Indigenous leaders gather in Drayton Valley to discuss reconciliation
Reconciliaction was the word of the evening at the Truth and Reconciliation event held last Monday at the Drayton Valley Omniplex.
Last minute guest, Chief Willie Littlechild, a residential school survivor who was born in Maskwacis and later went on to be an MP and a member of the Order of Canada, gave the land acknowledgement for the evening.
“It's really an honour for me to be able to do that here, because I really value what you are doing to advance good relations among each other,” said Littlechild.
He spoke about his childhood and his gratitude for his grandparents who raised him. They both taught him the Cree language and the importance of higher education, which was why he went on to get a law degree in 1976, later becoming Member of Parliament for Wetaskiwin.
Littlechild was part of the commission that was charged by the courts to go out amongst the Indigenous peoples and listen to the stories of former residential school students.
He says they heard from 7,000 families affected by the system. The commissioners were also charged with coming up with a plan that would shape reconciliation.
“To me, I'm sitting here looking at your faces, and I see the reconciliation-- I'm struggling because I've changed the term a little bit. It's reconciliaction. So, when I look at you, that's what I see. And when you look at me I hope you see that,” said Littlechild.
Other guest speakers included local elder Alice Berger who gave a prayer to start off the evening. Lisa Wolf, the secretary of education and languages for the Otipemisiwak Métis Government also spoke.
Wolf told the audience about how her mother's experience in the residential school system affected her own life. Her mother was taken from her home at the age of five and put into a residential school where she was forced to learn English in order to communicate.
“For myself, when I talk about reconciliaction,” said Wolf. “I've learned to serve my community in many different ways. I've learned to serve the people for who they are and what they are.”
She encouraged the audience to consider their own reconciliaction and how they can contribute to their community.
Adam North Peigan, the national president of the Legacy of Hope Foundation in Ottawa also spoke at the event. He, too, was born in Alberta. His parents were victims of the residential schools and he was part of the Sixties Scoop that saw thousands of children lawfully taken from their families to be put into foster care and adopted out to mainly non-Indigenous families.
North Peigan was one of the 12 Sixties Scoop survivors who spoke to the Federal Government and the Pope at the Vatican about their stories.
“I don't know how it happened that you can get myself and Chief Wilton Littlechild in the exact same building, in the exact same place on such an important date: only in Drayton Valley,” said North Peigan.
He says he and Littlechild have known each other for years and both currently live in Ottawa, but they've never attended such an important event together.
“I'm a strong believer that the Creator makes things happen the way that they are supposed to be,” he said. “So it's very fortunate that Drayton Valley has this significance for this year. I really want to extend my appreciation to Drayton Valley for just doing what you needed to do to promote reconciliation.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Live updates: As Hurricane Milton makes landfall, nearly 1.3 million customers are without power in Florida
The 'extremely dangerous Category 3 hurricane' has made landfall near Siesta Key, Fla., according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
Company must refund $1-million deposit after failing to complete West Vancouver home on time, court rules
A West Vancouver company has been ordered to repay a homebuyer's $1-million deposit after it failed to complete construction on the property in time.
Did John Rustad witness an overdose death on his way to the B.C. leaders' debate?
During the campaign, BC Conservative Leader John Rustad has repeatedly said people are "dying on the streets" in the province – and on Tuesday he claimed to have witnessed that very thing in downtown Vancouver while he was on his way to the leaders' debate.
Washington state woman calls 911 after being hounded by up to 100 raccoons
Sheriff's deputies in Washington's Kitsap County frequently get calls about animals -- loose livestock, problem dogs. But the 911 call they received recently from a woman being hounded by dozens of raccoons swarming her home near Poulsbo stood out.
video Why are there cars in the Detroit River?
Dozens of cars were pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor on Tuesday, causing many questions for Windsorites.
Biden, Harris condemn storm misinformation ahead of Hurricane Milton landfall
President Joe Biden warned on Wednesday that Hurricane Milton carried incredible destructiveness and urged people to take safe shelter while condemning misinformation about the storm as un-American.
Hundreds of thousands of popular vehicles recalled in Canada over steering issue
Hundreds of thousands of vehicles are being recalled in Canada due to a steering-related issue that could increase a driver's risk of crash.
'We want things to go forward': Bloc leader hints his party 'might' help end House impasse
The leader of the Bloc Quebecois says his party 'might play a role' in helping the Liberals get House of Commons business rolling again — after days of Conservative-led debate on a privilege matter — but that his assistance would come at a cost.
Pilot dies aboard Turkish Airlines flight, forcing emergency landing in New York
A Turkish Airlines jetliner headed from Seattle to Istanbul made an emergency landing in New York on Wednesday after the captain died on board, an airline official said.