Friday Is National Truth And Reconciliation Day

Friday is National Truth and Reconciliation Day.

Friday is National Truth and Reconciliation Day.

Homalco First Nations Chief Darren Blaney is reflecting, as his grandfather was the first person to attend residential schools from Homalco.

Blaney says other generations since then have suffered what he calls the aftermath of residential schools.

Blaney says Canada may have apologized for the residential school system but has offered very little in terms of funding to help with healing.

“So that’s why I’m working on our own trauma treatment, for Homalco and other nations to attend, in our own village and Church house so that we can heal our people and start to eliminate that long shadow of residential schools.”

Blaney says he believes Canada really only began to understand what happened within the residential school system last year after the discovery of 215 unmarked graves in Kamloops.

He says Canada may have apologized for what happened in the residential school system but has offered very little when it comes to funding.

“And little funding is what we, as chiefs and councils across the country, have to address and try to overcome, and we do that through our economic development if it’s forestry, if it’s tourism, all these different areas, we try to put money back into our own healing because Canada won’t do it.“

There are many events being held throughout the area to mark National Truth and Reconciliation Day, including at Spirit Square in Campbell River from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Also, local Indigenous organizations are working together to host the 2nd Comox Valley Spirit Walk in downtown Courtenay as part of the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation.

The Indigenous Women’s Sharing Society among those encouraging people who’d like to participate to wear orange to remember Indigenous children & families affected by Residential schools.

Opening ceremonies will begin at 11am at Simms Millennium Park, participants can drop in anytime from 11am-6pm to walk the route.