Survivors share knowledge at site of Sask. residential school
People from 13 First Nations were represented at a gathering of residential school survivors at the site of the St. Michael's Residential School south of Duck Lake.
FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron came to gain knowledge and direction from residential school survivors.
“As elected leaders we must take direction on this from them. It’s them who will drive this process as they are the experts,” said Cameron.
Cameron said he would echo their calls for action to the federal minister of Indigenous Affairs Marc Miller at a meeting in Saskatoon on Aug. 5.
One of the recommendations to come out of the gathering was to build a cultural teaching centre and healing lodge at the site.
Cameron said he will ask that the government intervene to stop churches and government from destroying records left over from the residential school era.
Beardy’s Okemasis First Nation has hired a representative to study material at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary to gain more insight into the school. They are considering funding options for a ground penetrating radar survey in the area.
The idea for the five-day retreat and ceremony was born out of the Every Child Matters campaign and in respect for the 215 human remains discovered at a residential school site near Kamploops, B.C.
A small memorial of shoes and teddy bears were placed at the St. Michael's site. From Aug. 2-6 the memorial will be surrounded by tipis and campsites for the retreat participants.
“We want to create that awareness and education about who we are as a nation and where we’re going,” said Delano Mike, a member of the Beardy’s Okemasis First Nation leadership team and event organizer.
“We’re all affected as a nation. Whether it’s directly as a survivor or indirectly meaning that if you did not attend a residential school you are affected through intergenerational trauma. So that’s why we have an open dialogue,” said Mike.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.