MCC Ontario will recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 26. All thrift shops and offices will be closed on this date.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was included in the Calls to Action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's final report. This federal holiday is intended to recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools, honour Survivors, their families and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and heritage of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.
MCC Ontario staff will spend September 26 in learning activities related to the ongoing impact of this dark chapter in Canada's history.
We encourage you to also create time and space to reflect on how we can all participate in reconciliation.
Our 2022 theme is Healing and Hope. We want to acknowledge the resilience and strength of Indigenous families and communities as they navigate their healing journey.
Below are suggestions and resources to assist you in this journey. This list is not meant to be exhaustive but will help you get started.
Healing
Truth-telling and understanding are part of the healing journey for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
Watch: My Auntie survived residential school. I need to gather her stories before she’s gone | Inendi (CBC Doc, 45 minutes)
Read this timeline: Indigenous Peoples | The Canadian Encyclopedia
Watch: Wab Kinew’s 2-minute walk through 500 years of Indigenous history
View this map: Mapping the missing: Former residential school sites in Canada and the search for unmarked graves
Read this slide presentation: On Canada Project, Settlers Take Action series
Listen: Reconcile. Everyday Conversations: Angela Daigneault, a proud urban Metis woman, reflects on her experiences of intergenerational trauma, her relationship with the church, and taking care of each other. With a compassionate heart, Angela asks listeners to kindly disrupt the systems and to move from the discussion tables to places of action. (MCC Saskatchewan, 33 minutes)
Hope
Below are some options for engagement that relate to hope and steps toward reconciliation.
Watch: Reserve 107: Reconciliation on the Prairies. Indigenous rights and title to land remains a taboo topic for many across Canada, but in the small town of Laird, Saskatchewan, an old injustice is providing new opportunities for dialogue, friendship and a fierce determination to right the wrongs of the past. (MCC Saskatchewan, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Rebel Sky Media, 32 min.)
Watch: Hi-Ho Mistahey! by Alanis Obomsawin - NFB In this feature-length documentary, Alanis Obomsawin tells the story of Shannen’s Dream, a national campaign to provide equitable access to education in safe and suitable schools for First Nations children. Strong participation in this initiative eventually brings Shannen's Dream all the way to the United Nations in Geneva. (NFB, 1 hr 40 min)
Watch: Indigenous Women and the Story of Canada | Sarah Robinson | The Walrus Talks. In this short history of Canada from an Indigenous woman’s perspective, learn what you can do to further your own learning. (7 min.)
Listen: Undercurrents - Episode 17 - Lay of the Land. Learn about food sovereignty as both a step toward healing and hope from Indigenous partners in the north. To dig deeper after listening, download this discussion resource. (MCCO, 23 min.)
Watch: Treaty as Sacred Covenant webinar series
Listen: Retelling history from Indigenous perspectives | Unreserved with Rosanna Deerchild | Live Radio | CBC Listen (CBC, 51 minutes)
Read: Paths for Peacemaking with Host Peoples by Steve Heinrichs. Commit to action from the extensive list of ideas.
Read: about Jeremy Dutcher and his work to keep the Wolastoqey language alive through music. How Jeremy Dutcher Keeps His Ancestors' Language Alive
Learn: some Ojibwe words. Start with these stories related to autumn: Fall - Ojibwe.net
Take a language course: Onkwawenna Kentyohkwa | 9-week online language course through a Six Nations organization, $40 per person. Course starts September 6. Register today.
Learn: some Cree words with these stay-at-home lessons from Solomon Ratt and friends.