MILTON — During a tour of Halton Region today, Mike Schreiner, stopped in Milton to visit a new Urban Indigenous Centre and Healing Garden for Hope & Peace for Wellness:
“Indigenous Peoples are the original stewards of this land, and have extensive knowledge of how we can protect nature, water and care for each other and the planet.
I was honoured to visit this space with Grandmother’s Voice and members of the Urban Indigenous People of Halton.
As we sat around the sacred fire, I listened to Indigenous voices, and heard about their need to see their culture returned. I was moved by their experiences and saddened by acknowledging the legacy of colonialism and systemic racism that still persists to this day against Indigenous Peoples.
The Grandmothers shared their need to create safe gathering spaces. That includes parks like memorial healing gardens for residential school survivors. They deserve safe and appropriate spaces to practice, experience and share their culture.
We cannot make progress on meaningful Reconciliation until the Truth has been uncovered, especially with the unmarked graves being found all around the country.
Confronting the Truth means educating all Ontarians about the atrocities of colonialism and the history of residential schools.
I’m calling on the Premier to institute the Indigenous curriculum writing session that he cancelled in 2018 to include more Indigenous led content and the history of residential schools.
And to provide all necessary funding to support Indigenous-led searches for lost children at each residential school site in the province.
Ontario must do all that it can to support Indigenous communities. And that starts with Truth and Reconciliation and requires political will to take action.”