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October • 2021 The power of positive, solution-based journalism.
GORD DOWNIE'S LEGACY OF TRUTH and even developed a digital library. Their library includes resources, links to helplines, stories, and other important information about residential schools and reconciliation. In the same way, the Legacy Spaces program is an opportunity for corporations, governments, organizations, and educational institutions across Canada to play an important role in their communities. Legacy Spaces are safe, welcoming places dedicated to providing education and spreading awareness about Indigenous history and our journey of reconciliation.
RAYE MOCIOIU
Nearly 55 years ago, a twelve-yearold boy named Chanie Wenjack fled the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School near Kenora, Ontario. Chanie had been taken from his family, like so many other children, over 600km away from his home. On October 22nd, 1966, Chanie died along the railroad tracks that he had been following home. Months later, the world read the story of Chanie’s short life in Ian Adams’ Maclean’s story from February 6th, 1967, “The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack.” After hearing about it from his brother Mike Downie, Gord Downie, former-frontman of The Tragically Hip, began Secret Path as ten poems incited by Chanie’s tragic tale. “I was driving in the car one day and heard the radio documentary by Jody Porter about this boy who ran away from residential school to get home 600km away. I shared the [Maclean’s] story with my brother, Gord, the next day and we knew we had to do something to help share this story,” Mike Downie recalls. “Here is this 12-year-old boy—my son Will was also 12 at the time—walking alone for days in northern Ontario trying to make it home. It’s a story we can imagine ourselves or our children living.” Gord's poems were fleshed into ten songs that tell the story of Chanie Wenjack and the tragedies he faced. The album, called Secret Path, acknowledges a dark part of Canada’s history—the long-suppressed mistreatment of Indigenous children and families by the residential school system— with the hope of starting our country on the road to reconciliation. CANADA’S SECRET PAST “Chanie’s story is Canada’s story. This is about Canada. We are not the country we thought we were,” Gord Downie wrote in a statement. “History will be re-written. We are all accountable, but this begins in the late 1800s and goes to 1996.” Canadians are known for their overarching politeness and kindness. While true in some regard, this can overshadow the darkness that is part of Canadian history—and recent Canadian history, at that. When we hear the stories of residential school survivors and learn about the grave
SECRET PATH WEEK & WALK FOR WENJACK In October and throughout the year, thousands of people © REUTERS/CHRIS WATTIE © GORD DOWNIE & CHANIE WENJACK FUND across Canada will be walking to raise awareness for Chanie’s injustices that occurred in those story and for the thousands what Gord and I wanted to create: legacy and story. schools, it feels incongruent with something that can’t be ignored. of other children who never “When we talk about reconhow we think about Canada. It Every Canadian should know ciliACTION, we’re talking about returned home. Secret Path can be discomforting to consider Chanie Wenjack’s name and I meaningful actions that move rec- Week, observed from October that Canada was not always a hope Secret Path helps to make onciliation forward,” shares Sarah 17-22, marks the days that welcoming and loving place. that a reality.” Midanik, President & CEO of the Gord Downie and Chanie “Growing up white in southern Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Wenjack joined the spirit Ontario, I never learned about world, respectively. THE PATH TOWARD Fund. “ReconciliACTIONs aim Chanie Wenjack or about any The first Walk for Wenjack RECONCILIACTION to bring Indigenous and non-Inof the tens of thousands of other took place in 2016 and retraced Inspired by Chanie’s story and digenous people together in the Indigenous children like him who Gord’s call to build a better the steps of Chanie Wenjack. spirit of reconciliation to create were part of Canada’s residential It started at the Cecillia Jeffrey Canada, the Gord Downie & awareness and learn.” school system,” says Secret Path Indian Residential School in Chanie Wenjack Fund aims to As more Canadians learn the illustrator and animator Jeff Kenora, ON, and continued build cultural understanding and truth about the dark side of our Lemire. “This is such a massive create a path toward reconciliation country’s past, Sarah urges every- to Redditt, ON, for a cerepart of our country’s history, yet mony representing Chanie’s between Indigenous and non-In- one to remember that reconciliaour schools didn’t teach us about final resting spot near Farlane, digenous peoples. tion will not be comfortable, but it. Why? Maybe because it’s ON. Since then, Canadians “Gord and I, and our brother we all have a part to play in it. easier to live with ourselves if we have hosted their own walks to Patrick, had the opportunity to go “We encourage all people in pretend stories like Chanie’s never to Ogoki Post and spend time with Canada to consider what reconeducate and raise awareness of happened. But they did happen, the Wenjack family,” Mike recalls. ciliation means to them, and what residential schools’ true history and still happen.” “It was life-changing. While we role they can play in their homes, and impact. In recent years, more and more were there, we saw the groundswell offices, and communities to move “These walks are one way to Canadians have been learning engage and invite folks in who reaction to the news that Gord reconciliation forward. As Gord about residential schools and the was soon releasing Secret Path, and once said, ‘Do something.’” might be afraid of doing the horrific stories of survivors. Many I thought, how can we harness wrong thing, feel uncomfortable, Canadians share that instead of or may not know how to start this energy and help build a better GORD DOWNIE’S learning about this dark part of their own reconciliation journey,” Canada? That’s when we came up LEGACY our country’s history in school, says Sarah. with the Gord Downie & Chanie Through the Legacy Schools they hear these stories through Events remain mostly virtual Wenjack Fund.” program, the Gord Downie social media. this year, but there are many onThe Gord Downie & Chanie & Chanie Wenjack Fund has “I’ve spent the last three years line resources and activities to parWenjack Fund embodies the helped thousands of teachers living with Chanie’s story and liv- Downie family’s commitment ticipate in, from NFB documentaeducate their students about ing inside Gord’s music,” Lemire ries to virtual events planned with to improving the lives of First residential schools so that the continues. “Gord’s haunting our Artist Ambassadors. Peoples in Canada. In collabonext generation of Canadians songs introduced me to Chanie If you want to do more and ration with the Wenjack family, know our true history. help educate your friends and Wenjack. Music is universal. It the Fund works to continue the Norquay School, in Winnicrosses languages and cultures conversation that began with peg, MB, is an inner-city school family, host a Walk for Wenjack. and speaks to everyone, and I’ve Chanie Wenjack’s story and with a large Indigenous student If you’re not sure where to start or always felt the medium of comics aid our collective reconciliation population. The Grade 4, 5, and how you can contribute, start by could do the same. It’s our hope journey through a combination of 6 classrooms are involved in the reading the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to that one day Secret Path will be awareness, education, and action. Legacy Schools program and Action and pick one to action that taught in schools and that it will Chanie is survived by his have completed various help to shed a light on this all too sisters, Pearl, Daisy, Evelyn, reconciliACTIONs. They creat- resonates with you,” Sarah shares. “The path has been laid out for often ignored part of Canada’s and Annie, among many other ed a poster for Orange Shirt Day us, we just need to take the steps.” past. I think, above all else, that’s family members who carry his to research residential schools ADVERTORIAL
When asked what made community work in the ‘old days,’ Global Indigenous Development Trust (GIDT) co-founder and Tahltan Elder Jerry Asp responded: “Everyone was busy, everyone was contributing, and everyone felt valued.” There is a lot we can learn from the values, systems, and understandings of the Indigenous Nations. The Indigenous way is a deep understanding of Natural Law—that we are one with all life. It is based on more than 10,000 years of direct observation of Nature and the Great Spirit that flows in all things. GIDT is helping to re-integrate these ancient and highly complex ways of knowing into a modern way forward. Through a way of working with one another that is rooted in natural values and life-affirming principles, people are empowered to be part of the solution and reignite their true potential. Led by a Board of Directors and Advisory comprising some of Canada’s most inspiring Indigenous leaders, with more than 200 years of combined experience in grass-roots community transformation, GIDT uses proven and practical practices
to support Nations across Canada and around the world in building a better way forward. GIDT facilitates, mentors, and coaches leaders and teams to help them build the foundation for their Nations to thrive again. They assist with the tools, partnerships, and resources in such areas as economic and environmental governance, strategic and financial planning, business development, food systems, and green technology. Together with their extensive global network, GIDT works to bring the best ideas globally to empower innovative solutions locally. Their impact proves that traditional knowledge is incredibly valuable, and when combined with strategic resources, can create a positive impact that spans generations. Their latest Youth Leadership Champions of Change program is a six-month training program for young Indigenous leaders across Canada. GIDT is helping leaders tap into their own wealth of knowledge in biomimetic innovation, complemented with new technology in localized clean water, regenerative food systems, green energy, and healthy housing for a uniquely
transformative program that leaves these young leaders with the tools, resources, and relationships to create lasting change in their Nations. At the helm of GIDT are Tahltan Elder Jerry Asp, founding President of the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation and 2020 Canadian Mining Hall of Fame inductee, and UkrainianCanadian lawyer, entrepreneur, speaker, author, and human rights advocate Sonia Molodecky. Jerry Asp is credited with leading his Nation from 98 percent unemployment to 100 percent employment. 30 years later, the Nation enjoys education standards on par with the national average, contributing to the continued success of their Nation. He also helped establish new standards in resource development that works with the land, considers migratory paths of wildlife, and enhances the wellbeing of ecosystems throughout development. After spending years working in corporate law, Sonia was searching for a method of economic development that valued people, the planet, and our relationships with all life. She met Jerry and
© GLOBAL INDIGENOUS TRUST
A New Way Forward, Inspired by a Traditional Way of Thinking
“To renew and survive, we as Canadians need to upgrade our way of living. We need values that will allow the next generation to thrive, create a prosperous, healthy future, and regain our relationship with our natural world,” say GIDT co-founders Elder Jerry Asp and Ukrainian-Canadian lawyer Sonia Molodecky. learned about how he led his Nation’s transformation by using the same values she held in high regard—they created a plan to show what is possible and help bring tools for success to other Indigenous communities worldwide. Over the past eight years, GIDT has worked across 16 countries, having reached more than 100,000 people through education and training programs. They are bringing this experience back home to help
support Nation Re-Building on Turtle Island. Get involved and support GIDT’s Prosperity4All Campaign or sponsor a Youth Champion of Change and help build a bright future for all Canadians. Together, we can get it right! Visit globalindigenoustrust.org to learn more and donate to support Thriving Nations at gofund.me/2fbde78f
THRIVING NATIONS. Remembering where we came from, while looking forward to the future. www.globalindigenoustrust.org
