Municipality of Cumberland Mayor Rod Gilroy was joined by Deputy Mayor Fred Gould, the Municipality’s Community Engagement Coordinator Stephanie Keilhack, Amanda Mollon from the Municipality’s Equity and Diversity Advisory Committee and Michelle Parsons in recognizing both National Truth and Reconciliation Day (Sept. 30) and Treaty Day (Oct. 1) by signing a proclamation and raising the Every Child Matters flag at the Upper Nappan Service Centre
Mayor Gilroy said National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a time to remember and honour the children who never returned home from residential schools, the Survivors, their families and their communities.
“This is also a day to listen and to learn. We need to understand the painful history of residential schools and recognize that their impacts continue to be felt by First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, families and communities today,” the mayor said. “Reconciliation is not something that happens on one day of the year. It is an ongoing responsibility that requires respect, understanding and a willingness to build stronger relationships with Indigenous Peoples.”
The mayor is encouraging everyone to take some time on Sept. 30 to reflect, learn more about the history and experiences of Indigenous Peoples and consider the role each of us can play in reconciliation.
“As we wear orange and remember that Every Child Matters, let us honour the past while continuing to work together toward a future built on respect, understanding and stronger relationships.”
Treaty Day, on Oct. 1, celebrates and recognizes the 1985 Supreme Court of Canada decision that confirms the Treaty of 1752, signed between “Jean Baptiste Cope, Chief Sachem of the Tribe of Mick Mack Indians, Inhabiting the Eastern Coast of said Province,” and Peregrine Thomas Hopson, Governor of the Province of Nova Scotia – in its ruling of the court case, James Matthew Simon v. the Queen;
This ruling not only validated Aboriginal Treaty rights, but also confirmed the unique relationship which exists between the Mi’kmaq and the Crown, an agreement which is further maintained within the Covenant Chain, a series of interconnected treaties of mutual consent.
Treaty Day festivities must first and foremost reflect the beliefs of the Mi’kmaq people with respect to the obligations of our Treaty Rights – an aspiration only possible through the careful planning of various events and activities.
