B.C. communities plan events to mark Truth and Reconciliation Day
Events are planned across British Columbia to mark the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on Friday.
The Survivor's Flag was raised at the B.C. legislature Wednesday in a ceremony that Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister Murray Rankin called “profound and moving.”
Some events planned for Friday in Victoria include an afternoon gathering outside city hall, a bike ride led by a member of the Songhees Nation describing the significance and history of Songhees Park, and the inaugural Songhees Nation South Island powwow.
In Vancouver, members of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation walk 8.5 kilometres from the former St. Paul's Indian Residential School in North Vancouver to their reserve on the Dollarton Highway as they remember the effects and legacy of residential schools.
The City of White Rock will permanently raise the Semiahmoo First Nation flag at city hall, and in Prince George, the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation hosts a public healing event including storytelling, drumming and song.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was declared last year after hundreds of potential burial sites were located at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School and ground-penetrating radar led to similar discoveries at other former residential schools.
Former Truth and Reconciliation Commission chair Murray Sinclair has estimated some 6,000 children may have died at more than 130 residential schools operated across Canada between 1874 and 1996.
The day for truth and reconciliation honours not only the children who never made it home but survivors of the schools as well as their families and communities.
A statement on the federal government website says “public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.