Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. September 30th has been declared Orange Shirt Day. It has become an annual opportunity to recognize the survivors of residential schools, to acknowledge the harm the residential school system did to children's self-esteem and wellbeing, and to affirm our commitment to ensure that every child matters. Orange Shirt Day began in 2013 with the events organized by Chief Fred Robbins of Alkali Lake, BC, to recognize the residential school experience and to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families.
One of these survivors is Phyllis Webstad, who attended the St. Joseph Mission residential school in Williams Lake, BC. Phyllis was just six years old and was excited to start school wearing her bright new orange shirt that her granny had managed to afford. When she arrived at the mission school, they stripped her and took away her orange shirt, which she never got back. The colour orange, she says, reminds her of how she was made to feel that she did not matter, how all the children were crying and no one cared.
Mr. Speaker, like my parents before me, I, too, am a residential school survivor. I attended Grandin College boys' residence for five years in Fort Smith. My parents attended the Sacred Heart Mission school, which operated in Fort Providence from 1867 to the 1970s. My late father was forced to learn French and punished for speaking his own language. It saddens me to think of his experience when he left Mission School after two years and could no longer speak his own language. His older brother had to translate for him so he could communicate with his mother. A hand gesture to the mouth meant he was hungry.
On the other hand, my mother's experience was okay. She learned moose hair tufting from the nuns, an art that became renowned. Most of my relatives have gone through the residential school system. Some survived, and some are not with us anymore. Mr. Speaker, I hope that my colleagues in this House and the people of the NWT will wear the orange this weekend to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. Please do it as a way to honour the memory of yesterday's children, those who survived and those who did not, and to acknowledge the courage of the adults they have become. Please do it as a way to thank residential school survivors for sharing their stories so that others can understand. Let us not forget this dark chapter in our history. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.