Hundreds gather at Government House in Regina for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty hosted an event for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at the Residential School Memorial on the grounds of Government House in Regina.
With around 450 students from the neighbouring Luther College High School, the gathering featured a blessing from Elder John Stonechild, a speech by Mirasty and a musical performance from Saskatchewan’s own Brad Bellegarde.
“Kids relate to the arts, to music,” Bellegarde said.
“I'm just happy that they get to come out, over on a holiday and listen to some music and they probably are going to have some good discussions in their classrooms following this day."
Bellegarde is a renowned hip-hop artist who said music saved him. His rhymes include stories about his experiences, his parent’s experiences, overcoming obstacles and seeing the bigger picture.
He tells his story through his art and while he did not personally attend residential schools, the generational trauma has impacted him, and he believes it is his responsibility to share as much as he can.
"Honouring the lived experience of my parents, my family, my ancestors, you know, like I said I'm a first generation non-residential school survivor, so to me that means I need to do as much work as possible,” he said.
Inspiring youth to stand up and speak up and learn from the traumas of the past, Bellegarde teaches year round to help them learn to express in a healthy way.
“One thing hip hop and rap did for me was it gave me self confidence,” Bellegarde said.
“It’s all in instilling that confidence and empowering the youth I their mind to show that they are worthy, they are good enough to do something, they can speak up, they are valid… their thoughts, their ideas are all relevant.”
As for Mirasty, hosting a youth oriented event at the memorial was fitting. Being a residential school survivor himself, he believes the way forward is through education - and coming together.
"You know on a personal level it can get very emotional, and at times dark,” he said. “But at the same time we want to be able to share that in a way that people start to understand, start to appreciate the history and the stories and that there’s a better way forward.”
Mirasty wants the next generation to understand Canada’s history, and also to learn from it for a better tomorrow.
“Learning a little bit ... really opening their minds to the realities and the truths of residential schools and start to think about it and maybe ask questions."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
These snakes not only fake their own deaths, they use gory special effects to do it
Awards season may be over for human actors this year, but there’s no rest for some of nature’s most audacious thespians.