We are proud of the role we play in highlighting matters of national importance. Coverage of this day of healing and reflection in response to the discovery of unmarked graves at Residential Schools throughout Canada was provided to the Town of Orangeville.
Full video transcript:
Tomorrow is Canada Day, a happy time where families and communities get together to celebrate our good fortune to live in this beautiful country. The languishing effects of Covid will again prevent large community celebrations. But as of today, we can gather outside in groups of up to 25, which means that family gatherings outdoors are permitted. Overlying the celebration of the birth of our nation is the unsettling news surrounding residential schools. This country has provided opportunities for immigrants from over 200 nations. However, our Indigenous people have not been treated kindly throughout history. The discovery of unmarked graves of almost a thousand children has the entire country looking for answers and feeling compassion and empathy for Indigenous people. On June the 2nd, 2015 The Truth and Reconciliation Commission published its final report. This document provided pathways to assist federal, provincial and municipal governments as they begin efforts to recognise the past and work towards healing and reconciliation. One of the concepts presented was reconciliation as a process of the healing of relationships that requires public truth sharing, apology and commemoration that acknowledges past harms. It is in this spirit that we gather tonight. We are illuminating our Town Hall and the Alder Recreational Complex in orange light from June 30th to July 2nd to commemorate those children who lost their lives in the residential schools and to honour the survivors. The colour orange was chosen as Orange Shirt Day is September 30th and the day that the federal government has chosen to remember residential schools. We hope those driving by these buildings over the next three nights will take time to reflect and remember the survivors and those lost. I will end my statement by sharing the words of Prime Minister Trudeau as he responded to the recent news out of British Columbia and Saskatchewan. While we cannot bring back those who were lost, we can and we will tell the truth that these injustices and we will forever honour their memory. It is now my distinct honour to introduce Councillor Joe Andrews. Councillor Andrews has been a Board Member of the Dufferin County Cultural Resource Circle for several years. In his role as principal of Humber College, Councillor Andrews championed Humber’s indigenous education and engagement in Orangeville. Councillor Andrews. Mayor Brown, thank you for your words of observation and reflection. As we look to commemorate those children who lost their lives at residential schools and to honour the survivors. It is my honour to be with you and to share my thoughts. As someone who has been privileged to be connected to our regional indigenous community through the lens of the DCCRC, Dufferin County Cultural Resource Circle, almost since their inception a number of years ago. I, like many have come to learn and appreciate the real ancestors of what we know today as Dufferin County. Through the guidance of the elders and other members of this organization, I still try to understand the impact imposed for centuries on our First Nations people. Yet I know that I can only comprehend so much because I am not of indigenous heritage. What I’m here to do today is to acknowledge, to sympathize and support. Forms of support vary and cannot be just lip service. We must collectively, through both our local, provincial and national organizations, look for ways to reimagine a future where Canada and all of its communities can and must do better. Connecting with the DCCRC is a start, but going deeper is the goal. I truly commend the Town of Orangeville for the illumination of the Town Hall and the Alder Recreation Center in orange light from June 30th to July 2nd. I also commend my fellow council member, Lisa Post, who put forth a motion at Monday evening’s council meeting, which was unanimously supported and approved, to have an orange crosswalk installed in Broadway and 1st Street to commemorate all of the indigenous children who were stolen from their families and forced to attend residential schools. The crosswalk will serve as a symbolic and important step towards reconciliation in our community. This crosswalk will be installed by September 30th, 2021. The first national day for truth and reconciliation. I hope as a community, we can take the time to observe the injustices of our Indigenous people and look ahead for the opportunity to embrace, reflect and support. A part of that healing is to listen and learn of the traditions of our First Nations people. This evening, I’m pleased now to welcome The Eagleheart singers and drummers who will provide our community with a forum to listen and to learn. The Eagleheart Singers and Drummers led by Jimmy Dick, along with other members of this drumming group, have graced hundreds of events and other indigenous ceremonies for over 30 years, presenting traditional drum and singing performances on behalf of the DCCRC board and elders and the town of Orangeville, I present to you the Eagleheart singers and drummers… I want to speak a little bit for this drum and these songs that are being offered… When we take this drum out and we offer these songs, we offer those honour songs for them. So some of these songs that we sing are about those children, about those people and about their spirit. The connection that indigenous people have with the spirit world is so important. So when we offer these songs, we offer them in memory of those ones that are in the spirit world looking back at us. Those little ones that didn’t live a full life on this earth and were taken far too soon. And we recognize that, you know, so many people from this territory were taken to that place. I do want to offer my appreciation for the Dufferin County Cultural Resources Circle for the work that they do in educating the community and really welcoming us as people that are visiting from the outside and happy to to be a part of this.