Port Moody Ecological Society Hosts Another Successful Truth and Reconciliation Day Event

Once again, on September 30th, Noons Creek Hatchery was the place to be in the Tri-Cities if you wanted to show your support for First Nations peoples traveling their own path of truth and reconciliation. Story by LJI reporter Yuna Fahimi.

Canada commemorated its fourth Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30, and many events were held in Metro Vancouver and throughout the Tri-Cities region to observe what is now a federal statutory holiday. At Noons Creek Hatchery in Port Moody the Port Moody Ecological Society held their fourth annual Truth and Reconciliation Day event which was attended by over a couple of hundred Tri-Cities residents.

As in the past, community leader Tasha Fay Evans was the driving force behind the event which featured guest speaker Xem-Tu-Mus, of the Kwikwetlem First Nation. Volunteers with the Port Moody Ecological Society also spent the morning hanging children's shoes along the path to the hatchery as a reminder of the children that were lost while attending residential schools.

While addressing the crowd Xem-Tu-Mus shared some of his life experiences as a person who, like many, was not even awae of his First Nation's heritage until much later in life. Like many Gen X'ers, Xem-Tu-Mus' parents came from a generation that suffered racial discrimination on a daily basis and they chose to conceal their true heritage not only from society but from X'ers, Xem-Tu-Mus , whom they named Stephen Armstrong, as well.

The event also included participatory art projects for young and old conducted by the Port Moody Art Centre Society.