Sherwood Park News has reported:

People of all ages wearing orange filled Festival Place on Wednesday, Sept. 30, for Strathcona County’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation gathering. Elder Bert Auger, a Knowledge Keeper and social worker, and keynote speaker Bert Crowfoot urged attendees to learn from painful history and take steps toward stronger relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

For six years, communities across Canada have gathered on Sept. 30 to reflect on the past and renew a commitment to a better future. The day recognizes grief over lives lost, trust broken and futures taken from Canada’s First Peoples. It also draws attention to healing and understanding amid the history of children taken from their homes, cultures destroyed and generations affected by trauma.

Auger spoke about the need to hear both positive accounts and tragedies, and to respond to the ongoing challenges facing Indigenous children and communities. “We want you to know the good stories, but we also want you to know the tragedies… so you stand up and say, hey, that’s not fair. We’ve got to do something about it. Why is there so many Indigenous kids in care? We’ve got to do something about it. That’s not only an Indigenous problem. It’s a Canadian problem. It’s an Alberta problem. It’s an Edmonton problem. We’ve got to make it better; we’re making it better right now as we gather in good ways, in respectful ways, we’re making it better,” said Auger.

He also questioned the word “reconciliation.” The term can suggest restoring a relationship, Auger said, even though Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples are still working to build one that never fully existed.

Strathcona County’s gathering included local dignitaries and government officials, as well as the Honourable Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta and a representative of the Crown. Lakhani described healing as a shared, long-term effort involving listening, learning from experience and supporting one another. “The journey to healing is long, but we will walk that road together, listening to the stories, learning from experiences and sharing the burden,” she said.

Lakhani said everyone has a role as treaty people and partners, including in caring for the land and one another and helping community members succeed. She urged people to live by the Cree concept of Wahkohtowin, which she translated as “kinship.” She also encouraged Canadians to learn Indigenous histories and teachings, amplify Indigenous voices and support Indigenous-led initiatives, saying stronger bonds can help future generations inherit a relationship based on respect and partnership.

“Today, we remember painful truths that are an undeniable part of our shared history. We acknowledge the suffering caused by a system that sought to erase languages, cultures, identities and connections to family and community,” Lakhani said. “Yet, even as we reflect on these difficult truths, we also recognize the strength, the resilience and contributions of our Indigenous people.”

Crowfoot, an Officer of the Order of Canada, journalist and photographer, was the event’s keynote speaker. He founded several Indigenous media organizations, including the Windspeaker radio network, and spoke about creating a brighter future. He recommended that people begin by learning an Indigenous language, even a single word. “I suggest you learn a language,” Crowfoot said. “Learn a word in Cree.”

He gave examples of greetings: Oki in Blackfoot, Aaniin in Anishinaabemowin or Ojibwe, Tansi in Cree and hello in English. Crowfoot said learning one Indigenous word can be an initial step toward stronger relationships and greater understanding.