The negative impacts felt by aboriginal children forced to attend residential schools will be heard loud and clear next month in Red Deer.
Remembering the Children Society held a news conference on Wednesday to highlight the importance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission coming on June 6 and 7 at Red Deer College.
The meetings, open to the public, run 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Fort Normandeau Park will host a feast, also open to the public, to remember the children of Red Deer Industrial Institute (1893-1919) on June 8, starting at 11 a.m.
Charles Wood, president of the Remembering the Children Society and a member of Saddle Lake Cree Nation, said the significance of these events are crucial.
“We need to open our hearts and minds — the impact affects all of us,” said Wood at Red Deer College. “And because of that, it’s our collective responsibility to make it as right as we can.”
About 350 children attended the Red Deer residential school.
A cemetery was located there, on the north bank of the Red Deer River, directly across from the Fort Normandeau site, just west of Red Deer.
It’s known that about 20 children were buried there, although estimates could be as high as 40.
Wood said a lot of the children who attended these schools never got to go home and see their families. Wood himself was sequestered while attending residential school.
Eric Large, residential school co-ordinator with Saddle Lake Cree Nation, said the impact continues through the generations.
A study done through Amy Bombay and others at Ottawa’s Carleton University showed a high percentage of depression among those who had at least one parent who attended a residential school. The last federally-operated residential school was closed in 1996.
Muriel Stanley Venne, vice-president of Remembering the Children Society, said the Metis parents wanted their children educated but they didn’t realize what would later happen in residential schools, she said.
Remembering the Children Society — made up of representatives from the Metis Nation of Alberta, a half dozen First Nations communities, Sunnybrook United Church in Red Deer and the United Church of Canada — have so far held three events over the last three years to commemorate the children.
This will be the fourth and final event.
“We are using it to build bridges and to ensure that there are efforts towards reconciliation,” said Wood.
Survivors and anyone affected by the residential schools legacy can share their stories.
The commission was formally established on June 1, 2008, and was set to complete its work within five years.
“This is the last province (to hold the hearings) and this is the first of five hearings this summer before the national event in Edmonton next March,” said Cecile Fausak, national liaison with residential schools for the United Church of Canada.
Educational displays, films, speakers and circles will run at the same time as the hearing, while entertainment will continue in the evening. Red Deer College will also host a two-day educational program on June 6 and 7 for some 2,000 Grade 4-12 students from Red Deer and surrounding schools, including those from Hobbema.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com