On June 3rd, 2021, Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code received Royal Assent.
On September 30, 2021, history was made as Canada observed the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Vibrant orange tee-shirts ornamented Dundas Place when hundreds gathered on Thursday night for an Indigenous pop-up market brought to the block by Turtle Island Healing Walk.
It was a way for venders and communities to connect with one another.
Hundreds gathered on Dundas Street for the Turtle Island Healing Walk. (Angelique Guerard/XFM News)
The brick road of Dundas was flourishing with richly hued chalk art, while the street buzzed with friendly conversations.
One drawing especially eye catching was community artist Bronagh Morgan’s reproduction of Ojibway artist Isaac Murdoch’s work.
Bronagh Morgan reproduces Ojibway artist Isaac Murdoch’s designs (Angelique Guerard/XFM News)
Chief Adrian Chrisjohn, Wolf Clan (Lotikwahʌ’) of Onedia Nation on the Thames, dedicated his day to visiting non-Indigenous communities in the area.
“I feel it’s my role to tell the story, to spread some truth because our people don’t need to be told,” said Chief Chrisjohn. “We know the stories; we’ve been hearing from generations and generations.”
Chief Chrisjohn spoke of issues that Indigenous communities near and far still live with; the indispensable need for clean drinking water, the lack of internet access on reserves for children going to school.
“Education and water… Those are basic human rights,” he said.
In 2016 a decision was made by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) that ruled the federal government to have allocated less funds to Indigenous child and family services, and more to non-Indigenous services.
“We don’t have a tax base to pull from. We operate in poverty, most times our community members are in poverty or with low or substandard housing and living conditions.”
Lack of funding has pushed more and more Indigenous children into the foster care system.
But the eve of National Truth and Reconciliation Day saw a new ruling from CHRT that ordered the Federal Government of Canada to compensate Indigenous children and families in foster care for suffering from discrimination. The higher courts also agreed that all First Nations children should be eligible for Jordan’s Principle.
“What that means is monumental,” Chief Chrisjohn noted after reading the contents of the ruling to the crowd before him. “It’s going to mean a lot for our families that are struggling. It’s going to mean a lot for our kids that are growing up.”
The Flag of the Mohawk Warrior Society held up by a flag bearer (Angelique Guerard/XFM News)
“You need to take this day and reflect and think about your children when you’re thinking of our children,” said Chief Chrisjohn.
Mayor of London Ed Holder was also there and did take a moment to reflect on the loss of his own son during the ceremony.
“I lost my child, and I know what that means to all of us today,” Holder sombrely said.
“It doesn’t just mean listening, but that’s a part of it. It doesn’t just mean hearing, but that’s a part of it. It means acting as well. To use the influences that we can with our CEOs of government at the provincial and federal levels to help our First Nations peoples with these issues, so that this never ever happens again in Canada.”
At^Lohsa Native Family Healing Services Crisis Line: 1-800-605-7477
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