Many Nova Scotians will visit the newly named Peace and Friendship Park in Halifax, N.S. on July 1, and plant seeds to commemorate the fate of the children who were forced to go to residential schools and lost their lives there. The orange flowers will remind Canadians of the horrors that these children suffered in residential schools.
Trevor Labrador, one of the gathering organizers, stated:
“On July 1st it’s going to hit hard, but I’m going to speak and I’m going to speak about my past and let people know that it’s not the past no more. It’s being brought back.”
Trevor Labrador (36) was one of the kids forced to attend residential schools. These schools operated all across Canada between 1831 and 1996.
Regular Canada Day will be replaced by gatherings and ceremonies as people have started to mourn the horrors that residential schools inflicted upon indigenous children.
“I thought it was a good choice to go to the water and do a song that kids didn’t get to enjoy in the past and now we can appreciate that our kids in attendance tomorrow can enjoy the song,” said co-organizer Caitlyn Moore.
The Halifax Regional Municipality has cancelled July 1 firework celebration and is encouraging people to reflect on what meaningful reconciliation looks like.
