Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir. File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Canada Day

Tk’emlups chief discourages cancellation of Canada Day, urges Canadians to use it as a learning opportunity

Jun 17, 2021 | 11:46 AM

KAMLOOPS — The chief of the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc (TteS) says she would like Canadians to continue to mark Canada Day — even if the recent discovery near the former Kamloops residential school casts the celebration in a different light.

The City of Kamloops issued a news release Thursday (June 17), saying it is working with TteS to “incorporate messaging into this year’s virtual Canada Day event that will encourage education on Indigenous culture and heritage.”

In the release, Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir said, “The best way to honour our country, and the diversity of its citizens, and in particularly this year, our future generations, is to understand our real collective history.”

Casimir announced on May 27 that the TteS had discovered 215 unmarked gravesites near the former residential school, believed to belong to former students.

The announcement led some communities, including the City of Victoria, to cancel online Canada Day celebrations planned in lieu of in-person celebrations, which are not allowed under pandemic-related public health restrictions.

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Mayor Ken Christian says details of Kamloops’ virtual Canada Day event will be released soon. He notes City facilities will continue to be lit in orange with flags flown at half staff until July 2.

Casimir says Canadians need to learn about the legacy of colonialist policies and how they resonate today.

“For TteS, we would like to encourage all to learn more about the colonial legacy of the residential school and the intergenerational impacts that it has had. We also want people to understand the racism and discrimination that Indigenous Peoples face daily,” she said.

“Part of what it means to be Canadian, is to recognize mistakes and learn from the past.”