
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On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and every day, we honour the Survivors of residential schools and the children who never returned home. We acknowledge the harm caused by residential schools, and the trauma that continues to be felt by Survivors, families and communities through the generations. The Winnipeg Foundation is committed to listening, learning, working with our community and taking action towards our shared goal of truth and reconciliation. As a partner of Winnipeg’s Indigenous Accord and signator of the Philanthropic Community’s Declaration of Action, we are guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, and the Calls for Justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
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SEVEN OAKS SCHOOL DIVISION — A PIONEER IN SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS CULTURE
By Todd Lewys A bout 14 years ago, Seven Oaks School Division was looking for a way to in- crease Indigenous representation in its schools. “We’d been trying to do that for quite some time,” says Seven Oaks’ Superintendent Brian O’Leary. “We wanted Indigenous students to learn about and be proud of their heritage and identity.” With that in mind, O’Leary brought Mary Courchene aboard as a divisional Elder-in- residence. A residential school Survivor and retired career educator, Courchene — who at one point in her career served as Dean of Indigen- ous Education at Red River College (now RRC Polytechnic) — was a perfect choice to serve as an advisor to the division. Eventually, a second Elder-in-residence, Dan Thomas, was added to complement Courchene. It didn’t take long for their influence to be felt, says Sherri Denysuik, Courchene’s daughter, who currently serves as Seven Oaks’ Director of Adult Education Centres and Indigenous Inclusion. “This past June we celebrated our 13th An- nual Graduation Pow Wow,” says Denysuik, whose credentials include being the first In- digenous administrator in Seven Oaks. “Thir- teen years ago, it had a modest beginning with a couple hundred participants.” Over the years, the community event grew as the Pow Wow Clubs initiative gained trac- tion. “It moved between our high schools for six years, then got too big for our largest high school,” she says. “We moved to the Winni-
peg Soccer Federation where we saw around 2,000 participants and this past June for our 13th pow wow, which was held outdoors at Maples Collegiate, we had over 3,000 people attend. It’s become a huge Seven Oaks com- munity celebration.” Courchene says the Pow Wow Clubs, which are held at K-8 schools throughout the Seven Oaks school district, are thriving. “Now, there are about 800 to 900 partici- pants,” she says. “They learn about pow wow throughout the year, as well as fiddling and drumming. The amazing part is the diversity you see. Students from different ethnic back- grounds come and learn about Indigenous customs and traditions.” A recent visit to a Grade 2 pow wow event was a joyous experience, adds Courchene. “They were preparing to jig and dance, and I saw the dancers and teachers practising — they were so happy. Plus, students were there from other countries. Seeing our cul- ture shared filled my heart with joy.” Another program that’s thriving is Seven Oaks’ Ojibwe Bilingual Language Program at Riverbend Community School. “It promotes language learning, alongside learning about traditional cultural teach- ings,” says Denysuik. “Students learn who they are through learning to speak Anishi- naabemowin and learning about their In- digenous culture.” The classes have sparked a resurgence in a language that was once forbidden to be spoken in residential schools, says Courch- ene. “We couldn’t say a word of our language in school. Now, we have students who want to learn the language.” In fact, students are so proud of their
language, they per- formed the Canadian national anthem at a Winnipeg Jets game back in 2020. “The Strong War- rior Girls Anishinaabe Singers from River-
bend Community School sang the national anthem in Ojibwe when the Jets played the Tampa Bay Lightning on Jan. 17, 2020,” says Denysuik. “It was a very proud moment, not just for us but for all Indigenous people.” Her mom agrees. “It made me so proud,” says Courchene. “They were so full of pride. They sang it loud, and they sang it right.” Coming up, the Strong Warrior Girls Anishi- naabe Singers are also scheduled to sing the national anthem on Sept. 30 for the Win- nipeg Blue Bombers versus Saskatchewan Roughriders game. Denysuik says Seven Oaks is extremely proud of creating a land-based learning cen- tre, the Aki Centre, which is located at 1985 Grassmere Blvd. in West St. Paul. “It opened its doors in April 2019,” she says. “Before the ground was broken for construc- tion, it was blessed by Elders with a pipe cere- mony. It’s a beautiful building where staff, students and community members gain ac- cess to the land.” Featuring dozens of native plants plus a remnant prairie and a nature walk, the land surrounding the centre is a place where people come to learn how to appreciate — and take care of — the land. “The land isn’t ours; it’s a loan by the Cre- ator,” Courchene says. ”We have to take care of Mother Earth. If we do, it will provide
everything we need.” Although the Aki Centre has only been open for three years, it’s already had a big impact, says Denysuik. “We’re seeing tremendous impacts already in three areas: land, language and culture. It’s ever-growing, and we’re thrilled by the work being done by teachers and administration. It helps kids grow up with an understanding of our (Indigenous) history, place and voice.” Courchene says Seven Oaks must be laud- ed for its efforts to increase Indigenous rep- resentation in its schools. “There’s always been amazing support and growth within the leadership we have. No one will ever say, ‘We can’t do that.’ That’s an attitude that we really appreci- ate.”
3 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022
PHOTO BY DARCY FINLEY
A day of remembrance, REFLECTION, ACTION AND LEARNING David Gray, president of the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres.
By Kristin Marand I n 2021, a new federal statutory day of commemoration was created and Sept. 30 was declared the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. After speaking with residential school Survivors to uncover the far-reaching effects and systemic abuses ex- perienced at the hands of federally regulated schools, the Truth and Reconciliation Com- mission (TRC) published a report of 94 Calls to Action in 2015 after seven years of gather- ing accounts. “I think Truth and Reconciliation Day is about the fact that Canada systemically, in a very racist way, began the dissection of Indig- enous cultures and communities by attacking them through their children. The process wasn’t just the removal of the children. It was also a systemic intention to minimize Indig- enous cultures,” says David Gray, president of the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres. Gray is not Indigenous but has been working with Friendship Centres for more than 40 years. The National Day for Truth and Reconcili- ation was established in response to Call to Action 80 and is meant to honour those who never returned from residential schools, Sur- vivors, their families and communities, and to ensure that public commemoration of the devastating history and ongoing legacy of residential schools remains a vital compo- nent in the process of reconciliation. “It reflects, at least to some extent, that Canada has recognized that it as a nation has failed Indigenous people. And that by fail- ing to care for those societal structures and failing to care for those children, they have caused intergenerational harm that is going to be extraordinarily difficult to undo. That’s just sort of a surface level of what it means. The secondary level is, I think, more impor-
tant that Canada recognizes that it can’t go forward in a meaningful way until it address- es or redresses those harms,” Gray says.
ourselves.” The Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres was established in 1971 and has grown to 11 centres throughout the province. Friendship Centres were developed begin- ning in the mid 1950s to provide referral ser- vices to Indigenous populations transitioning to urban centres from reservations, Métis communities, rural and remote areas. Today, the Manitoba association is part of a national network of 118 Friendship Centres and pro- vides community services such as childcare, employment, justice and addictions services, and Head Start programs. “We have an incredible resource in the Friendship Centres. Both on National Indig- enous People’s Day on June 21 and on Sept. 30, we’ll have events that celebrate parts of Indigenous culture and also bring informa- tion to people, if they want it,” says Gray. “I think the problem isn’t that the informa- tion isn’t available. The problem has been that some groups or some portion of society hasn’t wanted the information or hasn’t been willing to accept that the information provid- ed is the truth. It’s a mirror that’s uncomfort- able, and that’s the bigger problem.” The road to reconciliation begins with steps toward understanding, explains Gray. With endless information at our fingertips, access to articles, books, videos and even the complete TRC report and its Calls to Action are only a click away. Gray says Manitobans are particularly fortunate to have access to the National Centre for Truth and Reconcili- ation, the permanent home of all statements, documents and other materials gathered by the TRC, located at the University of Mani- toba in Winnipeg. Its library and collections, as well as its National Student Memorial Register, provide the foundation for ongoing learning and research. The NCTR offered a week’s worth of free educational resources
for students in grades 1 through 12 for Truth and Reconciliation Week from Sept. 26 to 30 via their website. The National Day for Truth and Reconcili- ation also coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a grassroots movement established in 2013 that encourages people to wear orange to represent the stripping away of culture, free- dom and self-esteem experienced by residen- tial school students. Orange Shirt Day seeks to promote the awareness that Every Child Matters and to honour and recognize all those who were and continue to be affected by the trauma inflicted upon them. Events taking place to mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation include illumi- nating buildings across Canada in orange from Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. to sunrise Oct. 1. This will include federal buildings such as the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. A one- hour national commemorative gathering will be broadcast live from Ottawa’s LeBreton Flats on Sept. 30, 2022, called Remembering the Children. The rally will be streamed live on all APTN channels beginning at 1 p.m. ET (noon in Manitoba) and streamed at APTN lumi from Oct. 2 to 10. You can also show your solidarity on Sept. 30 by reading or listening to Survivors’ sto- ries; wearing orange; researching the First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities in your region and learning the contributions they have made to your community; learning the land acknowledgment in your region or de- veloping one in consultation with Indigenous communities; and by supporting Indigenous- owned businesses. You can also contact your local Friendship Centre to find out what events may be taking place in or near your community.
We’ve got a growing recognition in Canada that our blighted history, in this regard, needs to be addressed — and that if it isn’t, that this will be a continuing blight.”
David Gray, —president of the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres
“We’ve got a growing recognition in Can- ada that our blighted history, in this regard, needs to be addressed — and that if it isn’t, that this will be a continuing blight. But, more importantly, it will cause continuing societal stress. If we don’t address it, it’s going to cause a country that believes itself to be just and fair and believes itself to be a great place to live, which is going to cause us to continue to deteriorate both in the eyes of the world and then within our own capacity to care for
4 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022
SUPPLIED PHOTO
Southern Chiefs’ Organization SHARES SUPPORT
By Wendy King G rand Chief Jerry Daniels is running. But his is not a race for office. Like First Nation leaders everywhere, he is running to keep pace with the growing socio- economic crises First Nations people continue to ex- perience under colonialist oppression. Now into his second term as Grand Chief Daniels — a mem- ber of Long Plain First Nation — leads Southern Chiefs’ Or- ganization (SCO), representing 34 Anishinaabe and Dakota Nations and more than 81,500 citizens in southern Manitoba. Working from mandated resolutions, SCO supports com- munities in a variety of ways, including advocating on their behalf. “When I came in, ‘community-driven’ was one of the cor- nerstones of my mandate,” says Grand Chief Daniels. “The strength of our communities will dictate the strength of SCO and our collective strength.” Among SCO’s key concerns are the economic deficits and traumas caused by the residential and day schools, the ‘60s Scoop, the child welfare system, and the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirited people (MMIWG2S). SCO recognizes the need for both funding and the development of a holistic approach for all of these issues. For example, Survivors of the residential school system are not just those who were forced to attend. “All First Nations people and their families are impacted in some significant way and have experienced intergenerational trauma. There are very few that have been blessed not to en-
dure that,” says Grand Chief Daniels. SCO supports southern First Nations that want to organize programming and events to recognize and honour school Sur- vivors in ways that reflect the needs of individual communi- ties. First Nation peoples and communities want to lead their own healing, and this aligns with the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. This also applies to how SCO responds to the MMIWG2S+ crisis and aligns with the Calls for Justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. “We’ve really worked to maximizing the programming we have so we can support all of our Survivors, including our ‘60s Scoop and Survivors of the child welfare system through some common initiatives,” says Grand Chief Daniels. The ‘60s Scoop stole thousands of Indigenous children from the arms of their families, with connections to communities and cultures brutally cut off, Grand Chief Daniels notes. The generational impact of the residential schools, the ‘60s Scoop and today’s child welfare system requires generational in- vestment and strategy. Manitoba currently has 11,000 Indig- enous children in the CFS system. Grand Chief Daniels says there is a direct line that connects all these tragedies and all of these Survivors. Grand Chief Daniels says the tragedies and the trauma that result are outpacing the efforts to overcome them, and that Canadians must come to terms with the realities of why In- digenous people are struggling with what could be described as insurmountable challenges on socioeconomic indicators used to measure quality of life.
He points out these are institutional and systemic prob- lems. “They are built within the mindsets and values of Canadi- ans. They become a reality through the actions of those who employ our people, those who train our people, those who are involved on the front lines of our people in the health-care system, the child welfare system and within the justice sys- tem.” It needs to be noted that all institutions in Canada share this history. Grand Chief Daniels goes on to say that “history has been transferred from generation to generation through those who are in power or are in charge of these institutions and who have promoted those of the same values, same mindset, same language and same culture within those institutions. That’s the true history — it is about the subjugation of Indig- enous people, the theft of our lands, the killing of many of our people — and not holding it up high as a priority. It’s a history I know many Canadians do not want to acknowledge because it’s shameful history, one that I don’t think Canadians can ever be proud of. But it is the truth and if we’re ever going to address the inequities in Canada, it has to be understood for what it is really is.” Problems are growing very, very fast, he adds. “We’re dealing with addictions issues and poverty growing at a rapid pace,” says Grand Chief Daniels. “Do governments and non-Indigenous Canadians understand that we’re not
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5 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022
All First Nations people and their families are impacted in some significant way and have experienced intergenerational trauma.”
Grand Chief Jerry Daniels
SUPPLIED PHOTO
Grand Chief Jerry Daniels, a member of Long Plain First Nation, leads Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO).
SUPPLIED PHOTOS
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keeping pace, never mind closing the gap?” Thankfully, he says there are people who are com- ing forward as allies within those systems including all levels of colonial governments. “It’s not an easy fight. I thank regular Canadians who are confronting those values and those perspec- tives because it is a cultural change and a generational change that is required,” he says. “My hope is that it doesn’t take too long.” Survivors and intergenerational Survivors seeking support and those wanting to learn more about South- ern Chiefs’ Organization can go to scoinc.mb.ca or fol- low the organization on its social media channels.
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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022
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PHOTO BY DARCY FINLEY
Spoken FROM THE HEART Anishinaabe musician Leonard Sumner shares a smile with his two-year-old daughter Isabella.
By Wendy King W ithout language, there are no words. And without words, there can be no stories. Leonard Sumner, an Anishi- naabe singer, songwriter and guitar player, is passionate about words and the truths they carry about his people. Sumner, 38, is from Little Saskatchewan First Nation, where he honed his art and musicianship on the stages of local talent and treaty day shows in the In- terlake region of Manitoba. “My mom gave me my love of music — she always listened to KY 58 — so I listened to a lot of oldies and a lot of country music like Dwight Yoakam, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, stuff like that,” says Sum- ner. He also listened to Motown R&B and his older brother got him listening to rap. All of it influenced him and he taps into these sources to create his music, his storytelling platform — where truth lives. “I do see myself as a bit of a storyteller. I’m a writer and I do spoken word, I write songs and tell stories, and I communicate through those songs,” he says. "But it’s also not up for me to decide. I think the community decides who their storytell- ers are." The role of storyteller amongst Indig- enous people is key to carrying culture and the medicine to heal the injuries of the past, which live on as open wounds in the present lives of Indigenous people. “It’s a responsibility, absolutely. Who bet- ter to share the Indigenous experience than an Indigenous person?” he asks.
One of the consequences of colonialism is the near elimination of Indigenous languag- es. Sumner grew up speaking English but is learning Anishinaabemowin in the Saulteaux dialect.
ters were punished. My granny told me that when she went to school — she didn’t clari- fy whether it was residential school or day school — when she got back, she didn’t know how to speak the language and the other chil- dren would ridicule her in the community,” he says. “She had to relearn how to speak the lan- guage from my grandpa, is what she told me.” She passed it on to Sumner’s father, and his mother could speak as well. “Because they were punished in school for that, they thought we would have a bet- ter life if we could speak English first — that says to me that they were taught not to value their language,” he says. Trying to learn the traditional language is not easy. “I have a song where there’s a full verse in Anishinaabemowin, but because I’m not flu- ent, it’s often quite difficult to perform live. I haven’t ever been able to fully memorize it because the language is supposed to be spo- ken from the heart; it’s not about memoriza- tion,” he says. For Sumner, music is an effective way to reach out to people. “I think it’s an easy-to-digest format of the truth because music is used in everything — celebration, death, ceremony. There’s a song for every occasion, and if you can have a mes- sage within that, it’s a very powerful tool to help educate people,” he says. He has seen it firsthand at a powwow in Brunswick House, Ont. “I was playing and I had the young people for about 20 minutes and then they all kind of scattered. But all of the older people sat
down and listened until the end to a younger guy in his 30s speaking about what I speak about, including the culture in that, and they’re showing appreciation for that. It meant a lot for me that they stayed till the end and listened,” he says. “And I’ve always kind of thought that it’s not the kids that need to hear this stuff — it’s actually the Elders because they were the ones that were taught to devalue it when they had it. I think our language speakers that are left, our cultural leaders, understand our old stories and it’s time for them to see value in that, and those things are so vital and so important for our identities.” Sumner sings about truth — but he isn’t so sure about reconciliation. “Where I’m at, personally, I’m not really writing songs about reconciliation because I feel like it’s just the word-of-the-day kind of thing and it’s essentially meaningless with- out any action behind it,” he says. “When you think about our languages and how our culture was forcibly removed us- ing every single resource that the Canadian government had — they had the police, the church; they enforce laws that banished cul- tural practices; they remove children from their homes and abuse them or sometimes murdered them — it’s really hard to think of a reconciliation right now.” Maybe that’s part of being a storyteller of the community — being an observer, he adds. "I see an injustice and I want to speak on it and I want to do something about it,” he says, “and I think that’s what I’ve done with my mu- sic.”
I see an injustice and I want to speak on it and I want to do something about it and I think that’s what I’ve done with my music.”
Leonard Sumner, an Anishinaabe singer, songwriter and guitar player
“If our languages were valued as much as French, then maybe we wouldn’t be worried about our language dying,” he says. Sumner adds that even in communities where Indigenous languages are spoken, they are often heavily Christianized to the point where any remnants of pre-colonized culture is “considered to be like voodoo or devil worshipping.” “I remember my mom told me she was pun- ished for speaking the language, and her sis-
On this National Day For Truth And Reconciliation we honour the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. Today we reflect on the past, educate ourselves, and walk alongside Indigenous Peoples as we come together to build an inclusive future. In observance of this day, all Manitoba Public Insurance offices will be closed, including the service centres and contact centre.
Manitoba Public Insurance would like to acknowledge that our organization operates on the original lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anish-Ininiwak, Dakota, Dene, Ininiwak and Nehethowuk and the homeland of the Métis.
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Recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
FPDI HONOURS the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Special thank you to our Indigenous Advisory Circle Kevin Lamoureux, Tara Letwiniuk, Albert McLeod and Danielle Morrison.
Learning from the Past, helps build a better future.
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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022
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PHOTO BY MATT ARCHER FROM THE NORTHWORDS LITERATURE FESTIVAL
Niigaan Sinclair, professor of Native Studies at the University of Manitoba.
The impact OF THE POPE’S VISIT TO CANADA
Honour the children. Honour the survivors. Change the future.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation honours the children who never returned from residential schools, as well as the survivors, their families and communities. Commemorating the painful history and the ongoing impact of this tragedy is a vital part of reconciliation. As we continue our journey of enlightenment, we remain committed to meaningful actions of reconciliation, and encourage everyone to explore the rich and diverse cultures, experiences and stories of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. acu.ca
By Todd Lewys O n June 1, 2008, the Truth and Rec- onciliation Commission in Canada was formed. Its purpose was straightforward: to research and document the history and lasting impacts of the Canadian Indian Resi- dential School system on Indigenous stu- dents and their families. Seven years later, in June 2015, the com- mission published 94 Calls to Action that were designed to reveal the damage done by residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation. One of those 94 calls – Call 58 – called upon the Pope to issue an apology to Survi- vors, their families and communities for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the spiri- tual, cultural, emotional, physical and sexual abuse of First Nations, Inuit and Métis chil- dren in Catholic-run residential schools. The apology, which was to mirror the apol- ogy issued to Irish victims of abuse in 2010, was to be issued one year after the release of the report, with the Pope coming to Cana- da to issue the apology. As it turned out, the apology was delivered many years later on Monday, July 25, 2022, in Edmonton. In that apology, Pope Francis referred to “the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous people.” He later took his comments a step further, speaking to the “deplorable evil” of residen- tial schools. While the apology came much later than hoped, it accomplished three substantial things, says Niigaan Sinclair, professor of Native Studies at the University of Mani- toba. “First, it signalled that Catholicism must be different. Second, on the Thursday of the week of his visit, he said that Indigenous peoples must be respected in their own cultural practices and that the face of God
is within them,” he says. “Third, he said the schools were a policy of genocide.” However, while the tone and content of the apology were welcomed, it merely sig- nalled a formal start to the process of rec- onciliation. “We’re in the infancy stage of a healthy re- lationship,” says Sinclair. “It has to modern- ize and change, and the Catholic church has to act and change from the doctrine they set forth upon the world. It left a brutal, terrible legacy.” He adds that the federal government must also work with Canada’s Indigenous peoples to help them heal and move forward from that brutal legacy. “Essentially, Canada has to revoke it. Granted, this government has been the most progressive government with Indigenous peoples that we’ve ever had in doing things, like doing what they can to do away with boiled water advisories, but the bar has been set low.” Sinclair says the federal government needs to do its part to start the reconciliation pro- cess as soon as possible. “They shouldn’t have to wait for direction from the Pope. In a private audience with Prime Minister Trudeau, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon said that the atrocities committed didn’t come from a bunch of bad apples — they were the result of a systemic problem.” The devastation caused by the badly flawed system has been well documented, from emotional trauma to Indigenous peo- ples across the country being hammered into physical and spiritual poverty. That being the case, the Pope — and by extension the Catholic church — must work hard to win back the respect of Canada’s In- digenous people. “As we’ve seen, churches can’t give us all the answers,” he says. “In the past, they act- ed on an ‘and/or’ mentality. It provides no
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answers and doesn’t give people the opportunity to grow.” Consequently, it’s critical that the Pope adheres to the approach he took during his groundbreaking visit to Canada. “The only way to move forward is to do what he did — engage us on our own terms. It’s important to carry that approach forward. Whether his apology delivered all the things it needed to do is arguable. But he did come and say he was sorry,” Sinclair says. “Many residential school Survivors have said that a step in the right direction was made.” Still, both the Pope and the federal government need to continue to be genuine — and proactive — in moving the reconciliation process ahead in a healthy, productive way. “Words are fine, but actions have to come with words. For example, the obligation to pay what compensation is owed to Indigenous peo- ples must be fulfilled. They must help re-establish Indigenous languag- es and start to help in rebuilding communities. As much energy must be put into rebuilding communities as was put into destroying them.” Given everything that happened in the past, it’s understandable that Indigenous peoples across Canada are taking a wait-and-see approach with the reconciliation process. In the final analysis, it’s all about trust. “The Catholic church has to earn a relationship, and the only way to do that is by establishing they can be trusted. Hopefully, there will be some type of oversight. In the past, the church wasn’t accountable to anyone, and change came very slowly. That can’t happen now.” Money is only part of the solution to moving the reconciliation pro- cess in a positive direction, he concludes. “All the money in the world can’t replace caring. If people think the status quo is fine, it isn’t. This isn’t an Indigenous problem; it’s a Cana- dian problem. The solution must come from all of us.”
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It signalled that Catholicism must be different. Indigenous peoples must be respected in their own cultural practices and that the face of God is within them. The schools were a policy of genocide.”
UCN acknowledges and honours the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
This day commemorates the history and ongoing trauma caused by residential schools and honours the survivors, families and communities who continue to grieve for those lost. We encourage reflection and meaningful discussions about the impacts of residential schools today and every day.
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Niigaan Sinclair, — professor of Native Studies at the University of Manitoba
On September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, The University of Winnipeg honours the survivors of residential schools, acknowledges the impacts of intergenerational survivors, and remembers the children who never made it home.
SUPPLIED PHOTO
By Kristin Marand A new interactive online platform based on the Witness Blanket is creating opportunities for people to explore first-hand accounts from residential school Survivors. At witnessblanket.ca, users can discover stories from the Witness Blanket , a large-scale art installation by master carver Carey Newman. The artwork is made from over 800 pieces donated by Survivors or collected from the sites of former residential schools, churches and other cultural structures across Canada. The online platform highlights 10 artifacts from the artwork. Through immersive, original stories, each artifact is accompanied by the voices of Survivors who share aspects of their experiences in residential schools. “In the oral traditions of my ancestors, a witness has an important role,” says Newman in an introductory video. “To ensure that things are not forgotten, a witness watches,
listens and then remembers and shares with others what they have learned. As you explore these stories, I invite you to bear witness.” The museum worked with an advisory group of educators across Canada to build a customized teacher resource based on the new web platform. It includes all the elements a teacher would need to bring education about residential schools into the classroom, including detailed lesson plans based on the stories shared through witnessblanket.ca. The resource is set up to build a human rights classroom culture that embraces empathy, helps teachers and students connect with Elders, Survivors and Indigenous communities, and develops pathways to reconciliation. Graham Lowes, manager of education and program development at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, noted the importance of incorporating this content into learning plans in ways that are age-appropriate.
“We want to help educators build a classroom culture that’s safe and supportive, where students can use this new online platform to learn about the residential school era,” Lowes says. “Through the new teacher resource, we’ve brought together strategies and exercises for all students from K-12 that will help them build empathy with the experiences of Survivors and encourage more conversations about the ongoing impacts of residential schools.” Lowes also noted that while building understanding is foundational, it is equally important to help students use what they learn to take action. “We want every student to be a leader in their community. Our goal is to help everyone take what they learn and translate it into action for a future based on the principles of human rights, truth and reconciliation.” Discover moving testimony from residential school Survivors by visiting witnessblanket.ca.
Through education, we can learn from the past and move forward in a way that is informed by the Calls to Action and committed to Reconciliation.
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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
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Creating connections BETWEEN INDIGENOUS AND NEWCOMER YOUTH
enous youth co-facilitator. “A safe space means being able to walk into a room and be accepted for who you are, knowing you’re welcome and you’re em- braced and there’s a spot in the circle for ev- eryone to come and sit.” The drop-in includes access to an indoor gym, books, board and video games, com- puters and WiFi, a dedicated quiet area for homework and study, a kitchen and a pool table. For programming, they are producing a youth-friendly version of the Indigenous Orientation Tool Kit, which introduces Indig- enous history and culture to newcomers. “The workshops are a way to introduce dif- ferent Indigenous cultures to people that are not familiar, as well as to Indigenous youth that may have lost that connection to their culture and were not brought up in the tradi- tional way,” she says. She points out that Indigenous youth are often living out experiences that are shaped
by generational trauma, something that is be- coming more visible to others. “Because of all the momentum in social jus- tice movements regarding Indigenous rights, it’s important that we educate kids on what they’re seeing on social media and why this person is so frustrated and so angry about treaties or land rights,” she says. “So the drop-in centre can serve as kind of a beacon for these questions with somebody to talk to you about it.” The drop-in will also be a real support for northern youth. “I think it’ll benefit all Indigenous kids but especially those kids coming from northern communities,” she says. “When they move down here for high school, a lot of the time they’re feeling very isolated and it’s a huge culture shock for them to come to the city.” That culture shock is often shared by new- comer youth. “For newcomer youth, the safe space gives them a chance to connect with their local
community and meet friends their age in a place they can come to and not be over- whelmed by the society or the school — they can get help with those things,” says Rouwae- da Husein, the immigrant youth co-facilitator. Husein is excited for the potential bridge- building the drop-in can offer. “For me, the hopeful outcome is that they will be able to bring in their own personal perspectives, their own personal views and experiences of things — especially when we’re talking about newcomers who come from war-torn communities or countries — they can bring that and I’m sure they’ll have a lot to connect with Indigenous youth,” says Husein. Walid Al Khattab’s own experience at a centre as a young newcomer gives him a more personal stake in making the centre a reality. “It helped me so much that I really wanted to give back to the community,” says Al Khat- tab, drop-in centre co-ordinator.
By Wendy King Y oung people need a sense of safety and acceptance to help them flourish and grow. And, sometimes, that safe space is not so easy to come by. Altered Minds Inc. (alteredminds.ca) is addressing that need with the AMI Youth Drop-in Centre for Indigenous and New- comer Youth at 406 Edmonton St. (Central Park), which is welcoming teens age 14 to 19 years. For now, the centre is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 8 p.m. The goal for the future is to keep the drop- in centre open for youth all weekdays and weekends, but more donations will be need- ed to make this vision a reality. “We’re in the downtown area and there are a lot of Indigenous youth as well as new- comer youth, so having a safe space for them to come and connect with each other is super important,” says Jenna Valiquette, the Indig-
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The benefits of a centre for youth ripple out into the community. “I’ve seen a lot of newcomer youth teaching their parents about the culture here. The parents often don’t know the language so it slows their learning process,” he says. He says newcomers haven’t been introduced to Indigenous history and don’t know what they have been through — yet they can find much in common. “An Indigenous person might see newcomers here and think: Why are these people coming to my coun- try? For an Indigenous person, there’s no clear an- swer to that,” he says. “But if they come to our drop-in centre, they might learn that this newcomer had no choice but to run away for their life and they ended up here — just as much as Indigenous peoples did not have a choice.
They were displaced; they were taken away from their homes. That would hopefully build a bridge be- tween the two communities, to share those experi- ences and learn how we can work together and move forward from here.” The first goal is to welcome youth into the setting and establish a sense of comfort and safety and for everyone to get to know each other. Once everyone is feeling at home, they’ll be invited to participate in the programming. “Along the way, we will be regularly repeating our Indigenous workshop and we’ll build bigger connec- tions with more workshops as we go,” says Al Khat- tab. “It could be arts or music or crafts — whatever the youth have an interest in.”
The workshops are a way to introduce different Indigenous cultures to people that are not familiar, as well as to Indigenous youth that may have lost that connection to their culture and were not brought up in the traditional way.” Jenna Valiquette, — Indigenous youth co-facilitator
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The community gathered together at a recent launch event for Altered Minds Inc.
Proud to celebrate working with our partners to create opportunities for indigenous youth for over twenty years. www.wascac.info
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Seeds of RECONCILIATION
Bonnie Loewen and Grace Schedler work in partnership for Circles for Reconciliation.
the other non-Indigenous,” says Schedler, a member of God’s Lake Narrows Cree Nation. “Every area of our work has that partnership, even the website design. It’s all balanced out.” Likewise, Loewen points out the link between recon- ciliation and relationships.
“I remember witnessing a powerful moment — a mo- ment I would call a seed of reconciliation. We were asked to rid ourselves of the condescension and the shame of silence and pity,” she says. “We were asked to be witnesses of a horrific truth that First Nations, Inuit and Métis people have long known and understood. We were asked to take respon- sibility for our own healing.” Similarly, Schedler feels optimistic about the impacts that continue to ripple outwards. “We have a lot of non-Indigenous allies who are waiting to go into these circles. That’s hopeful,” says Schedler, who envisions a continuous expansion into schools. “This is going to go to participants’ supper tables and circles of friends. It has changed a lot of people. It’s go- ing to be slow because of what needs to be done, but at least it’s working. It’s helping.” To learn more about Circles for Reconciliation, or to get involved, visit www.circlesforreconciliation.ca or call toll- free 1-866-794-2017.
By Jennifer McFee A reconciliation initiative is coming full circle through its efforts to enhance understanding and foster relationships across the country. Circles for Reconciliation took root in Win- nipeg after the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report in 2015 followed by nine months of consultations with Indigenous leaders. The organization’s mission is to “create and maintain mutually respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people — the very definition of rec- onciliation by the commissioners.” To achieve this goal, the organizers create small groups, or circles, made up of 10 participants — five who are First Nations, Inuit or Métis and another five who are non-Indigenous. Two trained facilitators, one Indigenous and one non-Indigenous, lead the groups in 90-minute meetings over 10 weeks to discuss various themes related to reconciliation. This balanced format stems from the concept that equal participation can help build relationships based on mutual recognition, respect and responsibility. Cul- tural teachings of sharing circles serve as the basis for the circular setup. The first gathering starts with a chance for partici- pants to get to know each other before delving into themes such as dispelling misconceptions and intergen- erational trauma. After that, participants discuss which themes they would like to explore at the next meeting. There is no cost to participants in the circles, which have the potential to shift perspectives, open hearts and change minds. The program aims to educate and bolster awareness to Canadians in all sectors of society — and to encourage them to engage or implement at least one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. As of July 15, 2022, about 3,000 people have partici- pated in the program, both in person and through vir- tual formats across the country. Of the three founding partners, Ingrid Dowan re- mains active alongside Grace Schedler, Bonnie Loewen and Terry Harris. Although much work still needs to be done in a multi- tude of areas, Dowan sees successes to celebrate. “We are gaining exposure on reconciliation allyship,” Dowan says. “That’s the big picture.” For Schedler, the importance of partnership is evi- dent in all areas of the program. “Everyone in circles has a partner — one Indigenous,
In my own walk of being reconciled to this hard story, hands down the most important part is friendship.”
Bonnie Loewen, —Circles for Reconciliation
“In my own walk of being reconciled to this hard sto- ry, hands down the most important part is friendship,” says Loewen, who comes from a non-Indigenous back- ground. “For me, it’s quite a profound journey that we walk together and I’m strengthened by it. There’s a road that we travel to create that trust.” A December 2021 survey sought feedback from par- ticipants who had completed their last circle meeting at least six months prior. In total, 109 former participants provided insights into the program and its ongoing im- pact. One respondent summed up the experience by say- ing that Circles for Reconciliation created an urgency to become an agent of change. Other respondents in- dicated that they were continuing to engage in recon- ciliation in a variety of forms, including activist work, volunteer work, personal learning and continued rela- tionships with other participants. Positive experiences also percolate with Loewen, who recalls when a First Nations participant shared thoughts after the bodies of 215 children were con- firmed on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Resi- dential School.
We honour the survivors, their families and the children who never made it home
NIKI ASHTON Member of Parliament Churchill—Keewatinook Aski Niki.Ashton@parl.gc.ca 1-866-785-0522
LEAH GAZAN Member of Parliament Winnipeg Centre Leah.Gazan@parl.gc.ca 204-984-1675
DANIEL BLAIKIE Member of Parliament Elmwood—Transcona Daniel.Blaikie@parl.gc.ca 204-984-2499
COMMUNITY LEARNING HUBS provide new vision for education
By Kristin Marand T he topic of Indigenous education in Canada is informed by the tragic legacy of residential schools and the history of colonialism. Returning education into the hands of Indigenous communities is an important symbolic and actual step on the road to reconciliation. In Manitoba, inroads are being made through a partnership between the Interlake Reserves Tribal Council and the signatories of the Manitoba Collaborative Indigenous Education Blueprint – an initiative of the province’s post- secondary institutions and the Manitoba Public School Boards Association that commits to make excellence in Indigenous education a priority. Together, they have recently opened a Learning Hub. The community learning hub in Pinaymootang serves six First Nations and provides students with the resources to be
able to study closer to home. The project, designed in partnership with the IRTC, offers Indigenous students the opportunity to achieve their academic objectives in a familiar environment with the supports of remaining in their home communities. Online learning is bolstered by enhanced internet connectivity, academic and cultural supports and Elders within the community. Indigenous input into curriculum development is vital, explains Laurie McDonald, a member of Enoch Cree Nation, Survivor of the Ermineskin Residential School in Alberta and a member of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s Survivors’ Circle. McDonald, a retired educator, describes the educational model of residential schools as taught through the lens of settlers, deliberately excluding the oral traditions and knowledge of Indigenous communities. Establishing a community learning hub, like the one in Pinaymootang, allows for the integration of various traditional and modern learning modalities. “You’re going to get different views and this creates a discussion where
and take the values and take the teachings of each and every one of them.” The learning hub is the result of numerous factors that blend both past and present realities for Indigenous communities. During the early days of the pandemic, many First Nations encouraged their young people to return to the community for safety. However, the environments weren’t always conducive to learning. Many communities have unreliable internet, for example, making it difficult to access school resources. Many also don’t have quiet places to study. As a result, many Indigenous youths dropped out of, or otherwise paused, their post-secondary education. “When we were in Pinaymootang for the grand opening, the leadership and some of the students talked about the value, the importance, the absolute need for education in the community. One of the staff talked about how it’s closing that circle. Education in the community is so important to people because so many kids were taken away to residential schools and day schools, and so to be able to bring this back is a huge, huge success,” says Dr. Catherine Cook, vice-president, Indigenous, at the University of Manitoba. “You’ve now brought people home and you’ve brought education back to the community, run and designed by the community. So that, to me, was the biggest moment there when I realized that we had been able to partner on many levels with a community that was able to achieve part of their dream for education at home. It was really quite moving.” The IRTC and post-secondary schools are working in partnership with the communities to determine what types of programs can be delivered remotely and the ongoing educational needs of the community. There are
plans to develop four more hubs in the future. “Returning education to the community is the absolute focus and a successful form of reconciliation. It’s back in the hands of the community,” says Cook. “It’s being led by the leadership there. We’re partners so we can support that, but bringing resources and skills back to the community for education in the community, run by the community, that’s reconciliation.” True reconciliation begins with listening to the experiences of Survivors and acknowledging their truths. McDonald notes that the time for that dialogue is finite. Although the last residential school in Canada only closed in 1997, there will come a time when there are no more first-hand accounts to hear. There is no substitution for authentic discourse to convey the experiences and trauma Survivors lived. The important thing is to talk to Survivors and to feel it, says McDonald. Feeling is key to understanding and moving forward. “The history books talk about the residential school but they don’t talk about it in the ways that we went through it. The history books talked about the residential school as propaganda for government saying, ‘We’re taking these poor savages away from hunger and isolation,’ which they didn’t. [They] forced,” McDonald says. “So we have to tell our truth. And we say ‘No, this is not how it happened.’ It’s about telling that truth and trying to dispel myths and set the story straight and correct.”
you have your participants, the Indigenous students, to create dialogue and to form their own opinion, based also
in collaboration of their own knowledge of their own people but also other First Nations,” says
McDonald. “What makes a hub really interesting, there are common spokes, common threads you could relate to
From left to right: Freda Woodhouse, education director, Interlake Reserves Tribal Council; Karl Zadnik, chief executive officer, Interlake Reserves Tribal Council; Don Kelly, head of public affairs and communications Canada, Mastercard Foundation; and Kurvis Anderson, chief of Pinaymootang First Nation Don Kelly accepts a gift on behalf of the Mastercard Foundation in recognition of the Learning Hub partnership.
Honouring the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
As individuals and as an organization, Legacy Bowes recognizes the legacy of Canada's residential school system and are continuously learning best ways to offer support to enhancing community capacity. In order to do this, we must engage in transformative spaces to forge new and meaningful pathways of knowing and being together. Part of this process involves education and awareness about the hard truths of our shared history. Through our TRC Call to Action #92 Certification Program, Legacy Bowes, in partnership with the TIPI Group of Companies, is offering education programming to Corporate Canada.
This is our Call to Action. What's yours?
www.legacybowes.com
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