National Indigenous Peoples Day is a celebration of resilience: Mushkegowuk Grand Chief
Heartbreaking discoveries of unmarked burials around the country and a health crisis in Ontario's far north have feelings of sorrow running high for the Grand Chief of the Mushkegowuk Council.
But Jonathan Solomon said those challenges make National Indigenous Peoples Day all the more important as a time to reflect, educate and celebrate.
"We still have our language, we still have our culture, we still have our identity," Solomon told CTV. "We have to celebrate our resilience, we have to celebrate our existence as Mushkegowuk and Inuk (people)."
People in Timmins wanted to acknowledge the occasion, including the son of a local police chief.
Northern College student Brent Gauthier made wood artwork containing symbols of Indigenous culture and geography as part of a school project, and decided to donate it to the Timmins Police Service.
He said his artwork signifies the collaboration between police and Indigenous organizations to support the community.
"(Nishnawbe Aski Nation), the police service, Mushkegowuk Council, all of these resources are coming together and trying to produce better relations between Indigenous people and police," Gauthier said, adding that the goal should be to come together.
"We should work on remembering the past and trying to create a better future."
That's a notion deputy police chief Henry Dacosta agrees with, saying the police service's Indigenous liaison has been a key part of gaining the trust of the Indigenous community.
"To build those relationships, build those partnerships, understand things and share that information with our membership," Dacosta said.
He said the police service also welcomes diversity in its workforce and is always looking for people that can add unique perspectives to its law enforcement strategy.
Elsewhere in the city, Newmont Porcupine showed its support for the Indigenous community -- particularly those impacted by the residential school system -- by unveiling a specially painted orange truck with 'Every Child Matters' written on its side.
Bryan Neeley, the company's sustainability and external relations manager, said it's important to stand resolute with its First Nations mining partners.
"We've got agreements with eight different First Nations ... we do have mutual interests on the land, so this is another way we can show support for Indigenous people," said Neeley.
Solomon said it's encouraging to see non-Indigenous people and organizations making efforts to acknowledge, support and learn about Indigenous people — and he said that needs to spiral into a nation-wide education on the history of this country's first settlers.
"What's our history between them and us?" is a question Solomon said all families should discuss.
The ultimate goal, he said is for Indigenous people to be able to live peacefully and autonomously.
"Let's all get along and we'll be much further ahead of we do."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.