Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor General Mary Simon look on as First Nations Artis Alicia Kayley performs during the site selection ceremony of the Residential Schools National Monument on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA – A survivor-led steering committee announced today that a tribute to survivors and victims of residential schools will be built on the west side of Parliament Hill.
Ottawa appointed the committee in April 2022 to select a site for a national residential schools monument in keeping with one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon said at a ceremony this morning that the monument is a “significant” step towards reconciliation.
She said in a speech that it will serve as a reminder to parliamentarians that the policies they create, legislate and enforce have consequences.
The steering committee says it worked in collaboration with the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation and residential school survivors to determine the location of the monument.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez both attended the ceremony.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2023.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
