From the cancelling of Canada Day activities, to the heat wave in Western Canada, here is what we saw in the news this week.
Cancel Canada Day march honours 215 Indigenous children and other residential school victims
In solidarity with Indigenous communities mourning the systemic genocide of their people, local Indigenous women organized a Cancel Canada Day march in Guelph.
The event began on the steps of Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate at 2 p.m. on July 1. Speeches were held and then participants marched from Macdonell Street to Wellington Street to Guelph City Hall.
According to GuelphToday, attendees of the Cancel Canada Day march were discouraged from bringing any Canadian flags, and organizers hoped residents would “read the room” and not participate in Canada Day celebrations this year.
Instead, attendees were encouraged to show solidarity with Indigenous communities and buy orange shirts from Orange Shirt Day to support Indigenous organizations.
Since the discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children, hundreds of other unmarked graves have been found near former residential schools.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged the discoveries during this year’s Canada Day statement, saying that they have “rightfully pressed us to reflect on our country’s historical failures, and the injustices that still exist for Indigenous peoples and many others in Canada.”
Although government-run Canada Day events still took place virtually, the Peace Tower flag in Ottawa was only raised to half-mast.
Guelph’s Rotary Club’s annual Canada Day event was also called off. The city has given its support for this decision, stating “it has been a challenging year for everyone,” according to Global News.
“If your neighbour was having a funeral, especially a funeral for a child, you wouldn’t go off celebrating it and putting off fireworks, because that’s extremely disrespectful,” said Maura Winkup to GuelphToday. Winkup was one of the organizers of the Guelph march.
Hannah Geauvreau-Turner and Desiree Fekete also took part in organizing. Along with Winkup, they each have relatives who attended residential schools.
“This was genocide and people are finally starting to listen and acknowledge that it was actually a genocide and that it actually happened and that can’t be celebrated right now. Our whole community is in mourning and it’s time to honour these children,” said Winkup.
“Despite their attempts to erase us we’re still here, we’re standing together, and you know this is just the beginning.”
182 unmarked graves found across former residential school in B.C., unconfirmed if remains belong to school attendees
On June 30, 182 unmarked graves were discovered at a ʔaq̓am cemetery near a former residential school in British Columbia.
Located near the city of Cranbrook, B.C., former St. Eugene’s Mission School and its surrounding area was investigated by the ʔaq̓am community using ground-penetrating radars.
According to a ʔaq̓am statement, the search for burial sites began last year when an unmarked grave was found during remedial work near the ʔaq̓am cemetery. The graveyard is located across from the former residential school.
The discovered burial sites are only a metre deep, and the remains are believed to belong to members of Ktunaxa Nation, including ʔaq̓am and Lower Kootenay Band, as well as neighbouring First Nations, CBC News reported.
The ʔaq̓am community is still working to identify whether the remains belong to children who attended St. Eugene’s Mission School.
“ʔaq̓am leadership would like to stress that although these findings are tragic, they are still undergoing analysis and the history of this area is a complex one,” read the statement.
The cemetery was originally used to bury locals when it opened in 1865, but the ʔaq̓am community began burying their members there as of the late 1800s. Further, the graves were frequently marked with wooden crosses which could deteriorate over time.
Due to these factors, it is difficult to identify whether the unmarked graves found on Wednesday belong to former victims of the residential school.
According to CBC News, St. Eugene’s Mission School was operated from 1912 until 1970 by the Catholic Church, and up to 100 Lower Kootenay Band members were forced to attend during that time.
Chief Jason Louie of the Lower Kootenay Band told CBC News that he wants the church to be held legally accountable for the operations of St. Eugene’s.
Extreme heat results in hundreds of fatalities across Western Canada
As unprecedented temperatures scorch the Pacific Northwest, hundreds have tragically died from extreme heat in Canada.
At least 486 deaths were reported in British Columbia between June 26 and June 30, according to Global News. While each case is still being investigated, authorities believe hyperthermia is likely the cause for the tragic rise in fatalities.
The extreme heat has caused Lytton, B.C., to face the hottest recorded temperatures in Canada, reaching over 49 C on June 29. The following day, residents were ordered to evacuate as a local wildfire made its fast approach into the town.
B.C.’s Chief Coroner Lisa LaPointe told Global News that the province was “caught off guard” and lacked the necessary resources to prevent some of the heat-related deaths.
While temperatures have mildly cooled since Wednesday, the B.C. government is facing criticism for not having declared a heat emergency. Officials have stated that they will be reviewing its Emergency Act as to “better prepare for similar extreme weather events.”
Alberta also reported over 130 heat-related visits to hospitals during the skyrocketing temperatures, and several regions in the United States noted cases of heat stroke, especially among the elderly.
Meteorologists claim the heat wave was “caused by a dome of high pressure over the Northwest and worsened by human-caused climate change.”
On June 29, Washington Governor Jay Inslee stressed the threat of climate change, writing “we have to turn up our level of efforts fighting the underlying cause of our changing world.”
Diversity and inclusion through the Positive Space Project
Shortly before the end of Pride 2021, the University of Guelph announced a new Courselink training module, the Positive Space Project, with the hope of increasing awareness and support for the LGBTQ2SIA+ community.
The module was developed with input from local LGBTQ2SIA+ community members, and is available for faculty, students, and staff.
In a U of G news release, Jarred Sanchez-Cacino, who is the sexual and gender diversity adviser at the U of G, said its goal is to help develop important resources and skills required to foster an inclusive environment at the university.
The training is split into two parts. The first is a virtual module that can be completed through Courselink or the Diversity and Human Rights (DHR) website, and the second is an in-person workshop “led by an experienced facilitator to turn that information into practice and action.”
Participants receive a Positive Space Project decal after completing both sections.
While the release states that U of G is largely more inclusive than “many other campuses” based on a 2019 provincial study of experiences, well-being, and academic development, Associate Vice-President of DHR Indira Naidoo-Harris claims there is room for improvement.
“We know full equality and acceptance for the LGBTQ2SIA+ community is directly connected to addressing racism, colonial violence, ableism, misogyny and other systems of oppression,” said Naidoo-Harris in the release.
“This training will bring an intersectional and anti-oppressive lens to equity and inclusion practices at the U of G and lay the foundation for a strong culture of belonging for everyone in our campus community.”
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