Conestoga College will host a Truth and Reconciliation livestream event to recognize Orange Shirt Day on Sept. 30. The purpose of the online event is to “strengthen the reconciliation process between Canada and Indigenous Cultures within the local context”, as stated on the Conestoga website.
The event will include a residential school survivor, Elder Geronimo Henry, who will have share his story. Attendees are encouraged to wear an orange shirt to show support. The live stream will start at 11 a.m. and finish at 12 p.m. You can register through the co-curricular portal.
A Conestoga student of Indigenous heritage shared his thoughts on the event, saying he plans to participate.
“I definitely plan on going. I’m interested mainly because my grandmother was native, she was Iroquois. I just want to learn more about the history and it would be nice to learn about the issues that are going on today as well,” Nathan Lapointe said.
Lapointe said it’s important to know the history.
“I feel like it’s part of Canadian history and, like it or not, it’s part of the identity…Residential schools only ended in the 90s. Survivors are going be around for a long while. I think it would be good for every Canadian to meet one, even if it’s just through school. So yea, I think it would be a great reason to attend,” he said.
The Truth and Reconciliation live stream is a chance for Conestoga students to hear what Elder Geronimo Henry and others have to say. The event will also be co hosted by Conestoga’s Aboriginal Services, Student Engagement, Conestoga Students inc, Be-Dah-Bin Gamik, Employee Experience and Development and A Place of New Beginning.
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