John Varghese
The discovery by the Tk’emúps te Secwepémc First Nation of the remains of 215 children at Kamloops Residential School — and the discoveries since, elsewhere — has overwhelmed the nation, and the world, with sadness. CFIC mourns this unspeakable tragedy along with the many devastated families impacted by this discovery.
This is not an isolated incident. It is just one of many painful reminders of the horrific legacy of wrong ideas that our past is riddled with. In acknowledging the inequities that result from a disparity between privileges, and by diligently advocating for the light of reason and compassion in guiding public policy, we ensure that our future does not hold such atrocities.
With this awareness comes the responsibility to educate ourselves on Indigenous history, culture, and issues. We encourage stakeholders to recognize mistakes and continuously learn from the voices of impacted communities. The 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission reports included 94 calls to action of which only eight were completed, as of 2020. It is time we hold the stakeholders to account and expedite the process of healing.
There are some things that you can do if you are feeling overwhelmed by the news. Read (or reread) the Truth and Reconciliation Commission reports. Research the settlement history of the place you live. This Canada Day, while you contemplate the many gifts of our great nation, take time to also reflect how we use knowledge, reason, and kindness in working out cultural imperialism or power imbalance as it relates to the current ills of our society — misogyny, homophobia, immigration, climate change, as well as human and animal rights.
CFIC looks forward to a time when every person living in Canada shares the privileges our vast nation offers.