“The opportunity to connect and remember.”
That’s what North Grenville Mayor Nancy Peckford calls the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation that was marked in the region.
In Kemptville, the North Grenville Indigenous Advisory Circle held a ceremony on Saturday at the Arboretum at the new Indigenous Forest Space in the Ferguson Forrest.
It included remarks from Indigenous community members, music, artwork, and food.
Peckford says the occasion is so vital for a number of different reasons.
“It’s both sombre in that we’re remembering the tragedy of residential schools but we are also celebrating the incredible resilience of Indigenous peoples from across the country.”
Students with the Upper Canada District School Board also marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.
