City marks Indigenous Solidarity Day as Canada grapples with residential schools' legacy
City Hall and other London buildings will be lit orange in solidarity on Indigenous Solidarity Day.
June 21 is the 25th annual Indigenous Solidarity Day celebrating the heritage, diverse cultures and achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples.
While the day is meant to be a day of celebration it is also comes as the nation grapples with the discovery a burial site for 215 child victims at a Residential School in Kamloops, B.C.
Since the discovery more burial sites have been found at other schools across the nation.
Last Tuesday, Ontario announced new funding to aid in the search for more burial sites.
Locally, events are being held to mark the day but also the discovery of the burial sites and the ongoing efforts towards healing and understanding across Canada.
SUPPORT NEEDED FOR HEALING LODGE
A fundraising campaign has been launched to rebuild the Anishinaabe Round House on Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, southwest of London.
The official launch coincides with National Indigenous Peoples Day.
The Round House will be a "vibrant place of learning, healing, and growth for local communities, providing a space to gather, celebrate, and connect with land, traditional ceremonies, and one another," according to a statement from Chippewas of the Thames First Nation organizers.
Betsy Waawaaskone Kechego explains, “The name of the Round House is Nimkii Binesi Zaswaaning, and that means ‘the Thunderbird’s Nest’. The reason why we picked that name is because it’s part of Ojibwe history that it is the Thunderbirds that bring life. Every time they come there is a renewal of life. We thought that name would be perfect because when we build this lodge we are in hopes that our community and all the people that come here, whatever it is they need at that time, that renewal of life, those teachings, a good way of life, it comes for them.”
More than $10,000 has been raised so far.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.