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By Camilla Cornell Wanda Brascoupé has mixed feelings about Canada Day. On the one hand, she says, “! believe there's good reason to celebrate Canada’ But as an Indigenous woman of Bear Clan, Kanien‘keha, SkarU re, and Anishinawbe descent, she also feels an obligation to remind Canadians of the dark side of the founding of this nation and its impact on the Indigenous people who were already here. “Canada Day includes Indigenous people’ says Brascoupé, curator of the Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Fund by Unite for Change. “We can cel- ebrate, but we should also think about how we Oakville Beaver | Thursday, June 29, 2023 | 26 to educate yourself and support reconciliation efforts this year. 1 ion. “Be willing to hear people's truth’ suggests Brascoupé. It can be uncomfortable to open yourself up to fe the world is different than your own. But, she says, “|would encourage Canadians to ask themselves if they have a role to play in reconciliation. You can build a bridge to understanding simply by reading a book, listening to a podcast you wouldn't nor- mally listen to, or having a conversation” Canada Day Is 2. Educate yourself. If you want to make this country an even better place, advises Brascoupé, it's important to understand the history of Indigenous people. She points to some “amazing books” by Indigenous authors, such as Michelle Good's Five Little Indians, a novel about five chil- dren sent to residential school; Thomas King's The Inconvenient Indian, a look at the effects of ever- shifting laws and treaties regarding Indigenous Peoples and lands; and Braiding Sweetgrass, a book and plant | Robil Kimmeret. 3. Listen. “Im a huge podcast fan,’ says Brascoupé. “| love my walks in the morning, and it's a. good time to listen to a podcast If youd like to further your understanding of the impact ofthe residential school system, sh Does your Canada Day include Indigenous Peoples? 4. Be an ally: Go orange. Wearing an orange shirt has become a symbol of the need to com- memorate and honour the Indigenous children who were victims of Canada’s notorious residential school system. The movement (also called Every Child Matters) stems from a story told by Phyllis Webstad who was sent to St. Joseph's Mission Residential School in BC. at age six. She was wearing a bright orange shirt on arrival, but her clothing was confiscated and she was never allowed to wear it again. Wearing an orange shirt on Canada Day is “a good way to share with the world that you are willing to learn and you believe in the inclusion of Indigenous people’ says Brascoupé. 5. Explore your home on native land. The ing Saskatchewan author Connie Walker's Pulitzer- winning podcast, Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’, about the residential school her father was forced rend. More good options: Kuper Island, a podcast by Duncan McCue about the legacy of a BC. residential school; or Missing and Murdered, an 8-part CBC podcast about the 1989 slaying of 24-year-old Alberta Williams along BC's infamous Highway of Tears. S app maps Indigenous territories, feats, and languages for North America and Plug in “Hamilton, Ontario” for example, andy you ll get a list of the Indigenous peoples who. made it home and the treaties governing them. 6. Make a donation to an Indigenous-led charity. Brascoupe E believes Indigenous people need to be er’s seat to providing s services in in their nen tice No one understands how Indigenous communities STEPHEN CRAWFO MPP - Oakville insidehalton.com Constituency Office 74 Rebecca St. Oakville, ON L6K 132 Metroland file phate work and where there are unmet needs beter than Indigenous people themselves,’ she says. The problem: Indigenous-led charities (those whose leadership consists of at least 50 per cent Indigenous people and who serve an Indigenous population) tend to fly under the radar when it comes to attracting funding dol- lars. In fact, non-Indigenous charities get $173 for every $1 that goes to Indigenous charities. The Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Fund aims to remedy that problem. Donations are spread among more than 50-plus Indigenous-led chari- ties focused on everything from health care and mental health services to support for victims of sexual violence, housing for the homeless, and arts and culture. J(-J0) alae f= \WVi(e) ce (exe) C)) eeme)[- We) fe] (905) 827-5141 www.stephencrawfordmpp.ca