Chief Andy Rickard says Canada Day will not be celebrated in Garden River First Nation in light of potential unmarked burials at residential schools and ongoing issues plaguing Indigenous people
Garden River First Nation will host its first Every Child Matters walk in the community on Friday in an effort to raise awareness about issues that continue to affect Indigenous and First Nation communities.
Chief Andy Rickard says his community has chosen not to celebrate Canada Day and will mark July 1 differently in light of the discovery of potential unmarked burials in and around residential school sites across the country.
“We see all the celebrations around Canada Day and a lot of communities, including ours, decided to do something to honor our children,” Rickard said.
The Garden River leader says the walkout also aims to recognize other social injustices, including boil water advisories, missing and murdered Indigenous peoples and Ontario’s fight to overturn court decisions during the ongoing Robinson Treaty annuities case- Huron.
“These are long-standing historical complaints that the judge, in this particular case, ruled in favor of the Robinson-Huron Treaty signatories – yet it’s being appealed by the provincial government,” Rickard said. “So when you talk about reconciliation, when you talk about the theft of our lands, the theft of our children and everything that’s going on, it’s kind of a slap in the face to our people in the communities.”
Participants are encouraged to wear orange and carry flags and banners for the walk, which will begin at the Garden River Recreation Center and end at the community center with lunch afterward.
Rickard says the walk is also open to any non-natives who want to participate.
“It’s open to everybody,” he said. “We’re not going to turn anyone away and I think it’s time for everybody to come together, non-native and indigenous, just to shine a light on some of these things that still go on in this country.”
The Every Child Matters Walk departs from the Garden River Recreation Center (48 Syrette Lake Road) at 11am sharp. Participants are asked to gather at the recreation center by 10:30 am
After the walk, lunch will be provided at the Garden River Community Center (corner of Shingwauk Street and Highway 17B). After lunch, a transfer from the community center back to the recreation center will be provided.
Highway 17B will be closed from Belleau Lake Road to Ballpark Road during the walk.
Add Comment