By the busloads, hundreds of school children and teachers from all over southern Saskatchewan arrived at the U of R for an emotional lesson on the true history of how Canada became a nation.
It was billed as a “Day of Walking Together” and it told the story of Canada’s First Nations people and the failed attempt to assimilate them.
The day of education for reconciliation is part of the mandate of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This is the ninth such gathering in Canada, and it is the first time it has been held at a university.
It was full house with more than 1,500 students from Grades 4 to 12 and 300 teachers packed into the gym.
U of R president Vianne Timmons, says education is part of changing attitudes and changing direction.
“So today is a day that I think is also critical as we look at events across Canada,” she says. “Youth depressions, youth suicide, what is happening on some of our First Nations communities. We need to learn from that and we need to work hard to change the future for our young people.”
Charlene Bearhead is the education coordinator for the national centre for truth and reconciliation. She says the children are eager to learn and to share the real story of Canada’s First Nations.
“Thousands and thousands of children’s lives could have been different if people did what they needed to do,” she says.” So we are those people today, we are the people of this country, so are our grandchildren and great grandchildren on history, which is us now, and ask why didn’t my grandparents do anything, that is what this is about.”
The faculty of education at the University of Regina organized the gathering.
