Northern Sask. communities cancel Canada Day celebrations
Following the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, the leaders of La Ronge, the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, and the village of Air Ronge have collectively made the decision to cancel Canada Day celebrations this year and instead will focus on National Indigenous People’s Day.
"Finding these grotesque acts that were done in our nation’s history, it was certainly a time for us to reflect and reach out to our Indigenous community partners, especially in our case where we live in a tri-community," La Ronge Mayor Colin Ratushniak said.
"We reached out to (Lac La Ronge Indian Band) Chief Tammy (Cook-Searson) and council to really understand what they needed from us. It was decided that this year they would focus solely on National Indigenous People’s Day on June 21."
Ratushniak said that he understands the decision is one some may consider controversial, but he hopes that if the cancellation of Canada Day can start some conversations then that is a step in the right direction.
"If it helps to spark that one debate, or having those difficult conversations with family, friends, co-workers, then we have done our job," Ratushniak told CTV.
"What we still have to work harder on, is we still need to figure out what truth and reconciliation truly mean for us to work with our Indigenous people, community, and leaders about how we can really move forward and evolve."
Ratushniak said the decision won’t mean individual Canada Day celebrations are banned, but any town-organized Canada Day events such as the fireworks will no longer be taking place this year.
"I’m a die-hard Canadian, this isn’t a decision that was made lightly. At our council table, we had a five to two vote about participating in cancelling the event."
Ratushniak said he hopes people will take the time this year to participate in National Indigenous People’s Day events and celebrations on June 21 and understand more about why the day is important.
"The best thing that you can do right now is you can go and just show support, show ally-ship, learn, listen and hopefully that will give people a better understanding of why we made the decision that we made."
FINDING CLOSURE
News of the gravesite in B.C. came as a shock to many Canadians, especially Chief Tammy Cook-Searson of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.
Having lost a young child herself, she understands the pain associated with that sort of tragedy, and not having any closure like so many parents of residential school children would be difficult.
“It’s painful to lose a child and it would be even more painful to not have a proper burial for your child, and be able to visit their grave site like I visit my son’s gravesite,” she said.
She hopes the emphasis on National Indigenous People’s Day this year will help to continue the conversation while remembering all of those who were in residential schools.
“We’re asking everybody to wear orange to show our respect and our honour to all the residential school survivors and all the children who didn’t make it home.”
National Indigenous People’s Day for the tri-communities will start off at 9 a.m. with a pipe lighting ceremony at the downtown La Ronge urban reserve.
It will continue to a smudge walk and parade at 11 a.m. starting at the Band Office and finishing at the urban reserve.
Family and traditional activities will be taking place from noon until 7 p.m. and the event will finish off with a fireworks display.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I have the will to live': N.B. woman needs double lung transplant
A New Brunswick woman suffering from sarcoidosis, a disease that limits your lung capacity, is in need of a double lung transplant.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Video shows suspect setting Toronto-area barbershop on fire
Video of a suspect lighting a Richmond Hill barbershop on fire earlier this week has been released by police.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Premier Legault reiterates that McGill pro-Palestinian camp must be dismantled
Quebec Premier François Legault reiterated that the pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill University must be dismantled while police remain 'on the lookout for new developments.'
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.