'Honoring Our Children Journey' makes stop in Sudbury
Four females from a Saskatchewan First Nation passed through Sudbury on Sunday as they bike to Ottawa for their 'Honoring Our Children Journey.' They hope to arrive on Sept. 30 which is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
They are on the road raising awareness about residential schools and intergenerational trauma.
"Everyone needs to know that every child matters. So it's really important to me that everyone should know that and it can't be hidden and we can't be silenced," said Samara Linklater, a 16 year old making the journey.
Sunday marked day 56 on the road for the youth and three women ranging in ages from 8-41.
They left Pelican Narrows Saskatchewan Aug. 2 on route to Ottawa and are calling their trip "Honoring Our Children Journey."
"They went through so much at those schools. They lost their innocence they lost their cultures and their traditions," said ride organizer Veronique McCallum.
"They were forced to cut their hair which is sacred to our people. The braid is a meaning of our strength and our love and the trust and the honesty and the family."
Kori Bear, 8, said she hopes she gains some important qualities from the trip.
"I hope to accomplish strength, love.....trust," said Kori Bear.
On a stop over in the Sault the groups 2 bicycles were stolen.
"I felt really really bad and really sad because that one bike it made it all the way from Pelican Narrows and I really thought it was going to make it all the way to Ottawa," said 21-year-old rider Creedence McCallum.
The group said kind strangers donated money to replace the stolen bikes.
"It's been quite a journey. We have faced lots of obstacles but we kept going, kept praying and the right people come along like angels come along to help us when we least expect it," said Veronique McCallum.
When the group reaches Ottawa they hope to meet face to face with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and said they plan to ask some questions in the their Cree language.
You can follow the group's journey on their Facebook page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.