People across the land we call Canada struggled with how to approach Canada Day this year. In Bobcaygeon the committee in charge of these plans went ahead with the a drive-by planned to go past the long-term care facilities in town to bring greetings to residents and to acknowledge the staff. However they honoured the families and the memory of all the children who never returned home from residential school by carrying appropriate signs and tying orange ribbons on the vehicles in the parade. The lead truck in the caravan carried a land acknowledgement and a sign that reminded people that “We are all treaty people.”
Shadow Minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Jamie Schmale hopped off his ride for a brief chat, the first of many conversations with TRC-Bobcaygeon about his stance and how he can serve – we’re sure.
It was encouraging to see how many people in the vehicles driving past were wearing orange in solidarity. At the Boyd Museum Truth and Reconciliation Community members were very visible and many people dropped by to see the 215 Children Taken Art Installation to talk about what they were feeling.
As a group we were hoping that we could have some good conversations so that people could talk about their feelings, share their insights and explore what actions they might wish to pursue. In this light we talked to people old and young and from all walks of life. There was a rock painting station set up and many children and even whole families joined in adding to the art installation.
The folks who came in to talk often left a message of heartfelt sympathy for the pain that the community at Curve Lake First Nation are experiencing reliving memories of relatives and loved ones who experienced residential schools. Some folks left money as a donation to one of the organizations listed on our pamphlet below.
One of the comments made by a participant on Canada Day was “We can’t continue to live like this.” We can’t continue to live with the kind of system that takes Indigenous children away from their parents. First Nations suffer and we cannot continue to do this.
Many people took away one of these pamphlets that we had created that talks about the Art Installation, Anne Taylor’s Message and has a list of ways to Take Action. You can download the pamphlet for yourself below or pick one up at the Bobcaygeon Library when you visit the Art Installation over the next couple of weeks.
