Category Archives: Ottawa and Area

Canada’s National Cemetery exhibits 57,000 Project of Heart tiles as part of National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

Assembly of Seven Generations volunteers setting up tiles labyrinth at Beechwood Cemetery – photo A7G

The inaugural National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR) – was a landmark day in the nation’s capital. For the first time ever, Canada’s National Cemetery – historical Beechwood Cemetery in the forested east end of Ottawa – held a day of remembrance for the young victims of our country’s notorious Indian Residential School (IRS) era – the many thousands who were taken from their families and never seen again.

In partnership with long-time reconciliation resource Project of Heart and The Caring Society, on September 30 the cemetery hosted 1300 guests  in a day-long program of events to mark the NDTR. Also honoured as Orange Shirt Day, the opportunity to participate in meaningful remembrance and reflection was taken up by hundreds of educators and their students.

The day’s events included the launch of the 57,000 tile exhibit, created by learners across Canada – each tile representing the life of a child who died in an IRS.

Another highlight for many was a visit to the final resting place of Dr. Peter Bryce, the famous “good doctor” who, a hundred years ago, tried to blow the whistle on the horrific conditions in the schools, where children were starved, mistreated, and ultimately neglected to the point of death. Bryce’s dire warnings were ignored by the government of the day, most notably by the senior bureaucrat in charge of the deadly IRS administration, the notorious Duncan Campbell Scott, who promised that the schools would “kill the Indian in the child”. Scott’s grave, along with that of IRS proponent Nicholas Flood Davin, is included with Dr. Byrce’s in Beechwood’s “Reconciliation Walk”, where historically accurate gravesite plaques now tell the real story of historical personages interred in the cemetery.

“From Project of Heart’s point of view this day was a day to be cherished”, said Sylvia Smith, creator of the teaching resource that has been taught in every Canadian province and territory. “We had POH alumni from across Ontario and Quebec –  teachers and students alike – come to Beechwood to see the tiles they had created join with the 57,000 others to be displayed as an entire collection for the first time ever – it was incredibly moving. And it was a wonderful opportunity for many of the alumni to meet each other at last, instead of just seeing each other’s name on an email chain all these years.”

Adding to its symbolism, the display of tiles was installed by young members of the Assembly of Seven Generations, an organization dedicated to empowering Indigenous youth.

The day’s events were well covered by various news media outlets – links to a some of the coverage are below.

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/indigenous-project-heart-tiles-beechwood-cemetery-residential-schools-1.6192284

 

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/project-of-heart-on-display-at-beechwood-cemetery-in-ottawa-1.5605848

 

https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/news/if-this-isnt-a-genocide-then-what-is-it-indigenous-residential-school-students-honoured-at-beechwood-cemetery-100640214/

 

The reconciliation plaques of Beechwood Cemetery

Bust of Nicholas Flood Davin in Ottawa’s Beechwood Cemetery

 

A steadily growing initiative can be observed taking root in public spaces across Canada since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) issued its report in 2015. It’s a collection of local campaigns that seek to address the way Canadians think about their collective history in the light of what we now understand to be a century-long attempt by Canada to carry out cultural genocide on Indigenous peoples; this period is now known as the Indian Residential School (IRS) era. Continue reading The reconciliation plaques of Beechwood Cemetery

POH honoured to be part of Connaught Public School’s Evening for Reconciliation

On February 13th, Ottawa teachers Kim Bruton and Amanda Anderson presented Project of Heart at Connaught Public School’s Evening Towards Reconciliation. The event was put on by the school and parent council to continue a dialogue regarding Indigenous culture and history. The first part of the programme included a dinner, and keynote addresses by Peter Garrow and the Caring Society’s Daxton Reid. Continue reading POH honoured to be part of Connaught Public School’s Evening for Reconciliation

U Ottawa teacher candidates support Justice for Indigenous Women, make links to POH social justice actions

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In February of this year, professors Warren McBride and Sylvia Smith presented Project of Heart and Justice for Indigenous Women to the University of Ottawa’s teacher-education candidates in their first year FNMI course of study (First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Education: Historical Experiences and Contemporary Perspectives). Continue reading U Ottawa teacher candidates support Justice for Indigenous Women, make links to POH social justice actions

“Teachers teaching teachers” uOttawa’s Faculty of Education embraces Project of Heart

"Teach the teacher" at Ottawa U

April 24, 2017 was a special day for the Education Faculty at the University of Ottawa as experienced educators joined with BEd. Teacher Candidates to “teach them how to teach” Project of Heart to their future students. It was a “Teachers Teaching Teachers” seminar.

The seminar was organized by the Faculty of Education’s Director of Teacher Education, Dr. Nicholas Ng-A-Fook. Nicholas was aware of the strength of Project of Heart from past presentations, and this past term he created the opportunity to offer it as part of a teacher training symposium.

The Teacher Candidates heard the stories from survivors Mary Lou Iahtail and Chris Herodier Snowboy and were given detailed guidance on how to offer Project of Heart. Continue reading “Teachers teaching teachers” uOttawa’s Faculty of Education embraces Project of Heart

A Student’s Dream: Westboro Academy Welcomes Project of Heart

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The students and staff at Ottawa’s Westboro Academy were honoured by the visit of a very special guest this past month, and they have a grade 5 student at the school by the name of Leo to thank for the event.

Leo realized the value in bringing Project of Heart to his school after he had seen IRS survivor Mary Lou Iahtail speak last year. He wanted his classmates to have the chance to hear her story too, and for his school to take part in reconciliation event. Continue reading A Student’s Dream: Westboro Academy Welcomes Project of Heart

Project of Heart a valuable resource for Day of Remembrance and Action on Mass Atrocities Youth Conference


Two high school history teachers from the Ottawa Carleton District School Board recently brought Project of Heart to 60 students from across the National Capital area who had gathered to learn about genocide.

Kim Bruton and Amanda Anderson were presenting at the 3rd annual National Day of Remembrance and Action on Mass Atrocities Youth Conference at Carleton University in Ottawa. Project of Heart was invited to be part of the day’s program in order to recognize the Indian Residential School era and the vast number of Indigenous children affected by Canada’s “hidden genocide” – a cultural genocide which was meant to “kill the Indian within the child”, and that all too often killed the child as well. Continue reading Project of Heart a valuable resource for Day of Remembrance and Action on Mass Atrocities Youth Conference

Shannen’s legacy lives on


The memory of Shannen Koustachin was kept alive at a recent event at the Museum of Nature in Ottawa.

On the evening, June Girvan, Community Service Award winner for 2014, was feted by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation for her extraordinary work in children’s rights. June dedicated the award to the memory of Shannen Koustachen and her “Dream Team” of activists for carrying on Shannen’s work–equal education for First Nations children. Shannen has inspired youth across Canada to continue her work of bringing justice to First Nations children across Canada who continue to suffer systemic discrimination at the hands of the Federal government. Continue reading Shannen’s legacy lives on

Have a Heart for First Nations Children: Ottawa Project of Heart students take to the Hill


 

On February 10 students from Elizabeth Wyn Wood school in Ottawa made the decision to join with and support hundreds of other students from the National Capital area on Parliament Hill as they voiced their concerns to Prime Minister Stephen Harper–loud and clear! Continue reading Have a Heart for First Nations Children: Ottawa Project of Heart students take to the Hill