Powerful words of resilience shared at Ottawa Truth and Reconciliation Day ceremonies

Good morning!

Emotions have been high in Ottawa this week as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation took place on Monday. Tens of thousands across the city adorned their orange shirts to pay homage to the Indian Residential School survivors and those who never made it home. I had the privilege of attending the Survivors Flag raising ceremony on Tuesday with Governor General Mary Simon and other dignitaries. It was moving yet saddening to hear the first-hand accounts of abuse so many people went through as children.

After the ceremony, I had the chance to speak with Elder Claudette Commanda, who amplified the need for further reconciliation efforts and education on the past in schools. You can read a portion of our conversation below. 

On Tuesday new drawings for the future Alexandra Bridge were unveiled by the National Capital Commission. We have all the details including the designs and their purpose. 

Happy reading! 

— Charlie Senack, [email protected].

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COMMUNITY

Powerful words of resilience shared at Ottawa Truth and Reconciliation Day ceremonies

Reconciliation and forgiveness: It was a powerful, sorrowful, and heart-wrenching day in Ottawa on Monday for the annual Day of Truth and Reconciliation. 

On the front lawn of Parliament Hill, thousands gathered to reflect on the legacy of residential schools.

Survivor stories: The day began with dance and musical performances on the main stage as onlookers wearing orange shirts watched on in silence. Later on, a red “memorial cloth” bearing the names of 150,000 Indigenous children who were forced to attend the Indian Residential schools snaked through the crowd. Shoes, sandals and boots were placed near the stage for those who never returned home. 

•  "It still bothers me today," said Gordon Burnstick, a survivor from the St. Martin's Mission school, told CBC. "I was abused in so many ways in that school, especially the sexual abuse. I was always drunk, I didn't care about anything, I just wanted to die — I didn't care about nobody. It really affected me. The hurt is still there. Today I'm here to pray for healing for our people. We must never forget about what happened to us there.” 

Jacquie Cote, who attended residential schools in Kenora, Ont., still hasn’t forgiven the church nuns and priests who read the institutions. She was one of many to share her story on stage Monday, reported the Toronto Star. 

• “When we got (to residential school), they stripped us. They took all those nice clothes that they bought. They were lying. They were liars. We were, according to them, dirty Indians,” said Cote.

New Monument: On Monday, a new residential school memorial was unveiled at the Canadian Museum of History. It features 130 unsmiling children’s faces beneath a large raven that looks down on them, reported the Ottawa Citizen. 

It was created by Stanley C. Hunt, a Kwaguʼł master carver from Tsax̱is (Fort Rupert) on B.C.'s Pacific coast. 

• “Some of them (the children’s faces) are dead. I wanted this to tell the truth about a time in our history that's really dark and should never have happened,” Hunt told the CBC, who added museum goers are allowed to touch the monument. “People actually reached out and hugged it and they told their [stories] about residential school.”

Flag raising ceremony: On Tuesday, a few dozen people gathered on Parliament Hill for the Re-raising of the Survivors’ Flag Ceremony. The flag was designed in consultation with Survivors of the residential school system from across Canada and includes the Métis Sash, the Eagle Feather, and the Inukshuk, representing Métis, First Nations and Inuit peoples. Among those in attendance was Governor General Mary Simon. 

• “For Survivors, the flag does not only represent the suffering of the past. It also represents the values we cherish and the land we call home. It represents the strength of Indigenous languages, cultures, and voices that have endured despite so many obstacles. It represents the excellence of Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers, artists, and nature guardians who are thriving today, making invaluable contributions to our country,” said Simon. 

Re-writing authentic history: More than 150,000 children attended the government- and church-run Indian Residential Schools, which plagued Canada’s past for more than 150 years. There were many instances of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, along with families being torn apart. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has reported more than 4,000 children died in these schools.

Elder Claudette Commanda says it’s more about “Reconcili-action”

The Ottawa Lookout had the chance to sit down with Elder Claudette Commanda, uOttawa’s first Indigenous chancellor, to hear her views on the importance of Truth and Reconciliation Day and what more efforts need to be taken by Canadians not just the government. 

Commanda said she doesn't like the term reconciliation and instead likes to say “Reconcili-action”, referring to the act of creating change instead of just talking about it. She said far too often, Canadians take part in teconciliation efforts to make themselves feel better about Canada’s past instead of actually helping the survivors. In her opinion, there is too much red tape getting in the way of making a positive difference. 

Answers have been edited for length and clarity. 

Lookout: Tell us about the importance of Truth and Reconciliation Day and why all Canadians should stop to reflect on its country’s past and future? 

Commanda: “It’s a time for Canadians to reflect and to learn, to listen and to understand, and to educate themselves on what was this policy, who created this policy, what did it do, and the long-lasting legacy resulting in these residential schools which is trauma. There was a loss of language and culture. It’s also about validating the lived experiences and realities of residential school survivors. 

It’s an opportunity for Canadians to be educated that this is Canada’s colonial history. Most Canadians think that residential schools were just a thing of the past. It might have happened in the past, but the trauma continues today and tomorrow. 

Some Canadians believe that because it didn’t happen to them why should we care? This is your history too. Whether it was settlers a few hundred years ago or those coming here now, you’ve inherited this history. Canada was not always a land of prosperity and opportunities. 

Dennis Sattleman today read his poem in residential schools. It was so emotional. He talked about what was given to us in turn. Alcohol, drugs, suicide, poverty. It's a day of sadness but it’s also a day to show resilience that we survived. We are here and we will be here. The truth has to be told before there is reconciliation. If you don’t tell the truth, no matter how dark and devastating it is, you should not be talking about reconciliation. 

Lookout: You talk about the need for education in schools, in museums, and at cultural landmarks across the country. Why is this education so important for Canadians to learn? 

Commanda: My 17 year old grandson said it best — if our children were young enough  to be taken away from their families and put into these schools, then Canadian children are old enough to learn what happened. 

The government's goal was to write us out. They didn’t even see us as human beings. By making us invisible you erase us. Then of course they wanted to bury the truth. These people who ran these schools and these abusers, they honestly believed what they were doing was right. Now we have an opportunity to tell our stories and rewrite history. 

When Canadians ask me what I can do for reconciliation, I tell them you need to hold your people, government and churches accountable. It’s not our mess to clean up. It’s your mess. 

Lookout: What do you think think the biggest challenges Indigenous peoples face today?

Commanda: That's such a hard question to answer because their are so many and each communities challenges can be unique and different. It’s everyday critical issues that people have been facing. You start with the lack of adequate drinking water or access to our lands. The lack of adequate housing or mental health supports. The list can go on and on. Poverty was imposed on us. 

Let’s just reflect on what happened last week in Nova Scotia and in the west with the killing of First Nations men by police. We talk about reconciliation and racism yet these law enforcement get to walk free. When will Canadians realize this is wrong? You think of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter. I’m so happy they did that because it was wrong the continuous killing of Black men. It happens here in Canada with Indigenous people and it has to stop. 

If you’re being very specific to reconciliation, it’s for Canadians to believe that residential schools happened, and that yes in their schools they killed our children, many who are in unmarked graves. How can some Canadians deny this? What if this was their family? But there are more people who believe and stand up to the injustices. There are more and more Canadians walking and crying with us and celebrating the resilience. That is beauty and powerful. 

Lookout: What more can be done to better reconciliation or what you call as “reconcili-action”, and are there any key areas of interest for you?

Commanda: The churches need to be held accountable. They were let off the hook with the Indian Residential School Settlement. Records need to be turned over the the rightful hands who will deal with the truth. What are they so afraid of? The government needs to be held accountable too because they are the authors of residential school policy and now reconciliation. They need to continue working with our people. 

Part of reconciliation talks about Indigenous languages. They are in critical state. That’s why our cultural centre has been working since 1972 in language revision, promotion, retention and protection. The government needs to support us and help put them in a healthy state. They need to stop nickel and diming us. They need to stop demanding reports from us and telling us how to do this. 

Without language who are we? We are at the stage where our languages are only supported through proposal-driven projects. That’s sad. We have language experts across the land. But they need the resources in order to up the capacity our communities need. Some people will argue we just want money. You used Canadian dollars to destroy our languages. Now we need Canadian dollars to build back our languages. 

These types of interviews and stories take time and resources from our team. If you support local news in Ottawa, consider becoming a member today.

OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

💵 $66,000: The amount of money raised for CHEO in memory of a young girl who passed away from cancer. [CTV]

🚗 25: The age of a man who is facing driving causing death charges after a cyclist was struck on Thursday. [Ottawa Citizen]

💰 $17.20: The new Ontario minimum wage set to come into effect Oct. 1. Here’s how it will impact businesses in the Ottawa Valley. [CTV]

👮🏼‍♀️ 3: The number of Brockville residents arrested in an alleged Scarborough kidnapping. [CTV]

NEWS

New drawings unveiled for future Alexandra Bridge replacement

A first look: The National Capital Commission (NCC) has unveiled drawings for a new replacement to the century-old Alexandra Bridge which connects Ottawa and Gatineau. 

What are the options? The three proposals, all similar in look, are white and have circular or triangular archways. The first option “Echo” bears similarities to the current bridge, “but is not a replica,” the NCC insists. 

• “The design combines visual references to the historic truss structure, including a distinctive silhouette with two primary support piers, and a twin plane of structures through which the bike lane passes," says the NCC’s website. 

The second option, titled “Rendez vouz”, has a pair of grand arches and is aimed at strengthening the area as a meeting place. It, “highlights the river as the defining environmental and social component of the landscape.”

Then there is the third design called “Motion” which is supposed to Pay tribute to the flowing river underneath.  “The architectural approach effortlessly blends with its surroundings, weaving a harmonious tapestry of land, water, and sky," wrote the NCC. 

• You can view each of the designs here.

A long-lasting legacy: The Alexandra Bridge initially played an important role in the city’s rail industry. It was constructed by the Canadian Pacific Railway between 1898 and 1900. 

In 1946 a large fire tore through the bridge, permanently derailing trolley traffic. What caused the blaze is still unknown. Flames could be seen from 60 kilometres away and shot more than 30 metres in the air, reported the Ottawa Citizen. 

A few years later in the 1950s, it was converted to allow for vehicle traffic.  The last passenger train went over the bridge in 19966 when Union Station downtown closed. It’s been owned by the NCC since 1970. 

Controversy: When it was announced the current Alexandra Bridge would need to be demolished, it was met with controversy from advocates who wanted to see the piece of Ottawa history saved. At Tuesday’s NCC meeting, the organization said it’s just not possible, reported CTV. 

• “Despite best efforts to maintain the Alexandra Bridge, which is over 120 years of age, it has reached the end of its life and needs to be replaced. The Alexandra Bridge replacement will provide long-lasting benefits to the communities on both sides of the Ottawa River,” said Stefan Dery, Public Services and Procurement Canada's director general of infrastructure asset management. 

HOME OF THE WEEK

The high windows of this penthouse really make it seem bigger than it is. Not that it’s not big. With two bedrooms, a fireplace and a gorgeous kitchen, you may not even want to bring your friends outside to the massive deck.

Of course, a penthouse will set you back some money. Guess on if it’s over or under $1 million?

GIG LISTINGS

Camp Saint Helene, Thursday 7 pm: Pastoral folk with experimental, ritualistic elements, exploring themes of grief, love, and revolution.  At Avant-Garde Bar, 135 Besserer St. Tickets $14

Ally Fiola, Thursday 7:30 pm: Nova Scotian saxophonist blends quirky melodies with joyous grooves, drawing from funk, soul, and New Orleans brass influences. At Montgomery Scotch Lounge, 750 Gladstone Ave. Tickets $10.

Bambara, Friday 7 pm: Brooklyn-based post-punk band renowned for immersive storytelling and relentless live shows. At the 27 Club, 27 York St. Tickets $17. 

Kasador, Friday 7 pm:  Rockers Kasador head up a stacked bill at Overflow Brewing for their first HOPE Rockfest. At Overflow Brewing, 2477 Kaladar Av. Tickets $28.25. 

Metro Jazz, Saturday 8 pm: An evening of contemporary jazz hosted by acclaimed Ottawan guitarist Garrett Warner. At Art House Cafe, 555 Somerset St W. Tickets $15.

Listings are provided by OttawaGigs.ca, the best place to discover live music in Ottawa. Check out Ottawagigs.ca for full listings across the city.

THE AGENDA

🏚️ The NCC says it has wrapped up decommissioning work on 24 Sussex. The office house of the Prime Minister closed in 2022 to address health and safety issues, but has not housed a Prime Minister since Stephen Harper vacated the space in 2015.  Now in its bare bones, the NCC is waiting to see if the house will be renovated or torn down to make way for a new official residence. [CTV]

💉 Health Canada has given a three-year exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to allow a Lowertown safe consumption site to keep running. Inner City Health said they were pleased with the news noting that Ottawa’s drug crisis is continuing to intensify and noted having a safe place for drug use was more necessary than ever. [CTV]

🏫 Ottawa Carleton District School Board Trustee Nili Kaplan-Myrth’s application for a judicial review after she was found in violation of the trustee Code of Conduct has been dismissed by the Divisional Court. The trustee, who is a doctor in her day job, was barred from attending meetings for 90 days. In a statement Kaplan-Myrth said “If I were any other minority facing the discrimination and toxicity I have faced, and then penalized by my colleagues and for speaking about it, there would be a public outcry,” [Ottawa Citizen]

💰 A big debate is returning to city hall and councillors are hopeful they might have found a solution. This week they will debate whether or not councillors can negotiate with developers to get donations for the city. Under the proposed solution, councillors could negotiate donations at arm's-length from their role as decision makers, but would include a "blackout period," restricting deals with developers who have active planning applications or procurement business with the city. [CBC]

🏒 The Britannia community is pushing for a new hockey arena or sports facility to be built in the area after it was announced the Belltown Dome would be converted into a seasonal rink that would only be in operation for about three months a year. Bay ward Councillor Theresa Kavanagh said a site on Queensview Drive where an OC Transpo depot stands is currently being eyed for a potential future opportunity. [Kitchissippi Times]

🔥 A teen was taken to hospital with smoke inhalation after a fire at an apartment in the Mooney’s Bay area. Ottawa Fire said they were called to the scene on Norbert Crescent at around 3:15 p.m. Sunday. No occupants were found inside the home and the cause of the fire is under investigation. [Ottawa Citizen] 

🥊 Kemptville's Zach Marques worked as a security officer and decided to train in self defence for extra precaution. The former competitive soccer player who also finished Police Foundations enjoyed the sport of boxing so much, he’s now gearing up for competition. Marques is getting set to compete against boxers from across North, Central and South America at the Muay Thai Pan-Am Championships underway in Ottawa. [CBC]

😼 Ottawa is on the lookout for Nacho the cat, who was allegedly stolen from an Orléans pet store last week. Furry Tales Cat Rescue says the one-and-a-half-month-old feline was stolen on Friday from Pet Valu Convent Glen. A $2,000 award has been made available for anyone with information. [CTV]

🐕‍🦺 Users of Garfield Park in Ottawa’s west end were dismayed when gates were removed from the off-leash dog park. The city says they were removed to give better accessibility and help snow crews in the winter. Now some dog owners are bringing their own gates so their furry friends can run around without a leash. [CTV]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Did you know a shanty town used to be located near where Tunney’s Pasture is? [Kitchissippi Times]

• This and this Chinese food takeaway restaurants are classics worth trying!

• Here is a look at what’s playing at Ottawa’s independent cinemas in the first half of October. [Apartment 613]

• A look into AKARTS’ Hip-Hop Fusion exhibition at Urban Art Collective. [Apartment613]

• How Ottawa beer byproducts are being turned into renewable energy. [Ottawa Business Journal]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

OTTAWA GAMES

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