Memories of residential schools, recent discoveries of unmarked graves taking mental toll on Sask. survivors
Whether its memories of attending them, or the recent discoveries of unmarked graves, residential schools haven taken a mental toll on many.
Del Crowe, is a residential school survivor who has tried to put the painful memories behind him. He was relieved to see Sir John A. Macdonald’s statue removed from Victoria Park.
“Well it’s in his term that the residential schools were actually invented,” Crowe said.
Other reminders are harder to avoid. Crowe spent his early school years at the Lebret Residential School.
Last year’s discovery of unmarked graves at several former residential school sites across Canada has been especially difficult for those who attended the schools.
“I’ve been aware of all of the horrors of residential schools for all of my whole life. I know these stories and I talked about it but nobody believes me,” Crowe said.
Now, people are beginning to see first-hand for themselves.
Dr. Renee Linklater, Senior Director of Shkaabe Makwa at CAMH, works in Indigenous mental health in Toronto.
“You know it has been a really challenging time for many people that have had their own experiences or have had family members that have been impacted by residential school,” Linklater said.
COVID-19 has made things even more difficult for those who experienced trauma at residential schools.
“You know, yesterday (Tuesday) was two years since we discovered the first COVID case within Canada and so thinking about you know kind of access people have to even being connected to others you know feeling really isolated, struggling with various mental health issues and wondering about our own survival, right,” Linklater said.
Mental health experts stress the importance of reaching out to those who seem withdrawn and may be hurting. They say a gesture of caring could ultimately be someone’s medicine.
--
If you are a former residential school student in distress, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.