June is National Indigenous History Month
Posted on 6/3/2021
Civic Service Union 52 mourns the deaths of 215 innocent children whose remains were unearthed in an unmarked mass grave at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation territory. We are devastated by the pain and grief the communities of the missing children are feeling and have felt for generations. This is painful evidence of the trauma perpetrated upon Indigenous Peoples driven by racism and colonialism that continues to manifest in our systems today.
June is National Indigenous History Month. We must celebrate the history, heritage, and diversity of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples that enriches our society, but we must also focus on action to “redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation”. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada called on governments, educational and religious institutions, civil society groups and all Canadians to take action on the 94 Calls to Action it identified. Civic Service Union 52 recognizes our collective responsibility and commits to actively repair the the pain and injustice perpetrated upon Indigenous Peoples.
As President of Civic Service union 52, I would like to express my deepest condolences to our Indigenous Brothers and Sisters on behalf of myself and my membership. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you.
Lanny Chudyk
We know that this news will reopen wounds and spark a lot of grief, anger, and sadness for many of our members and their families. If you need support, services are available. A helpline for residential school survivors can be reached at 1-866-925-4419.