Moving send-off for caravan to Kamloops
On Saturday I took part in the send-off ceremonies in Penticton for the Syilx Caravan for the Children that went to Kamloops to grieve for the 215 children who were found in unmarked graves on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation.
A good crowd had gathered, most wearing the orange shirts that have come to symbolize the terrible realities of residential schools in Canada.
While the grieving that was expressed at that send-off was centred on the loss of hundreds of children in B.C. and thousands across the country, it was accentuated by news of the burning of two more churches on reserves in the Okanagan Nation. On June 21, arson destroyed historic Catholic churches on the Penticton and Osoyoos reserves, and that loss was added to on Saturday with the burning of churches in the Chopaka and Hedley communities.
On Saturday, Chief Greg Gabriel of the Penticton band, Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos band and Chief Keith Crow of the Lower Similkameen band spoke of the anger and sadness of their people over the news of the children’s unmarked graves in Kamloops, compounded with the loss of their churches.
I offer my heartfelt condolences to the constituents, neighbours and keepers of the land on which I live and serve — the Syilx people of the Okanagan Nation. The fires that destroyed these churches will not heal the immense sadness and anger that has resurfaced from the discovery of children buried in unmarked graves across the country. The churches represented different things to different community members, but no act that endangers any person in our communities should be tolerated.
For too long our government and has been complacent about the safety, dignity and rights of Indigenous peoples. In this moment when the government and the nonindigenous community have awakened to the atrocities of residential schools, we must take decisive action to end the unfair treatment of Indigenous children.
The federal government must stop fighting Indigenous kids in court over financial compensation to residential school survivors.
Indigenous children must have the same access to health care non-indigenous children have. Indigenous communities must have access to clean drinking water.
At the send-off, people also talked of how best to mark Canada Day this year. One friend from the Penticton band expressed her feelings this way: “When a family member dies, we grieve them for a year. Today, we are grieving our lost children. Please give us this one year to do that.”
On Canada Day we celebrate what makes our country wonderful, our common bonds and the desire to be the best we can. However, there are parts of our history, we cannot be proud of, including the tragic legacy of residential schools. Doing our best means working toward real reconciliation, being truthful about our history, and moving forward now to create a just society for all.
This Canada Day, let’s reflect on what the path forward looks like. We can work to ensure our communities are free of further violence where everyone feels respected and valued.
Land is at the heart of reconciliation. Enjoy this beautiful land we are so blessed to live in. I wish you an enjoyable and safe summer.