Clarence-Rockland Marks Truth and Reconciliation Day

The first official National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was marked on Thursday the 30th of September as Canada continues on its path of rectifying a torrid element of both it's history and its present. 

Truth and Reconciliation Day, which was proposed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Commission amongst its 94 calls to Action, the goal is to honor the survivors of the residential school system as well as their communities and families. 

In the city of Clarence-Rockland, there was a march through the city, ending at the cenotaph where the residents heard from Indigenous leaders as well as the Mayor Mario Zanth about the importance of the 30th of September being officially recognized.

Mayor Zanth acknowledged that the city is situated on the "unceded traditional and ancestral lands" of both the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Nations, a first step in implementing the relevant Calls to Action for the local municipality. 

Throughout the day, the Clarence-Rockland Public Library put on a bilingual display of workshops, stories and more, presented by Abigail Collins - a local school girl from the Mi'kmaq First Nations - and Louise Vien a Métis First Nations artist. 

Library CEO, Ms. Catherina Rouse, explained that the local library is key to the "educational process" as she wishes to provide learning tools that many of those educated in Canada weren't given, having learnt only the "colonial side".

"All of my staff have been taking an Indigenous Studies course," she said. "It is mandatory for all of my staff, because people come to the Library and they are looking for information, for a reference and we have to be able to help them.

"Even though we might not know every, we have to know enough to assist them in their journey."

Abigail Collin's father, Maqtewe'k Matto'law Collins, said that for him, today is a "first step" towards repairing "some of the harm that been done," but has reservations for a day that he fears could become just "a holiday for the government." 

"We have been here for thousands of years, we will always be who we are. We won't forget. We have to find out what happened to all the children that went missing in these schools. We have to find out why."

The local public library will be hosting further educational events to shine a light on the local indigenous communities.