Brantford residential school included in Canada Post series

A dark chapter of Canadian history will be remembered with a new stamp series from Canada Post.

The second issue of Canada Post’s Truth and Reconciliation stamp series was unveiled in Brantford during a special event at the Woodlawn Cultural Centre on Wednesday.

The four stamp collection will feature residential schools from across the country, including the Kamloops Residential School in British Columbia, Île-à-la-Crosse Residential School in Saskatchewan, Sept-Îles Residential School from Quebec, and Grollier Hall from the North West Territories.

Although it will not be featured on one of the four stamps, Brantford’s Mohawk Institute will be included in the collection as part of a companion stamp booklet.

The Mohawk Institute was open from 1828 until 1970 and is considered to be the first school in Canada’s residential school system and the longest running residential school.

“The Mohawk Institute, as it became known, was to serve as a model for all the residential schools that were built and operated in this country. The school was designed as part of dark colonial past to assimilate Indigenous children,” Canada Post’s director of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Dale LeClair said during the unveiling in Brantford. “Inside that building and throughout the country children were subjected to unimaginable pain and trauma. The effects continue to be felt in our communities.”

Dawn Hill, a survivor of the Mohawk Institute, was also in attendance for Wednesday’s event.

“I was so impressed with it. I thought, ‘My gosh, it’s finally coming about. This recognition, having things brought out to the public so that more people can see it. More people will know the importance of it. Because it’s on a stamp and it’ll go across Canada,” Hill said.

“This is where all these kids lived, in these conditions. It’s not something kids made up. Here’s the actual building. I think that’s really important for the public to come and see – or any of the buildings across Canada.”

Hill said she hopes the stamps and booklet inspire people to do more research on the history of Canada’s residential school system.

The booklet will also feature the Ermineskin Residential School from Alberta, Turquetil Hall from Nunavut, and the Shubenacadie Residential School from Nova Scotia.

The stamps will be available starting on Thursday.