Tsawwassen First Nation ends Truth and Reconciliation event early due to 'critical incident'

Prime Minister Mark Carney reflected on a dark chapter in Canada's history during a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation ceremony in Edmonton. The prime minister honored the children who survived residential schools and those who did not make it home. Carney acknowledged the dignitaries present but emphasized the importance of hearing the stories of the survivors and reflecting on the painful past.

The ceremony, held at Fort Edmonton Park, featured drumming and traditional dancers. Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre attended the event alongside Carney. The residential school system, which began in the 1800s, forcibly removed over 150,000 Indigenous children from their families and communities. These children were often subjected to abuse, malnutrition, and other forms of mistreatment.

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded that the residential school system was a deliberate policy of cultural genocide.