Orange Shirt Day and the fourth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is this Tuesday, but the Survivors’ Flag was raised once again at the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre on Friday.
The flag is an expression of remembrance, meant to honour residential school survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada. The annual event also memorializes the children lost to the residential school system.
Faith Hale, Executive Director of Ska:Na Family Learning Centre, told the crowd reconciliation is about doing things better for the next generation.
"We're responsible for our time on earth and our purpose. So, we look forward to people joining that dance of reconciliation, living peace, and creating peace and joy in community for our future generations," said Hale.
Hale said reconciliation is not about the past with all of the guilt and anger that come with it, it's about moving forward together in a positive manner.
"We have moved on, Indigenous People have reconciled. We have children and our children are not all Indigenous children. We have family and 88 per cent of First Nations people live in urban areas in this province today. So, we have to consider what reconciliation is. We're not going away," she said.
Hale also noted Canada's history of removing children from their homes and sending them to residential schools is true and can't be denied.
"We need to able to look to those who actually lead us, and I can't say who that is for the people that may not have understanding and may not believe that this could happen in Canada or the U.S.A., but I don't think you have to look that far today to see that there's unrest in the people," Hale said.
She also told the crowd that many residential school children didn't know their birthdays and never had Happy Birthday sung to them.
This year also marks 10 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its final report and 94 calls to action. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation noted the report serves as a critical reminder of both the progress that has been made and the urgent work that remains.
The fourth annual Healing Walk and Gathering will also take place in Wallaceburg on Tuesday to remember the residential school children who never returned home and to honour the survivors. The walk starts at the Wallaceburg Library beginning at 10:30 a.m. and ends at Civic Square Park with a gathering and speeches from survivors.
Blackburn Media will also be airing a special broadcast called a Day to Listen on Tuesday from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. to inspire people throughout Canada to move reconciliation forward in meaningful ways.
