'I felt like an outcast': Members of Kitigan Zibi First Nation reflect on Truth and Reconciliation day
Cindy Tran - CBC
David Decontie felt like a stranger to his family.
After coming home from residential school, he found himself disconnected from his community. He'd forgotten his language and he was forced to learn French and English.
"I felt [like] an outcast. I wasn't accepted." said Decontie, who is from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation.
He spent nearly a decade at Kenora and Point Bleue residential schools. The fall after he turned three years old, he was forced to attend residential school along with his two brothers.
Decontie keeps images and clippings in a binder documenting his time as a child in residential school as a reminder of what he went through.© Cindy Tran/CBC
While at residential school, Decontie experienced sexual, physical and verbal abuse from religious authorities. He was forced to assimilate, unable to practise his native language, and was reduced to a number.
The schools held their version of the Olympics and survivors were forced to participate. Decontie says they would push children to the limit, no matter if it caused physical harm.
"I fainted once during a mile run. I passed out and they lifted me up and they just carried me to keep on running," said Decontie.
He remembers a time when the teachers would make him watch movies every Saturday about cowboys and Indians — where the Indians were portrayed as "the bad people."
On the playground, Decontie says at one point he began reenacting scenes from the movie.
"I was shooting the Indians …They had already brainwashed me to know that Indians were no good," he said.
Now, Decontie is gradually relearning his language and his culture with the help of his kids.
Kitigan Zibi's cultural centre is home to several artifacts from residential school years. Many children in residential schools were reduced to numbers, their names forgotten.© Cindy Tran/CBC
Impact of residential school on his family
"I didn't know what being a father was all about," said Decontie.
The trauma he experienced trickled down to his children who could feel the depth of the scars of residential school.
"I had my oldest son in my arms, and I told him, 'Brian, nobody is going to take you or your mother away from me. They're going to have to pay a price if they try,'" said Decontie.
When he first met his wife, Decontie says she taught him about fatherhood and being present. But Decontie's refusal to talk about his trauma led to his wife leaving him for a period of time. It was while they were separated that he began to pick himself up.
Decontie says he was one of the lucky children who were able to return home, but many did not.© Cindy Tran/CBC
Now Decontie has two sons and a daughter who have children of their own. He took his children back to Mashteuiatsh, Que., where he attended Point Bleue residential school.
"I told them, this is where I was. That's how it looked. They sort of understood the meaning of being in residential school and them being my children," said Decontie.
Understanding truth and reconciliation
Decontie says there are still people who doubt his story and other survivors. Today he hopes Canadians can look beyond and reflect on two things: truth and reconciliation.
"Think about those children who never made it home. I made it home but it brought a lot of grief and anger."
To remember those who have helped him through his trauma, Decontie collects tokens such as pins to put onto his hat.© Cindy Tran/CBC
Allen Beaudoin, a member of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, hopes more people will consider how they benefit from the system that has oppressed Indigenous people and learn to change their mindset.
"I hope that people will recognize that we're still here, and that we're stronger than ever," said Beaudoin.
For Delphis Whiteduck Commonda, who is also a member of Kitigan Zibi, the day should be about reflecting and rebuilding relationships.
"Understand that we are still thriving and we can coexist with each other once again," said Whiteduck-Commonda.
Orange ribbons flank a monument remembering the children from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg who were forced to attend residential schools. The ribbons hang in remembrance of the 215 children whose remains were discovered in an unmarked burial site on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in Kamloops, B.C.© Christian Milette/Radio-Canada
Cindy Tran - CBC
David Decontie felt like a stranger to his family.
After coming home from residential school, he found himself disconnected from his community. He'd forgotten his language and he was forced to learn French and English.
"I felt [like] an outcast. I wasn't accepted." said Decontie, who is from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation.
He spent nearly a decade at Kenora and Point Bleue residential schools. The fall after he turned three years old, he was forced to attend residential school along with his two brothers.
Decontie keeps images and clippings in a binder documenting his time as a child in residential school as a reminder of what he went through.© Cindy Tran/CBC
While at residential school, Decontie experienced sexual, physical and verbal abuse from religious authorities. He was forced to assimilate, unable to practise his native language, and was reduced to a number.
The schools held their version of the Olympics and survivors were forced to participate. Decontie says they would push children to the limit, no matter if it caused physical harm.
"I fainted once during a mile run. I passed out and they lifted me up and they just carried me to keep on running," said Decontie.
He remembers a time when the teachers would make him watch movies every Saturday about cowboys and Indians — where the Indians were portrayed as "the bad people."
On the playground, Decontie says at one point he began reenacting scenes from the movie.
"I was shooting the Indians …They had already brainwashed me to know that Indians were no good," he said.
Now, Decontie is gradually relearning his language and his culture with the help of his kids.
Kitigan Zibi's cultural centre is home to several artifacts from residential school years. Many children in residential schools were reduced to numbers, their names forgotten.© Cindy Tran/CBC
Impact of residential school on his family
"I didn't know what being a father was all about," said Decontie.
The trauma he experienced trickled down to his children who could feel the depth of the scars of residential school.
"I had my oldest son in my arms, and I told him, 'Brian, nobody is going to take you or your mother away from me. They're going to have to pay a price if they try,'" said Decontie.
When he first met his wife, Decontie says she taught him about fatherhood and being present. But Decontie's refusal to talk about his trauma led to his wife leaving him for a period of time. It was while they were separated that he began to pick himself up.
Decontie says he was one of the lucky children who were able to return home, but many did not.© Cindy Tran/CBC
Now Decontie has two sons and a daughter who have children of their own. He took his children back to Mashteuiatsh, Que., where he attended Point Bleue residential school.
"I told them, this is where I was. That's how it looked. They sort of understood the meaning of being in residential school and them being my children," said Decontie.
Understanding truth and reconciliation
Decontie says there are still people who doubt his story and other survivors. Today he hopes Canadians can look beyond and reflect on two things: truth and reconciliation.
"Think about those children who never made it home. I made it home but it brought a lot of grief and anger."
To remember those who have helped him through his trauma, Decontie collects tokens such as pins to put onto his hat.© Cindy Tran/CBC
Allen Beaudoin, a member of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, hopes more people will consider how they benefit from the system that has oppressed Indigenous people and learn to change their mindset.
"I hope that people will recognize that we're still here, and that we're stronger than ever," said Beaudoin.
For Delphis Whiteduck Commonda, who is also a member of Kitigan Zibi, the day should be about reflecting and rebuilding relationships.
"Understand that we are still thriving and we can coexist with each other once again," said Whiteduck-Commonda.
Orange ribbons flank a monument remembering the children from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg who were forced to attend residential schools. The ribbons hang in remembrance of the 215 children whose remains were discovered in an unmarked burial site on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in Kamloops, B.C.© Christian Milette/Radio-Canada
OTTAWA — The Canadian Federation of Library Associations is calling on federal cabinet ministers to support a full public release of remaining residential school records held by the Catholic Church and the government.
It says the federal government committed to turning over 12,000 residential school documents after calls from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, which has archived more than five million documents and 6,000 witness statements.
The CFLA says in a release issued today that the documents are important for understanding the injustices and human rights abuses committed in the residential school system and are integral for "the achievement of justice" for Indigenous communities.
The CFLA says in order for the Pope's recent visit to Canada to impact reconciliation, action must be taken to uncover the full truth of the residential school system.
Related video: Honouring victims of residential schools who are no longer here today
Duration 2:12 View on Watch
The call comes one day before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday.
Earlier this year, the federal government announced an agreement with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to hand over thousands of records, after the centre said last fall that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was incorrect when he told a gathering of Indigenous leaders on Tk'emlups te Secwepemc territory that it had turned over everything it had.
Survivors and Indigenous leaders have long called on the federal government to release remaining records that it had refused to fully disclose, citing legal obligations it had to third parties, including Catholic entities that operated the institutions.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2022.
Canada Posts launches four stamps recognizing residential schools and reconciliation
OTTAWA — Canada Post is launching four new stamps showcasing Indigenous artists' visions for truth and reconciliation.
The Crown corporation says this is the first in an annual series meant to encourage reflection on the painful legacy of Canada's residential schools.
The stamps will be released on Thursday, a day before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday.
The series features artwork by Jackie Traverse, Gayle Uyagaqi Kabloona, Kim Gullion Stewart and Blair Thomson. The stamps are inscribed with the Indigenous language of each of their creators.
Canada Post says the stamps are cancelled — given a decorative mark that prevents reuse — in Brantford, Ont., the site of the Mohawk Institute Residential School.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2022.
The Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Canada Post is launching four new stamps showcasing Indigenous artists' visions for truth and reconciliation.
The Crown corporation says this is the first in an annual series meant to encourage reflection on the painful legacy of Canada's residential schools.
The stamps will be released on Thursday, a day before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday.
The series features artwork by Jackie Traverse, Gayle Uyagaqi Kabloona, Kim Gullion Stewart and Blair Thomson. The stamps are inscribed with the Indigenous language of each of their creators.
Canada Post says the stamps are cancelled — given a decorative mark that prevents reuse — in Brantford, Ont., the site of the Mohawk Institute Residential School.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2022.
The Canadian Press
National chief says Canada's reconciliation actions taking long road; 40 years away
VICTORIA — The road to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in Canada remains a long one, says Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald, who estimates it will take 40 years at the current pace to achieve the more than 90 calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report.
National chief
It has been a process of two steps forward and one step back over the past year, Archibald said in an interview ahead of Friday's National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
The day was declared last year after hundreds of potential unmarked burial sites of Indigenous children were found by First Nations near former residential schools, including by the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc nation in Kamloops and Saskatchewan's Cowessess First Nation.
The national chief was in Regina Thursday along with Gov. Gen. Mary Simon for a reconciliation ceremony at Mosaic Stadium and co-hosted by Chief Cadmus Delorme of the Cowessess.
"At that rate we're going with the number of calls to action that have been actually implemented, it's going to take 40 years to complete all the calls to action," she said in an interview.
"That's how slow the process has been," said Archibald. "That's kind of disheartening that we're not moving faster. The Canadian government and all the partners that are mentioned in these calls to action are not moving as quickly as they could be."
Making progress on the 94 calls to action is a subject of the federal government's "relentless commitment" on reconciliation, Marc Miller, federal Crown-Indigenous relations minister, said Thursday in an interview.
"It's ongoing," he said. "It's incomplete. I'm not satisfied. I don't think anyone is."
Miller said many of the calls to action involve long-term investments, which the government is determined to achieve.
"This isn't an operation of ticking off boxes," he said. "It has to have the relentless commitment of our government, particularly in light of the horrific discoveries in and around Kamloops, and really the impact that had on all Canadians, shocking their conscience and a re-examination of what it means to be Canadian."
Miller said he's heard others beyond Archibald say the process to achieve the calls to action could take many years, but many of the issues can't be resolved in short periods of time.
"We've heard from some people doing searches, for example, that it could take up to 10 years to get a full picture of what it is in and around those unmarked graves," he said.
The 4,000-page report released in 2015 by the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission detailed harsh mistreatment at residential schools, including emotional, physical and sexual abuse of children, and at least 4,100 deaths at the institutions.
Archibald said there have been positive reconciliation steps this past year, but "we've had a couple of real steps backwards in relation to reconciliation."
She cited court cases over Indigenous rights to self-determination, self-government and jurisdiction over their children as examples of backtracking,but the recent establishment of an independent National Council on Truth and Reconciliation and the raising of the Survivors' Flag on Parliament Hill were steps forward.
Archibald said the Pope's visit to Canada last summer and his apology to residential school survivors "was very much appreciated by some survivors."
But the progress toward addressing many of the calls to action remains slow, she said.
"The real, deeper issues under the TRC's report have yet to be fulfilled. So, it's as though governments are trying to find the, I guess, easiest to implement," said Archibald. "I suppose it makes sense, but you know when it comes to systemic changes we need in Canada, we need those deeper issues looked at. We need some of the issues around justice and policing, all of those things to be actioned as well."
Organizations monitoring reconciliation in Canada, including the completion of the 94 calls to action, report the resolution of up to 12 of the commission's calls.
Indigenous Watchdog, a federally registered non-profit dedicated to monitoring and reporting on how reconciliation is advancing on the critical issues affecting the Indigenous world, reported 12 completed actions in August.
The group also reported 35 per cent of the 94 calls to action have not been started or are currently stalled.
In June 2021, the First Nations-led Yellowhead Institute reported nine completed calls to action, including the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls inquiry and federal acknowledgment of Indigenous language rights.
Archibald said the National Truth and Reconciliation Day is a time for Canadians to pause and consider the history and reality of residential schools.
"It's really an opportunity for reflection," she said. "It's a call to action for non-Indigenous peoples to do some basic things like get a copy of the summary of the TRC calls to action. It's really worth it for non-Indigenous people to read that particular handout pamphlet."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2022.
Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press
VICTORIA — The road to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in Canada remains a long one, says Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald, who estimates it will take 40 years at the current pace to achieve the more than 90 calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report.
National chief
It has been a process of two steps forward and one step back over the past year, Archibald said in an interview ahead of Friday's National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
The day was declared last year after hundreds of potential unmarked burial sites of Indigenous children were found by First Nations near former residential schools, including by the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc nation in Kamloops and Saskatchewan's Cowessess First Nation.
The national chief was in Regina Thursday along with Gov. Gen. Mary Simon for a reconciliation ceremony at Mosaic Stadium and co-hosted by Chief Cadmus Delorme of the Cowessess.
"At that rate we're going with the number of calls to action that have been actually implemented, it's going to take 40 years to complete all the calls to action," she said in an interview.
"That's how slow the process has been," said Archibald. "That's kind of disheartening that we're not moving faster. The Canadian government and all the partners that are mentioned in these calls to action are not moving as quickly as they could be."
Making progress on the 94 calls to action is a subject of the federal government's "relentless commitment" on reconciliation, Marc Miller, federal Crown-Indigenous relations minister, said Thursday in an interview.
"It's ongoing," he said. "It's incomplete. I'm not satisfied. I don't think anyone is."
Miller said many of the calls to action involve long-term investments, which the government is determined to achieve.
"This isn't an operation of ticking off boxes," he said. "It has to have the relentless commitment of our government, particularly in light of the horrific discoveries in and around Kamloops, and really the impact that had on all Canadians, shocking their conscience and a re-examination of what it means to be Canadian."
Related video: How Canadians learn and move forward together during Truth & Reconciliation Week Duration 2:41 n Watch
Miller said he's heard others beyond Archibald say the process to achieve the calls to action could take many years, but many of the issues can't be resolved in short periods of time.
"We've heard from some people doing searches, for example, that it could take up to 10 years to get a full picture of what it is in and around those unmarked graves," he said.
The 4,000-page report released in 2015 by the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission detailed harsh mistreatment at residential schools, including emotional, physical and sexual abuse of children, and at least 4,100 deaths at the institutions.
Archibald said there have been positive reconciliation steps this past year, but "we've had a couple of real steps backwards in relation to reconciliation."
She cited court cases over Indigenous rights to self-determination, self-government and jurisdiction over their children as examples of backtracking,but the recent establishment of an independent National Council on Truth and Reconciliation and the raising of the Survivors' Flag on Parliament Hill were steps forward.
Archibald said the Pope's visit to Canada last summer and his apology to residential school survivors "was very much appreciated by some survivors."
But the progress toward addressing many of the calls to action remains slow, she said.
"The real, deeper issues under the TRC's report have yet to be fulfilled. So, it's as though governments are trying to find the, I guess, easiest to implement," said Archibald. "I suppose it makes sense, but you know when it comes to systemic changes we need in Canada, we need those deeper issues looked at. We need some of the issues around justice and policing, all of those things to be actioned as well."
Organizations monitoring reconciliation in Canada, including the completion of the 94 calls to action, report the resolution of up to 12 of the commission's calls.
Indigenous Watchdog, a federally registered non-profit dedicated to monitoring and reporting on how reconciliation is advancing on the critical issues affecting the Indigenous world, reported 12 completed actions in August.
The group also reported 35 per cent of the 94 calls to action have not been started or are currently stalled.
In June 2021, the First Nations-led Yellowhead Institute reported nine completed calls to action, including the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls inquiry and federal acknowledgment of Indigenous language rights.
Archibald said the National Truth and Reconciliation Day is a time for Canadians to pause and consider the history and reality of residential schools.
"It's really an opportunity for reflection," she said. "It's a call to action for non-Indigenous peoples to do some basic things like get a copy of the summary of the TRC calls to action. It's really worth it for non-Indigenous people to read that particular handout pamphlet."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2022.
Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press
We shouldn't have to push people': Most provinces have not made Sept. 30 a stat
While Canada prepares to honour the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday, the majority of provinces have not followed the federal government's move to make it a statutory holiday for its workers.
'We shouldn't have to push people': Most provinces have not made Sept. 30 a stat
© Provided by The Canadian Press
New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut have declared Sept. 30 a statutory holiday.
The other provinces and territories are choosing to observe the day in various ways, while some continue consultations with Indigenous groups and businesses about whether to make it a stat.
Some cities, schools and businesses are also choosing different ways to recognize the day.
New Brunswick was the latest to declare Sept. 30 a provincial holiday.
"While this is a day to commemorate the tragic history of residential schools and honour those who did not make it home, as well as their survivors and families, I would encourage all to reflect and be reminded that reconciliation is not just one day of the year," New Brunswick Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arlene Dunn said in a statement last week.
The day is set to be treated as any other provincial holiday. All essential services, including health care, will continue to be delivered. The holiday will be optional for private sector businesses, the province said.
Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'taqnn, a group representingMi'kmaq communities in New Brunswick, said the day is set aside for people to remember and honour victims and survivors of residential schools, including children from First Nations who attended day schools.
"It's no secret our relationship with the (Blaine) Higgs government has been strained. Recognizing this holiday does not reconcile issues or differences with the Higgs government, but it is a step in the right direction," the organization said in a statement.
"By granting this holiday, the Government of New Brunswick is giving New Brunswickers an opportunity to reflect on how we can learn from each other and work together as treaty partners."
The day, originally known as Orange Shirt Day, was established in honour of the experience of Phyllis Webstad, whose gift of clothing from her grandmother was taken away on Webstad's first day at a residential school.
The federal government made the day a statutory holiday for its workers and federally regulated workplaces last year.
For many residential school survivors, including Eugene Arcand, the day will always be known as Orange Shirt Day and efforts at the grassroots level to acknowledge the pain and trauma Indigenous children were subjected to at residential schools should continue to be recognized.
Arcand, who is from Muskeg Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan, said he never thought he'd see a day dedicated to honouring survivors.
The discovery last year of what are believed to be 215 unmarked graves at a former school site in Kamloops, B.C., forced the country to listen to what survivors had been saying for years.
Since the discovery, numerous First Nations across Canada have begun their own ground-penetrating searches of school sites, Pope Francis delivered a historic and long-awaited apology on Canadian soil for the role the Roman Catholic Church played in running many of the residential schools, and a flag honouring those impacted by the schools was raised on Parliament Hill.
Arcand said these events will provide a better quality of life for future generations of children.
But, he added, it's up to non-Indigenous peoples to educate themselves.
"We shouldn't have to push people. It's important for people to determine for themselves how they want to get engaged," he said in a recent interview in Winnipeg.
"I'm not going to bang my head against the wall for the rest of my life trying to encourage people to engage."
The Saskatchewan government said it has no plans to make the day a statutory holiday for the province.
Matthew Glover, director of media relations, said the government is encouraging residents to take a moment to reflect and discuss the importance of meaningful reconciliation.
Flags are to be lowered to half-mast at all Saskatchewan government buildings.
The Manitoba government recently announced it would observe the day for a second year, while discussions continue about making it an official statutory holiday. Schools and non-essential government services and offices will be closed.
The province said it is continuing consultations with Indigenous and labour groups.
Jennifer Wood hopes that Manitoba will soon enact legislation making the day a statutory holiday.
Wood, who lives in Winnipeg, is a survivor from Neyaashiinigmiing Ojibwe Territory in Ontario.
"It will really show that the sincerity of everything that's happened is taken seriously. It's 2022. We cannot continue to sweep anything under the rug. We have to recognize what's happening in Canada, and look at ways on how we can coexist," she said.
The day should be about educating the broader public about the legacy of residential schools, she added.
"It's our time to tell our narrative of the truth of the residential school system."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2022.
Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press
New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut have declared Sept. 30 a statutory holiday.
The other provinces and territories are choosing to observe the day in various ways, while some continue consultations with Indigenous groups and businesses about whether to make it a stat.
Some cities, schools and businesses are also choosing different ways to recognize the day.
New Brunswick was the latest to declare Sept. 30 a provincial holiday.
"While this is a day to commemorate the tragic history of residential schools and honour those who did not make it home, as well as their survivors and families, I would encourage all to reflect and be reminded that reconciliation is not just one day of the year," New Brunswick Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arlene Dunn said in a statement last week.
The day is set to be treated as any other provincial holiday. All essential services, including health care, will continue to be delivered. The holiday will be optional for private sector businesses, the province said.
Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'taqnn, a group representingMi'kmaq communities in New Brunswick, said the day is set aside for people to remember and honour victims and survivors of residential schools, including children from First Nations who attended day schools.
"It's no secret our relationship with the (Blaine) Higgs government has been strained. Recognizing this holiday does not reconcile issues or differences with the Higgs government, but it is a step in the right direction," the organization said in a statement.
"By granting this holiday, the Government of New Brunswick is giving New Brunswickers an opportunity to reflect on how we can learn from each other and work together as treaty partners."
The day, originally known as Orange Shirt Day, was established in honour of the experience of Phyllis Webstad, whose gift of clothing from her grandmother was taken away on Webstad's first day at a residential school.
The federal government made the day a statutory holiday for its workers and federally regulated workplaces last year.
For many residential school survivors, including Eugene Arcand, the day will always be known as Orange Shirt Day and efforts at the grassroots level to acknowledge the pain and trauma Indigenous children were subjected to at residential schools should continue to be recognized.
Arcand, who is from Muskeg Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan, said he never thought he'd see a day dedicated to honouring survivors.
The discovery last year of what are believed to be 215 unmarked graves at a former school site in Kamloops, B.C., forced the country to listen to what survivors had been saying for years.
Since the discovery, numerous First Nations across Canada have begun their own ground-penetrating searches of school sites, Pope Francis delivered a historic and long-awaited apology on Canadian soil for the role the Roman Catholic Church played in running many of the residential schools, and a flag honouring those impacted by the schools was raised on Parliament Hill.
Arcand said these events will provide a better quality of life for future generations of children.
But, he added, it's up to non-Indigenous peoples to educate themselves.
"We shouldn't have to push people. It's important for people to determine for themselves how they want to get engaged," he said in a recent interview in Winnipeg.
"I'm not going to bang my head against the wall for the rest of my life trying to encourage people to engage."
The Saskatchewan government said it has no plans to make the day a statutory holiday for the province.
Matthew Glover, director of media relations, said the government is encouraging residents to take a moment to reflect and discuss the importance of meaningful reconciliation.
Flags are to be lowered to half-mast at all Saskatchewan government buildings.
The Manitoba government recently announced it would observe the day for a second year, while discussions continue about making it an official statutory holiday. Schools and non-essential government services and offices will be closed.
The province said it is continuing consultations with Indigenous and labour groups.
Jennifer Wood hopes that Manitoba will soon enact legislation making the day a statutory holiday.
Wood, who lives in Winnipeg, is a survivor from Neyaashiinigmiing Ojibwe Territory in Ontario.
"It will really show that the sincerity of everything that's happened is taken seriously. It's 2022. We cannot continue to sweep anything under the rug. We have to recognize what's happening in Canada, and look at ways on how we can coexist," she said.
The day should be about educating the broader public about the legacy of residential schools, she added.
"It's our time to tell our narrative of the truth of the residential school system."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2022.
Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press
Manitoba government funding healing lodges at two correctional centres
BRANDON, Man. — The Manitoba government is establishing healing lodges at two correctional facilities to give prisoners access to culturally appropriate supports and limit their chances of reoffending.
Manitoba government funding healing lodges at two correctional centres
BRANDON, Man. — The Manitoba government is establishing healing lodges at two correctional facilities to give prisoners access to culturally appropriate supports and limit their chances of reoffending.
Manitoba government funding healing lodges at two correctional centres
© Provided by The Canadian Press
The province says the Standing Together Healing Lodges at the correctional centres in Brandon and The Pas are to support inmate education, language acquisition, family reunification and sobriety.
Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen says evidence shows rehabilitative programs offered in the correctional system help reduce the chance of inmates reoffending.
The province says in a release that the lodges will offer participants the opportunity to work in an organized structure to focus on treatment goals.
Part of the programming will include ensuring participants have access to community supports once they leave the correctional system.
The province is providing $1.4 million to support construction of the buildings, with annual staffing and operating costs of $1.2 million.
"Healing lodges within a correctional facility help to provide cultural connection and support that can then be continued when an individual is released from custody," Goertzen said in a release Monday.
He added that healing lodges use traditional ceremonies, teachings and land-based experiences, along with other interventions, to give participants the chance to heal.
"Our elders and knowledge keeps have reminded us of the importance of our culture and language as necessary steps toward an individual's healing journey and recovery from past traumas," Edwin Wood, justice program manager at Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, said in the release.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2022.
The Canadian Press
The province says the Standing Together Healing Lodges at the correctional centres in Brandon and The Pas are to support inmate education, language acquisition, family reunification and sobriety.
Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen says evidence shows rehabilitative programs offered in the correctional system help reduce the chance of inmates reoffending.
The province says in a release that the lodges will offer participants the opportunity to work in an organized structure to focus on treatment goals.
Part of the programming will include ensuring participants have access to community supports once they leave the correctional system.
The province is providing $1.4 million to support construction of the buildings, with annual staffing and operating costs of $1.2 million.
"Healing lodges within a correctional facility help to provide cultural connection and support that can then be continued when an individual is released from custody," Goertzen said in a release Monday.
He added that healing lodges use traditional ceremonies, teachings and land-based experiences, along with other interventions, to give participants the chance to heal.
"Our elders and knowledge keeps have reminded us of the importance of our culture and language as necessary steps toward an individual's healing journey and recovery from past traumas," Edwin Wood, justice program manager at Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, said in the release.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2022.
The Canadian Press
'The bond is broken': Data shows Indigenous kids overrepresented in foster care
WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg mother says she was scarred for life when her first child was taken away at birth by social workers, who told her she was unfit to parent her newborn daughter because she was just 17 at the time.
"I don't know how one could fully heal from that trauma," said the woman, now 41, whom The Canadian Press has agreed not to identify because of her family's involvement in the child welfare system. "Having a baby taken away from birth … the bond is broken."
New census data suggests Indigenous children continue to be overrepresented in the child welfare system.
Statistics Canada released data from the 2021 census showing Indigenous children accounted for 53.8 per cent of all children in foster care.
This has gone up slightly from the 2016 census, which found 52.2 per cent of children in care under the age of 14 were Indigenous. At the time, about eight per cent of kids that age in Canada were Indigenous.
More than three per cent of Indigenous children living in private households in 2021 were in foster care compared to the 0.2 per cent of non-Indigenous children. Nationally, Indigenous children accounted for 7.7 per cent of all children 14 years of age and younger.
Statistics Canada says because of difficulties in collecting census data on First Nations and other Indigenous communities, some caution should be exercised in comparing census years.
In recent years there has been a significant push from Indigenous leaders and child welfare advocates across the country to address the myriad systemic issues contributing to the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care. But experts say factors like colonialism, chronic underfunding of child welfare systems, discriminatory practices and poverty remain.
The child welfare system was part of the Winnipeg mother's life since before she was born. Some of her siblings were taken from her mother, a residential school survivor, as part of the Sixties Scoop. She was allowed to stay with her mother, but she doesn't know why.
The pain of having her daughter taken would repeat when her second and third children became permanent wards of the province. She says she used alcohol to cope with a family member's death at the time. Her children were living with their father when workers apprehended them due to poverty, she says.
Years later, when the woman's granddaughter went into the system and she became pregnant with her fourth child, she knew she needed to break the cycle. She began working with First Nations advocates and parenting groups to learn more about the culture that was stripped from her.
"I've done so much healing. I learned about our grief and loss and about positive coping skills," said the woman, who is now caring for her granddaughter and four-year-old son.
"Learning my culture and traditions really saved me."
There are about 10,000 children in care in Manitoba and about 90 per cent are Indigenous.
Statistics Canada says limitations with the way it collects data have an effect on the national numbers. For example, children living in settings like group homes would not be included.
"The most definitive counts would be coming from the service provider or organizations themselves, whether that's provincial, territorial or other jurisdictions. They would have the most definitive (number) based on a given point in time," said Chris Penney, with the Centre for Indigenous Statistics and Partnerships.
The Winnipeg mother adds that while there have been some improvements in the child welfare system thanks to First Nations authorities and social workers, prevention is still lacking.
"It should be about keeping families together and empowering the parent … they need something to keep the families together."
Mary Teegee, executive director of Carrier Sekani Family Services in British Columbia, said generations of children have been ripped from their parents through the residential school system and the Sixties Scoop, and are being raised without the support of their families, culture or communities.
This has contributed to addictions, mental health issues and trauma, she added.
"This isn't just because Indigenous people can't take care of their children. It's because of generation after generation of attacks on family, class and nation structures."
Cora Morgan, the First Nations family advocate for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, said without proper investments in prevention and healing, government reforms alone won't get to the root of the issue.
"Right now we've been in a situation where government dictates how things are going to happen," she said.
"There needs to be free will of our nations to be able to bring children home."
Justin Trudeau's Liberal government introduced Indigenous child welfare legislation in 2019 and it came into force in 2020.
The legislation is supposed to affirm the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to exercise jurisdiction over child and family services with the goal of reducing the number of Indigenous children in care.
Indigenous Services Canada says as of July, 37 groups have sent notices of intention to exercise legislative authority and 27 have requested to enter into co-ordination agreements. Out of this, two First Nations have entered into co-ordination agreements with the federal and provincial governments.
Experts say it's too soon to tell what effect the legislation will have on reducing the number of Indigenous kids in care.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2022.
Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press
WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg mother says she was scarred for life when her first child was taken away at birth by social workers, who told her she was unfit to parent her newborn daughter because she was just 17 at the time.
"I don't know how one could fully heal from that trauma," said the woman, now 41, whom The Canadian Press has agreed not to identify because of her family's involvement in the child welfare system. "Having a baby taken away from birth … the bond is broken."
New census data suggests Indigenous children continue to be overrepresented in the child welfare system.
Statistics Canada released data from the 2021 census showing Indigenous children accounted for 53.8 per cent of all children in foster care.
This has gone up slightly from the 2016 census, which found 52.2 per cent of children in care under the age of 14 were Indigenous. At the time, about eight per cent of kids that age in Canada were Indigenous.
More than three per cent of Indigenous children living in private households in 2021 were in foster care compared to the 0.2 per cent of non-Indigenous children. Nationally, Indigenous children accounted for 7.7 per cent of all children 14 years of age and younger.
Statistics Canada says because of difficulties in collecting census data on First Nations and other Indigenous communities, some caution should be exercised in comparing census years.
In recent years there has been a significant push from Indigenous leaders and child welfare advocates across the country to address the myriad systemic issues contributing to the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care. But experts say factors like colonialism, chronic underfunding of child welfare systems, discriminatory practices and poverty remain.
The child welfare system was part of the Winnipeg mother's life since before she was born. Some of her siblings were taken from her mother, a residential school survivor, as part of the Sixties Scoop. She was allowed to stay with her mother, but she doesn't know why.
The pain of having her daughter taken would repeat when her second and third children became permanent wards of the province. She says she used alcohol to cope with a family member's death at the time. Her children were living with their father when workers apprehended them due to poverty, she says.
Years later, when the woman's granddaughter went into the system and she became pregnant with her fourth child, she knew she needed to break the cycle. She began working with First Nations advocates and parenting groups to learn more about the culture that was stripped from her.
"I've done so much healing. I learned about our grief and loss and about positive coping skills," said the woman, who is now caring for her granddaughter and four-year-old son.
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"Learning my culture and traditions really saved me."
There are about 10,000 children in care in Manitoba and about 90 per cent are Indigenous.
Statistics Canada says limitations with the way it collects data have an effect on the national numbers. For example, children living in settings like group homes would not be included.
"The most definitive counts would be coming from the service provider or organizations themselves, whether that's provincial, territorial or other jurisdictions. They would have the most definitive (number) based on a given point in time," said Chris Penney, with the Centre for Indigenous Statistics and Partnerships.
The Winnipeg mother adds that while there have been some improvements in the child welfare system thanks to First Nations authorities and social workers, prevention is still lacking.
"It should be about keeping families together and empowering the parent … they need something to keep the families together."
Mary Teegee, executive director of Carrier Sekani Family Services in British Columbia, said generations of children have been ripped from their parents through the residential school system and the Sixties Scoop, and are being raised without the support of their families, culture or communities.
This has contributed to addictions, mental health issues and trauma, she added.
"This isn't just because Indigenous people can't take care of their children. It's because of generation after generation of attacks on family, class and nation structures."
Cora Morgan, the First Nations family advocate for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, said without proper investments in prevention and healing, government reforms alone won't get to the root of the issue.
"Right now we've been in a situation where government dictates how things are going to happen," she said.
"There needs to be free will of our nations to be able to bring children home."
Justin Trudeau's Liberal government introduced Indigenous child welfare legislation in 2019 and it came into force in 2020.
The legislation is supposed to affirm the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to exercise jurisdiction over child and family services with the goal of reducing the number of Indigenous children in care.
Indigenous Services Canada says as of July, 37 groups have sent notices of intention to exercise legislative authority and 27 have requested to enter into co-ordination agreements. Out of this, two First Nations have entered into co-ordination agreements with the federal and provincial governments.
Experts say it's too soon to tell what effect the legislation will have on reducing the number of Indigenous kids in care.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2022.
Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press
