CORNWALL, Ontario – Representatives from the City of Cornwall, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA) and the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) met on Tuesday, Sept. 28 at the Cornwall Clocktower to recognize the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
The federal government passed a new statute declaring Sept. 30 as the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour the survivors of Canada’s Indigenous residential school system.
At the event on Tuesday, the City of Cornwall, MCA, and the CDSBEO raised the orange flag to recognize the day, as well as a banner recognizing Orange Shirt Day.
“Reconciliation isn’t only about the colour orange,” said Abram Benedict, Grand Chief of the MCA. “It is about learning more about the residential school system and what happened.”
Todd Lalonde, Chair of the CDSBEO said that his schools would be participating in a variety of activities on Sept. 30 to recognize the occasion as well as to promote learning of the history of the residential school system.
The City of Cornwall passed a by-law recognizing Sept. 30 as a statutory holiday in the city, and pledged to adopt the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
At the ceremony on Tuesday, Mayor Glen Grant highlighted the growing partnership between the City and the MCA.
“The partnership between us is vital,” he said. “It started with the harbour and it is just booming now. It is amazing that we have so much history and this partnership has just begun.”
Mayor Grant was referring to the partnership between the City and the MCA to develop the Cornwall Port Lands. The City and MCA had purchased the Port Lands in a 50-50 partnership and are working together to develop that part of the Cornwall waterfront.
This is a unique partnership in Canada and to mark the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, there will be a smoke ceremony at the Port Lands on Sept. 30 at 6:30 a.m.
