Sask. woman collects 215 pairs of shoes to hang on Muskoday bridge in honour of residential school children
A woman from Saskatchewan’s Muskoday First Nation marked National Indigenous Peoples’ Day with a tribute to those affected by residential schools.
Ronalda Vandale gathered 215 pairs of children’s shoes to hang on the Muskoday bridge on Monday. The shoes represent the remains of 215 children found last month at a former residential school site in Kamloops, B.C., but further ground radar searches have revealed many more unmarked graves.
Vandale’s mother was a residential school survivor.
“I often asked her about her experience at residential school, but she would never share it. She would always tell me the same thing, over and over again: ‘It was just school,’” she said.
“When my mom passed away in 2011, I never got an answer.”
Almost a year ago, Vandale’s son died of an opioid overdose in Vancouver. She joined the Canada-wide advocacy group Moms Stop the Harm.
The organization hung hundreds of shoes on a Vancouver overpass to remember victims of substance use, so Vandale decided to carry on that initiative to remember residential school students who never returned home.
It also helps people grieve those losses, she said, when many traditional Indigenous ceremonies have been held back due to COVID-19.
“When we don’t have those ceremonies, those spirits just wander around, the elders told us,” said Vandale.
“It’s through our ceremonies and through our traditions and through our elders that we have the ability to heal and to mourn and to carry on.”
The community held a pipe ceremony on Saturday to remember and honour residential school children.
Vandale brought two pairs of children’s moccasins for her and Muskoday Chief Ava Bear to hang on the bridge on Monday.
“You can see the impact that it makes. It was very emotional this morning tying the shoes because you think about all of those children who never made it home, all of the parents who probably never knew what happened to their children,” said Bear.
And, as much as it hurts, Bear said the truth behind residential schools is still being revealed through searches of former sites.
“Many people think this is just the tip of the iceberg – There will be more.”
If you are a former residential school student in distress, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419.
Additional mental-health support and resources for Indigenous people are available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL has suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.