EDMONTON — Prime Minister Mark Carney says, despite what has already been done, Canadians must remember what took place at residential schools and continue working to reconcile with First Nations individuals. "My point is, we are making some progress, but we know the work of reconciliation is far, far from finished," Carney said at a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event in Edmonton on Wednesday. "The wounds are still too deep, the gaps are still too wide.""Reconciliation is a journey, not a destination. It's an attitude, not an achievement. Our job is to move together as far and as fast down the path as we can." .The prime minister spoke to the hundreds of people in attendance and urged them to honour the day by listening to experiences from individuals and residential school survivors, reflect on "a dark chapter in Canada's past," and commit to moving forward united. "So many were taken from their homes, their families," Carney said. "All were separated. All were separated from their culture, their language, their identities. Some never came home, and this is not a distant chapter in Canada's past, but a truth that endures, and truth is the foundation of justice." "We shouldn't choose which parts of our history to remember. We shouldn't admire the beadwork and forget the children that were forced into uniforms. We shouldn't honour the drum and ignore the years that it was made to fall silent, and we should not hear the truth of residential schools and fail to act on it." .Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Salma Lakhani spoke at the event. She said Truth and Reconciliation Day is about remembering, reflecting, learning, committing, and hoping. "The journey to healing is long," Lakhi said. "We will walk that road together, listening to the stories, learning from experiences, and sharing the burden.""Each of us has a role to play, as we are all Treaty people and partners. Partners in caring for the land, caring for one another, and helping every community member to succeed." Otipemisiwak Métis Government President Andrea Sandaier was among the Indigenous leaders at the event. Sandaier spoke about the lasting impact that residential schools have on the Métis community. "Thousands of Métis children across Canada were separated from their families and communities," Sandaier said. "They were denied their language, their culture, and their connection to their Métis identity." "And when we talk about that history, it is important to understand that that impact didn't end when the schools closed. Still, to this day, survivors carry those experiences with them, and in turn, so do their families. That is why today matters." .The exact effects of residential schools are a topic of debate among some individuals, especially regarding a school on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc reserve beside Kamloops, where the First Nation claimed it found over 200 potential unmarked graves. Some individuals have equated these to children who were killed at the schools. Others point out that no bodies have thus far been found at the site, an attitude that has been labelled as "denialism." The Assembly of First Nations recently renewed their push for the federal government to criminalize residential school "denialism" by categorizing it as "hate speech." Sandaier on Wednesday urged people to speak out against "denialism" when they see it. "Do not let misinformation and racism spread unchecked through our communities," Sandaier said. "Instead, take what you learn today and carry it with you throughout the year.""Let it give you the knowledge and the strength to stand up for what is right, even when it may be hard. That is what truth and reconciliation is all about."
