WHEREAS the residential school system has had devastating impacts on individuals, families, communities, languages, cultures and heritage in the NWT;
AND WHEREAS survivors of the residential school system, their families and their communities continue to live with these impacts today;
AND WHEREAS the Nechi Institute, Aboriginal Healing Foundation, and Presbyterian churches in Canada have sponsored May 26th as a National Day of Healing and Reconciliation;
AND WHEREAS the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation is a movement of people committed to moving forward collectively within our families, communities and across Canada for the purposes of healing and reconciliation;
AND WHEREAS the objectives of the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation are to:
- • celebrate a positive, collective healing and reconciliation movement within our families, communities, churches and government on May 26th of each year;
- • educate ourselves and other Canadians about our collective history of government policies which impacted aboriginal communities and other ethnic groups; and
- • develop commemoration sites and encourage communities to join in the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that the Legislative Assembly resolves to formally observe May 26th as the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation in support of our communities, families and individuals who endure the impacts of a residential school system.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.