THUNDER BAY – Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Stan Beardy together with other NAN leadership and Residential Schools Survivors today participated in the final day of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) community event taking place in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
“Residential schools were very detrimental to the Nishnawbe Aski people as they directly impacted the social state of our communities today,” said NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy, who advocates for positive change for Residential School Survivors in NAN territory. “The TRC community event is a venue where people who have been affected by the Residential Schools System can come forward and share their experience.”
The TRC is a component of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The TRC held the first national event in June 2010 in Winnipeg, Manitoba bringing together people from across Canada.
The community events are designed to gather statements, photos and other data from those who have been affected by the Residential Schools System which is used to educate Canadians on the significance and impacts of generations to come.
“It’s important for all First Nation people to know that our children will never again be ripped from our homes, our language, our culture and our tradition,” said Beardy. “As stated in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which Canada has finally adopted, we will not be subjected to any act of genocide or any other act of violence – including the forcible removal of children. It’s time for our nation to heal from this injustice and to begin to look forward to a brighter future.”