On National Aboriginal Day 2016, Historica Canada releases a Heritage Minute highlighting the story of Chanie Wenjack. Unlike other Heritage Minutes that were narrated by actors, this one is narrated by Chanie’s sister, Pearl.
Description.
On National Aboriginal Day 2016, Historica Canada releases a Heritage Minute highlighting the story of Chanie Wenjack. Unlike other Heritage Minutes that were narrated by actors, this one is narrated by Chanie’s sister, Pearl.
The Government of Canada announces Terms of Reference and appoints Commissioners for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
The Tragically Hip perform their final concert at the K-Rock Centre in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario. More than 27,000 fans fill Market Square to watch the live feed of the concert outside, and an estimated 11.7 million more watch it at home on television. With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in attendance, Gord Downie asks all Canadians to look at the state of Indigenous-settler relations in this country and to “Do Something” to change them for the better.
A national inquiry officially commences into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
While visiting the Wenjack family in Ogoki Post, Gord Downie releases a statement to announce the Secret Path project.
Gord Downie releases a concept album based on Chanie Wenjack’s death, entitled Secret Path. The album has an accompanying graphic novel and animated film, created in collaboration with artists Jeff Lemire and Justin Stephenson. Secret Path is Gord’s fifth solo album, and the last to be released before his death. Proceeds from the sale of Secret Path go to The Gord Downie Secret Path Fund for Truth and Reconciliation via the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba. The Secret Path goes on to be used in thousands of classrooms to help teach students in Canada about the history and legacy of residential schools.
Gord Downie performs Secret Path live in concert at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. More than 30 members of Chanie Wenjack’s family travelled to attend the event in person and meet Gord and his family. Gord is accompanied by musicians including Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene), Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies), Josh Finlayson (Skydiggers), Dave Hamelin (The Stills), and Charles Spearin (Broken Social Scene), performing in front of footage from The Secret Path animated film.
The Secret Path animated film is broadcast by CBC in an hour-long commercial-free television special.
National Chief Perry Bellegarde presents Gord Downie with an Eagle Feather and he was given a Lakota spirit name, Wicapi Omani, meaning “Man who walks among the stars.”
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund creates the first Legacy Space onboard the C3 Expedition, a 150-day expedition from Toronto to Victoria via the Northwest Passage that took place from June 1 to October 28, which set sail for Canada’s 150th birthday. This room was created as an intentional and safe space to discuss reconciliation and the future of Indigenous and settler relations in Canada.
A student-led campaign at Ryerson University pushes for the school to change its name out of respect for residential school Survivors. The proposal is made by the Ryerson Students Union and the Indigenous Students Association
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologizes to Survivors of residential schools in Newfoundland and Labrador. They were excluded from Stephen Harper’s 2008 apology because residential schools there were not run by the federal government and were established before Newfoundland joined Confederation in 1949. Survivor Toby Obed, who was instrumental in the class-action lawsuit against the federal government, accepted Trudeau’s apology on behalf of his community. However, Greg Rich, Innu Nation Grand Chief, refused Trudeau’s apology, saying it was too narrow.
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund is granted official status as a charity.
35 unmarked graves are found on the grounds of the former Muskowekwan school in Saskatchewan.
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund pilot the Legacy Schools program, a national initiative to supplement the existing curriculum and ensure that Indigenous perspectives are represented and celebrated in the classroom. 200 educators sign up to receive free toolkits.
Secret Path Week is introduced as a national movement commemorating the legacies of Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack, taking place annually from October 17-22. This is a special week as October 17 and 22 respectively mark the dates that Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack joined the spirit world.
Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is published. The document reveals that persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people. The two-volume report calls for transformative legal and social changes to resolve the crisis that has devastated Indigenous communities across the country and is comprised of the truths of more than 2,380 family members, survivors of violence, experts and Knowledge Keepers shared over two years of cross-country public hearings and evidence gathering.
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund Legacy Schools program has over 1,200 schools signed up with at least three in every province and territory in Canada.
Two days and two years after the death Gord Downie, musicians including Sam Roberts, Tanya Tagaq, July Talk, Sarah Harmer, and Buffy Sainte-Marie gather Saturday to perform at Roy Thomson Hall in a recreation of the original Secret Path Live performance.
It is announced that 215 children buried at a former residential school on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc territory in Kamloops, BC have been recovered. This marks the first of many recoveries of graves at the sites of former residential schools. The news draws international outrage and calls to cancel Canada Day.
Canada Day celebrations are canceled from coast to coast to coast in place of events to reflect on Canada’s dark history of colonization.