GUELPH – A crowd of hundreds marched through downtown Guelph on July 1, wearing orange shirts to show solidarity with Indigenous people.
The “Cancel Canada Day: Solidarity with Indigenous People” march was one of a number of similar events that took place across Canada on July 1, to allow communities to reflect on Canada’s dark history regarding its residential school system.
The march began with speeches on the steps of the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate.
The march was organized by three local Indigenous women: Hannah Geauvreau-Turner, Maura Winkup, and Desiree Fekete.
“It’s important to not celebrate Canada Day because Canada is built on the graveyards of Indigenous people,” Geauvreau-Turner said in an interview with the Advertiser.
Solidarity – Hundreds gathered in downtown Guelph to take part in the “Cancel Canada Day: Solidarity with Indigenous People” march on July 1, with participants wearing orange shirts to show solidarity with Indigenous people. Prior to the march, speeches took place on the steps of the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate.
Photos by Curtis Gordon
“They’ve tried to eliminate an entire race, and this is genocide.”
Geauvreau-Turner said with many Indigenous people grieving because of the recent discovery of unmarked graves at former residential school sites, it was not appropriate for people to celebrate Canada Day this year.
“Instead of buying fireworks, you should put your money towards Indigenous people or organizations,” she said.
Geauvreau-Turner outlined a number of changes that Indigenous people want to see occur in their communities.
“We want to see clean water for Indigenous reserves,” she said.
“We want to see Indigenous women being able to go out alone without worrying about what’s going to happen to them.”
She added she would also like to see changes regarding funding for schools on reserves, and for discrimination toward Indigenous people to come to an end.
Geauvreau-Turner said there has been intergenerational trauma in her family because of Canada’s residential school system. Her grandmother is a residential school survivor, and her mother attended an Indian day school.
“I just hope that people start to learn more and educate themselves about the truth that has happened, and also that people start amplifying Indigenous voices more.”
