WARNING: Disturbing content.
The award-winning Northern Saskatchewan documentary, “Waiting for Justice,” will be screening at the Sakitawak Entertainment Centre (SEC) in Île-à-la-Crosse on Monday.
“Waiting for Justice,” a film by Indigenous Geographic, has won Best Short Documentary and 2024 Best History Film. This eighteen-minute-long documentary contains survivor testimonials about their experiences and explores the dark history of the Île-à-la-Crosse Residential School.
It was developed to help bring awareness about the Île-à-la-Crosse Residential School and the class action lawsuit to recognize the harms and abuses suffered by the students.
The school was operated by the Roman Catholic Mission and was called the “Île-à-la-Crosse Mission School” or the “Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School.” It opened in the 1820’s.
“This was to bring attention to the fact that the Île-à-la-Crosse and its survivors have not been recognized and the survivors have not been compensated in anyway and a big part was to bring attention to that fact,” said Metis Nation-Saskatchewan Vice President, Michelle LeClair.
The “united4survivors” website was developed to help share information about the Île-à-la-Crosse Residential School class action lawsuit.
The evening will consist of the documentary screening, followed with a panel discussion, reflections, and any updates on the lawsuit. There will be mental health support on-site and after the event the attendees are invited to stay for card games and socializing.
This documentary is important to bring awareness.
LeClair explains, “Île-à-la-Crosse being left off the TRC process and having to fight Canada and fight Saskatchewan is not reconciliation. I don’t think that we can have reconciliation in Saskatchewan, especially with respect to Île-à-la-Crosse, we cannot have reconciliation until the school is recognized and the survivors are compensated,” explained LeClair.
To learn more about Île-à-la-Crosse Residential School visit, united4survivors.ca
Support is available for those affected by their experience at Indian Residential Schools and in reading difficult stories related to residential school. The Indian Residential School Crisis Line offers emotional and referral services 24 hours a day at 1-866-925-4419.