'It's overwhelming:' Residential school victims commemorated in Montreal march
Thousands of people marched through Montreal on Thursday, one of many such demonstrations across Canada in honour of the victims of the country's residential school system.
The marches come on Canada Day and in the wake of the recent discovery of numerous mass grave sites containing the remains of Indigenous children on the sites where some residential schools once stood. The remains of over 1,000 children were recently found in unmarked graves in British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
"I think it affects everyone when you hear about 751 children in a mass grave in Saskatchewan. It's overwhelming," said Native Women's Shelter of Montreal director Nakuset, who organized the Montreal march.
A woman is consoled during a gathering and march to honour Indigenous children, denounce genocide and demand justice for residential school victims in Montreal, Thursday, July 1, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
A woman is consoled during a gathering and march to honour Indigenous children, denounce genocide and demand justice for residential school victims in Montreal, Thursday, July 1, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Over 100,000 Indigenous children were sent to residential schools before the last one closed in 1996. The schools were established as a way to strip Indigenous children of their cultures and languages and many who were sent there suffered physical, emotional, mental and sexual abuse.
As people, many dressed in orange, gathered at the park at the base of Mount Royal, songs were sung in those languages that were once forbidden.
In recent weeks, #CancelCanadaDay has trended on Twitter as Indigenous communities and advocates have called for annual celebrations to be replaced by a day of mourning and reflection.
"These mass graves happened all throughout Canada," said Nakuset. "I think it's devestating for us, but it's devestating to Canadians in general."
The march wound its way to Place du Canada, where a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister and an architect of the residential school system, stood until it was toppled by protesters last year.
"There were people who didn't understand us and wanted to eliminate us," said Kahnawake resident Ka'Nahsohon Deer. "Sorry to say that as long as the wind blows and the grass grows and the water flows, we will always be here."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks beat Oilers 5-4 in comeback to take Game 1
The Vancouver Canucks won the first game of their NHL playoffs series with the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 on Wednesday night coming back from a three-goal deficit.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.