The federal government raised the Survivors鈥� Flag on Parliament Hill today as a way to honour Indigenous Peoples forced to attend residential schools.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was joined by Stephanie Scott, executive director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller, Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal and survivors of residential schools from across the country.
Several residential school survivors spoke about the significance of the flag, including Jimmy Durocher, a M茅tis survivor who attended St. Bruno鈥檚 boarding school in 脦le-脿-la-Crosse, Sask.
鈥淭oday we raise the Survivors鈥� Flag high over these colonial buildings, where lawmakers are now listening to our truths and seeking to work together towards reconciliation,鈥� Durocher said.
In her remarks, Scott asked elected officials to take moment while going about their work to pause when they see the flag.
鈥淧ause and reflect about the truth that still remains to be told and about the hard work that still must be done,鈥� Scott said.
Trudeau called residential schools a 鈥渟hameful鈥� part of Canadian history and said the Survivors鈥� Flag would serve as a way for Canadians to remember what happened at the government-funded, church-operated institutions over more than a century.
鈥淭his flag is an expression of remembrance,鈥� Trudeau said. 鈥淚t is meant to honour all survivors and all the lives through the generations that have been, are being, and will continue to be impacted by the residential school system.鈥�
The flag was designed in consultation and collaboration with survivors, with each element of the design approved by the group that was consulted.
The elements include a depiction of a family with seeds beneath them meant to represent the spirits of children who never returned home.
Eugene Arcand, a Cree survivor who attended St. Michael鈥檚 Indian Residential School in Duck Lake, Sask., spoke about Canadians鈥� shared responsibility to further reconciliation efforts and urged people to get to know survivors.
鈥淭here aren鈥檛 many of us left,鈥� Arcand said. 鈥淭ake an opportunity to meet us. Know who we are.鈥�
Last year, ground-penetrating radar located what are believed to be hundreds of unmarked graves on the grounds of former residential schools, sparking efforts to remember survivors.
The flag will remain raised on Parliament Hill until 2024, when a decision will be made on its permanent home.
The National Residential School Crisis Line, which offers emotional support and crisis referral services for residential school survivors and their families, can be reached toll-free at 1-866-925-4419.
鈥擭ojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press
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