Truth and Reconciliation Day will be marked on Sept. 30, according to the federal government and many people, including members of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band (LSIB), are wondering what the day is supposed to mean.

The Review reached out to Chief Keith Crow to speak with him and how he is approaching the government香蕉视频直播檚 new holiday.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e been getting asked by a lot of people, 香蕉视频直播榃ell what does this actually mean?香蕉视频直播� and honestly, I haven香蕉视频直播檛 been able to give them an answer,香蕉视频直播� said Crow.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e been getting different government agents calling me and asking what they香蕉视频直播檙e supposed to be doing.香蕉视频直播�

The federal government announced shortly before the election that Sept. 30, would become the new statutory holiday.

Little direction or conversations were provided by the government following that announcement on how the holiday should be observed, which is leading to many questions. Even within the LSIB, there are different views between different people on the day as well as on Truth and Reconciliation itself.

Many of those questions have arisen from the national conversations that contributed to the holiday declaration following the Indigenous children香蕉视频直播檚 graves that were discovered this year.

香蕉视频直播淭hink about Thanksgiving. There are so many different aspects to what Thanksgiving actually is but in my family, we香蕉视频直播檙e thankful for what we have, where we are and what family we香蕉视频直播檙e with and that香蕉视频直播檚 how we celebrate it,香蕉视频直播� said Crow.

香蕉视频直播淗ow do you celebrate a Truth and Reconciliation Day? How do you celebrate the death of all these children that died in residential schools, how do you celebrate that?

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 like Remembrance Day almost, which is thanking the ones that gave us the freedom that we have, but how do we do that with the death of children?香蕉视频直播�

Crow spoke on how he personally felt disappointed with exactly how the holiday came about and its timing, and the lack of substance around the government香蕉视频直播檚 part in what is supposed to bring awareness.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 speaking personally here, not for my community, it香蕉视频直播檚 hard. It香蕉视频直播檚 a hard discussion,香蕉视频直播� said Crow. 香蕉视频直播淔or me, there has to be education behind it.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 difficult, because if you want people to know the truth, then the proper education has to be out there to understand what it means, and right now, a lot of people can香蕉视频直播檛 handle that conversation.

One example of a conversation that Crow had with a member of the government looking for guidance highlights the lack of knowledge and understanding of the knowledge behind the government香蕉视频直播檚 reasoning for the holiday, particularly for the events and the around the residential school system that only officially closed in 1996.

香蕉视频直播淚 told the one guy, go be with your kids. I want you to think about this; imagine being told that you had to put your kids on this truck, to ship your kids away to a school where you know they are going to be abused and they may not come home, and you don香蕉视频直播檛 have an option. And if you say no you香蕉视频直播檒l be arrested. He couldn香蕉视频直播檛 think of it.香蕉视频直播�

Going forward, Crow expressed his hope that there is more than just a single day, and that more education will lead to actual truth and reconciliation beyond a single holiday.

香蕉视频直播淪tep up to the plate government, how are you going to right your wrongs,香蕉视频直播� said Crow.

香蕉视频直播淭ruth and Reconciliation is an action, it香蕉视频直播檚 not a day off.香蕉视频直播�

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