Greater Victoria students reflect on Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Friday is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is marked by Orange Shirt Day.
On Thursday morning in Langford, B.C., ceremonial First Nation dancers greeted students from Ruth King Elementary and Spencer Middle School. Those students were dressed in a sea of orange.
"We wear orange shirts because of a young girl that was six, who wore an orange shirt to school and it was taken away from her," said Vicki Ives, principle of Ruth King Elementary.
That little girl was residential school survivor Phylis Jack Webstad. Her experience on the first day of residential school has now become the symbol of truth and reconciliation in Canada.
This was Grade Five student Noah Bertland reading a poem he wrote in front of the students:
"Residential school, really mean, eating very little," he read.
"Our schools today, super kind, cool."
Bertland's poem was contrasting today's education system with that of Canada's residential school system.
He says in class he has learned extensively about residential schools and the atrocities that resulted from them. It’s a lesson that isn’t lost on him or his fellow students.
"So that they know not to start them again," said Bertland.
Students from Spencer Middle School talked about what National Truth and Reconciliation Day means to them.
"It means thinking back on what happened," said Brooklynn Barker-Hobbs, a Grade Eight student at Spencer Middle School.
"It really wasn’t fair what happened to all the kids that lost their lives to the residential schools," she added.
Students are pictured at Pioneer Park in Brentwood Bay, B.C., to mark National Truth and Reconciliation Day. Sept. 29, 2022 (CTV News)
In Brentwood Bay it was a tidal wave of orange. Hundreds of Central Saanich students converged on Pioneer Park to hear a moving speech from Talia Child, a Grade 12 student at Stelly’s Secondary School in the Indigenous leadership class.
This was Child at the podium as she spoke to the large crowd:
"I’m sharing my story today because truth-telling is part of the work today, truth-telling is essential to reconciliation," she said.
Talia Child, a Grade 12 student at Stelly’s Secondary School in Central Saanich, B.C., speaks to hundreds of students in Pioneer Park. (CTV News)
She also spoke about her family's experience at residential schools.
"Their names are Mildred Hunt and Ivy Louie," said the Grade 12 student.
She went on to talk about the recently-discovered unmarked graves of innocent Indigenous children, and the highway of tears.
"Today I wear my original regalia because in 1921, my relatives were arrested for potlatching," said Child.
It was a powerful message full of personal family stories – stories that will hopefully set the tone with the next generation.
"Because we still have a long way to go," said Child.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.