A big thank you to two entities in Red Deer: The Red Deer Advocate and the Red Deer College.
For two years The Truth and Reconciliation Commission toured Canada to ferret out some of the life of many of the folks who were forced to attend the Indian Residential Schools. Now that some of the awful truths have been brought to our attention we need to work on the reconciliation part.
The Advocate has started by introducing a new columnist — Tanya Ward-Schur, a Blackfeet-Métis lady who is executive director of the Native Friendship Society. Her column is called Coyote Tales.
The Red Deer College has appointed a new member to the board of governors of the Red Deer College. Her name is Charlene Burns of Ponoka — a former resident of one of these schools.
In her first article, Tanya Ward-Schur names “the seven sacred teachings of respect, honesty, humility, love, wisdom, truth and courage.”
Now a challenge.
I challenge our politicians, our would-be politicians, and you and I as citizens to live out those teachings. For emphasis I will repeat them: respect, honesty, humility, love, truth and courage.
The hard part of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission: the reconciliation part was started in Red Deer by the Advocate and the college, and I thank both of you.
Alice Williamson, Red Deer