Southwestern Ontario communities reflect on Canadian history in wide range of ceremonies
Reflection took many different forms around Southwestern Ontario for a very different Canada Day.
The sacred fire at the Healing of the Seven Generations in Kitchener was put out for the July 1 holiday.
The fire was kept burning for the past five days in honour of the children found on residential school grounds and those yet to be found.
“We will be taking the embers from today and continuing a fire tomorrow to last until the last remains have been found of our children,” said executive director Donna Dubie. “It could be a couple of years.”
Hundreds were in attendance at the Kitchener location wearing orange to remember the impact or residential schools and how it is felt throughout generations.
“It’s a day to truly try and start understanding our country’s history,” one attendee said. “The good, the bad, and everything in between.”
In Guelph, hundreds more gathered for a solidarity walk, with organizers calling on the cancellation of Canada Day.
On parent in attendance brought their children and say it’s important they’re aware of Canada’s past.
“We were happy and proud to be Canadians, but I don’t feel like Canada Day will be celebrated like before,” they said.
In Brantford, hundreds more participated in a unity walk towards the former Mohawk Institute residential school.
“We really just wanted to let the Indigenous community in Brantford know they are not alone,” said Rebecca Wilson, executive director of the Brantford Region Indigenous Support Centre.
Goals of the walk included highlighting the many services available for Indigenous peoples as well as show support throughout the community.
“It almost brings tears to my eyes,” one person in attendance said. “It really puts a lump in my throat to see this much support, because it’s everybody, it’s not just us doing it, and people are listening.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in U.S. if legal options fail, Reuters sources say
TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the U.S., four sources said.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.