News

On Tuesday, October 1st, St. Lawrence recognized the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Jennifer O’Bomsawin, a respected leader from the Wendat and Abenaki nations, was invited to the college to deliver an engaging and thought-provoking talk, entitled “Why Reconciliation Matters: Achievements and Future Directions”.

The purpose of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is to remember and acknowledge the harm caused by the Canadian Residential School System, which was in effect from 1831 to as recently as 1997. O’Bomsawin’s talk focused on the history and impacts of this system, and on how Indigenous people are working to overcome the trauma caused in Residential Schools and to find reconciliation.

After introducing herself in Wendat, she began her talk by speaking about the origins of the Residential School System. She explained that the system was initiated as a way to deal with the so-called “Indian problem”, which became a focus of the government after the colonizing wars had drawn to a close and Indigenous people were no longer considered helpful allies in the settlement of the continent. Instead, Indigenous people were seen as inferior to settlers and unable to self-govern; they needed to be assimilated as quickly as possible.

Over 150,000 children were taken from their families and put in residential schools, and over 6000 of them died there. This separation of the generations coupled with terrible conditions in the schools caused trauma to whole generations of people, and the effects still linger today. O’Bomsawin showed the audience her multicoloured necklace, which was made up of thousands of beads, each representing a child in a residential school.

Work is being done by the government to repair the damage caused, but as of now just 14 of the 94 calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission have been fulfilled since its establishment nine years ago. Part of the problem, O’Bomsawin explained, is the legal context in which Indigenous people find themselves, with both Federal and Provincial governments denying responsibility for things like health care. She talked about some of the difficulties faced by Indigenous communities in this millennium, including housing shortages, financial limitations, and a lack of available data, as well as ongoing healing from intergenerational trauma.

O’Bomsawin feels positive about the level of engagement shown by today’s young people. She encouraged students to select calls to action that they feel strongly about and to work towards them. She herself is running for the leadership of the Huron-Wendat Nation, hoping to be the first female chief in three decades. She implored students to push for what matters to them. You may not have power now, she said, but some day you might.

College Director Edward Berryman introduces the talk.

Jennifer O'Bomsawin addresses students.

Students and staff took part in a Truth & Reconciliation quiz and signed the pledge to work toward reconciliation.