Alderville First Nation chief highlights importance of Orange Shirt Day

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This article was published 23/09/2020 (1832 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NORTHUMBERLAND – County councillors wore orange shirts Sept. 23 and will again Sept. 30 to mark Orange Shirt Day.

Alderville First Nation Chief Dave Mowat addressed Northumberland County Council during its recent meeting about the history of residential schools in Canada and the importance of Orange Shirt Day.

Sept. 30 is recognized nationally as Orange Shirt Day and Canadians are encouraged to wear orange to promote awareness about the residential school system. Orange Shirt Day is set aside to honour the legacy of residential school survivors, their families and communities, as well as an opportunity to commemorate those who died in the residential school system.

Chief Dave Mowat shared with council the history of residential schools and experiences of First Nations people in Canada during his presentation.

“On behalf of Alderville First Nation, I greatly appreciate county council’s commitment to learning and understanding about this important and sensitive part of Canada’s Indigenous history,” he said.

The chief explained how the orange shirt is connected with a woman named Phyllis Webstad, who was given a new orange shirt by her grandmother for her first day of school at St. Joseph’s Mission residential school in British Columbia. When Phyllis got to school, they took away her clothes, including her new shirt, which was never returned.

“To Phyllis, the colour orange has always reminded her of her experiences at residential school. On Sept. 30, Orange Shirt Day commemorates people like Phyllis and focuses attention on the harm the residential school system did to our children’s sense of self-esteem and well-being,” Mowat said.

“For over a century, the central goals of Canada’s Aboriginal policy were to eliminate Aboriginal governments, ignore Aboriginal rights, terminate the Treaties, and, through a process of assimilation, cause Aboriginal peoples to cease to exist as distinct legal, social, cultural, religious and racial entities in Canada. The establishment and operation of residential schools were a central element of this policy, which can best be described as ‘cultural genocide.’”

Following Mowat’s thorough presentation and questions, Northumberland County Warden Bob Sanderson asked councillors, staff and other participants in the virtual meeting to observe a minute of silence. He also expressed appreciation for the presentation.

“Thank you for taking your time and effort to share not just a very professional and educational presentation to us but (for) making us feel what you’re presenting,” Sanderson said during the meeting.

“This is one important way for council, staff and the Northumberland community to increase our awareness and understanding of this colonial legacy and to ensure public commemoration of the local, provincial and national history of residential schools, which is a vital component of the reconciliation process.”

The warden encouraged all Northumberland County residents to wear orange Sept. 30.

Visit https://www.orangeshirtday.org / to learn more.

To hear Mowat’s presentation, visit https:// www.youtube.com/user/CountyNorthumberland.