09/20/2026
Last night before going to bed I was thinking about the coming 2 weeks. In this reflection I was realizing that most people do not know of our National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. It is a recognized national statutory day of reflection for everyone...but why? Why do we not know.. in my opinion it is for the same reason I did not know the history. Growing up in Thunder Bay, many of us were not taught the full history of Indigenous peoples, their deep contributions, as well as the profound challenges and systemic harms they endured. For me, unlearning that silence has been a journey of recent years. To all those affected, I am truly sorry that I did not know the truth many years ago. Learning the truth has been an eye-opening responsibility, and I commit to working in meaningful collaboration so we can grow together with mutual respect for one another.
Over the past year, I have had the privilege of listening to a few people who graciously shared their experiences of Residential School with me, and almost every story held unimaginable heartbreak. Imagine being taken away from your family, your culture, and your home at just six years old. I cannot begin to fathom spending years away like that. Think of how parents panic today when a child is even a few minutes late coming home from school, how would you feel if your six-year-old was gone for over a year with no contact at all? The sheer panic, the silent agony, and the overwhelming grief of those families is a heartbreak we must never forget. One painful journey was of 6 year old girl who would climb a small hill to look out at the lake near her residential school. She was waiting to see when her family were coming to get her. She was only 6 years old. My heart broke for her. But she taught me a very important lesson that even with the pain she embraces the 7 Grandfather Teachings and makes sure that everyone she meets has a positive experience.
Understanding this history also changes how I look back on my own life experiences. In 2005, I was honoured to travel to Guadalajara, Mexico, to promote my summer international immersion program, Superior English Experience (SEE) here in Thunder Bay, alongside two of our Ojibwe friends, Robert and Gloria. That trip took on a profoundly spiritual meaning when the Minister of Culture for the state of Jalisco, Mexixo asked if a traditional to***co exchange ceremony could take place between the local Nahuatl Indigenous people and our Ojibwe friends, something the Mexican government had been trying to bridge for years. When we asked Robert and Gloria, they generously agreed. During that sacred exchange, the Nahuatl leader took a condor feather from his headdress and gifted it to Robert, and Robert took an eagle feather and gifted it to him in return, the sacred meeting of the Condor and the Eagle. It was a deeply moving ceremony to witness at the time, but only now, looking back two decades later with a deeper understanding, can I truly appreciate the full weight, beauty, and sacred significance of that moment. The significance of the condor and eagle is incredible
True progress in our region is never an "us and them" endeavour; it is all of us together, building our city with deep respect. When we embrace the Seven Grandfather Teachings: Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility, and Truth, in our daily interactions and decision-making, we create a genuine foundation for shared prosperity.
As a member of the Fort William Business District BIA, I authored an accessibility grant proposal requesting federal funding for a multilingual digital wayfinding beacon application in Downtown Southcore. As we await grant verification, our vision is to partner directly with the Lakehead University Indigenous Learning Department and Matawa First Nations to translate our wayfinding system into Ojibwe. If funded, our city will be the first community in Canada to implement an accessible wayfinding system in Ojibwe, embedding Indigenous language directly into our urban landscape.
Collaborating through initiatives like Lakehead University’s Gichi Kendaasiwin (Higher Learning) shows us what is possible when higher learning, local business, and Indigenous leadership unite. September 30 is a dedicated day to reflect, learn, and grow and a reminder of our responsibility to walk forward together every single day.
September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, is a time for deep reflection, honouring survivors, and remembering the children lost to residential schools. But reconciliation cannot begin and end on a single calendar day, it must be an active, everyday commitment built into how we live, conduct business, and serve our community. I am learning and still have a lot to understand. What I do know is that we all are stronger together.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." — African Proverb
