By Letter to the Editor on July 6, 2021.
Dear editor, A poem by Marlene E. Purvis FIRST CANADIANS – (Thu Jul 01, 2021) first and foremost, this was their land, their home the many peoples of the First Nations like us they had their culture, their beliefs their right to their language and their freedom appreciation, respect for nature pride in the care of earth\’s bountiful crops tribes living in harmony with wildlife sacred herbs, rituals, tribal dances drumming, singing, praying in native tongue each tribe, unique with their own traditions as with each ethnic group in Canada we are allowed the choice to our own rites this is as it should be, let freedom ring history bears the shame and sin endured by those who took away all that was right we weep for the innocent children hurt and for the families who bear the loss copyright © 2021 Marlene E Purvis On this Canada Day, we pay honour and respect to our Indigenous people! We also shower them with our love and show them, that as a nation we are ready to stand by them thereby setting a precedence of equality! The shame for the atrocities and horrific abuse to the innocent, will always be a reminder that our Government and the Catholic Church of that time shall forever bear the cross of shame and humiliation! Blackfoot, Cree, Iroquois, Crowfoot, Sioux, Piegan, Chipewyan, Sarcee, Algonquin, Ojibwa, Stoney; too many to name but each tribe has it own language and cultural difference as well as traditions! Marlene Purvis Medicine Hat 28