Day 91
Today marks Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is long overdue. The date was picked to coincide with Orange Shirt Day an indigenous grass roots initiative honouring the lost children and the survivors of Canada’s Residential Schools system. Recent discoveries of unmarked children’s graves in the grounds of a number of former residential schools has brought this shameful history into the spotlight but it only confirms what many indigenous people have been saying for years.
The emblem of the Orange Shirt comes from the experience of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation. On her first day at school when she was 6 years old she arrived wearing a new orange shirt that her grandmother had given her. This orange shirt was taken away from her and never returned. Phylis later wrote a book telling the story. The orange shirt has come to symbolise the stripping away of dignity, culture and tradition that was the normal experience of many indigenous young people in residential schools.
The inter generational trauma of residential schools continues to impact First Nations, Métis and Inuit families and communities across Canada. It is well documented that there was grave systemic abuse in these institutions that was physical, sexual, emotional, cultural, psychological and spiritual in nature. Neglect, violence and cruelty were all too common. Inexcusably most of these government funded schools were overseen and run by church and mission agencies. We have been slow to accept responsibility, facilitate transparency, call to repentance, work at reconciliation and make restitution.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was active from 2008-2015 to record and respond to issues identified in the framing of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement in 2006. The Commission gathered stories and gave voice to many survivors, exposing the legacy of a policy and approach that amounted to cultural genocide. The commission published 94 “Calls to Action” that would “redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation”. Despite a firm government commitment to implement all these calls to action, progress has been frustratingly slow. Six years later only about a dozen of these actions have been completely enacted and twenty percent have made no discernible progress. This is not good enough.
Today is a day to listen and understand the truth of what happened and its enduring impact. Without truth there can be no reconciliation. It is also a day to embrace and celebrate indigenous culture, express solidarity and advocate for action. Inequality, injustice, abuse, violence and discrimination continue to be present realities for many indigenous people.
As a newcomer to Canada I am still listening and trying to learn. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada has developed Seven Commitments to provide a framework for developing strategies that will prompt conversation and promote action. These embrace; a recommitment to the Reconciliation Proclamation, a repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery, an adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, an Unsettling of Evangelical Theology, learning from partner ecumenical bodies, developing a theology of stewardship of land and creation and establishing a review and accountability mechanism. Today is an opportunity to pray, take stock and renew these commitments.
We need to ensure that we hold the highest standards of care and safety for children. The well being and protection of young people is non negotiable and needs to include cultural respect and inclusion. As the slogan for Orange Shirt Day proclaims “Every Child Matters”. God has a particular concern for the weak, vulnerable and marginalised.
There is a salutary message on final judgement which has application for the nations treatment of believers as well as interpersonal behaviour. Jesus parable addresses two groups and differentiates between those who have shown love and mercy and those who have done the opposite. Neither “the sheep” or “the goats” fully appreciate the impact of their actions. In both cases Jesus explains that whatever they did to the least of his brothers and sisters, they did to him. Matthew’s Gospel quotes Jesus;
“I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me-you did it to me.'
"Then he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on his left, and say, 'Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because-
I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.'
"Then those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?' "He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me-you failed to do it to me.'” (25:36-45 MSG)
In 1973, at St. Joseph’s Residential School in Williams Lake in British Columbia when the nuns stripped Phyllis of her orange shirt Jesus was there. Over 135 years at 130 different Residential Schools as children experienced great suffering and even death, Jesus was there too. But Jesus was not on the side of the perpetrators of these acts, even if they claimed to follow him.
Today I am thankful for this National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. I pray for healing in this nation, for restorative justice and meaningful action.
I am thankful for the welcome given to me on Turtle Island by the indigenous peoples of these lands and for what I continue to learn and receive from them.
These are hard issues without simple resolution but Jesus message reminds me of the importance of practical care shown to those who are on the margins and are in need. I am mindful of similar issues facing Maori, aboriginal, First Nations and Indigenous peoples in many parts of the world.
The question is not ‘Can we do everything?” But “Can we do something?”. Doing anything to help those in need is always better than doing nothing. What we do to the least, we do to him. Every child matters. We are created in the image of Creator. Every child matters to God.
Small actions, both positive and negative, whether kind or cruel have deep and lasting impact. The orange shirt testifies to that.