Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

 people marched through the streets of downtown Gaspé on September 30 as part of Truth and Reconciliation Day, aimed at honouring the survivors of Canada’s residential school system and the children who never returned home. 

This was the fourth such march in Gaspé, which has become a tradition. “Since the first announcement of the 215 little tombstones, (found near a residential school) we’ve done it every year,” says Jessica Jean-Morin, Cultural Officer for the Micmac Nation of Gespeg. 

Ms. Jean-Morin is referring to the discovery on May 27, 2021, of 215 unmarked children’s graves in the orchard of the former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia, run by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. 

“This day is to honour and support the children who never returned to their families or those who returned with traumas from this genocide. We support the communities,” says Ms. Jean-Morin. 

“We don’t want people to forget. The last school closed in 1997. It hasn’t been that long,” notes Ms. Jean-Morin. 

Yan Tapp, the new chief of the Micmac Nation of Gespeg, made his first public appearance at the event. “I’m very proud to be here with the members of the community, and it gives me a chance to share my vision with the people of the Gaspé community,” says Mr. Tapp. 

He notes that more and more people are taking part in the day. 

I see this reconciliation in the community. You can see it in the steps we take. We see new people joining in every year. It’s very interesting,” says the chief. 

The mayor and several Gaspé municipal councillors were also keen to take part in the event. 

“For us, harmony between peoples is a priority. It’s important to work towards reconciliation,” notes the mayor of Gaspé, Daniel Côté. The mayor intends to make contact with the new chief of Gespeg. They met for the first time on Monday morning at the march. “Our hand is outstretched. If we can lend a hand, we’ll always be happy to do so,” says Mr. Côté, whopoints out that the two communities have been working well together for a long time. 

Since 2017, the two councils had held a joint meeting to take this collaboration further, citing partnerships with Berceau du Canada in a video or Rivière-au-Renard, Capitale des pêches. 

“We were perhaps less aware of this reality. When you see the number of people who turned out for this walk for truth and reconciliation, it bodes well for the future,” says the mayor. 

In addition to members of the Gespeg Nation and the non-Aboriginal population, students from English-language schools in the Gaspé region took part in the march. 

The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is an opportunity to pay tribute to the children who were never able to return home, to the survivors of residential schools and to their families and communities. 

Orange Shirt Day is a day of commemoration organised by Aboriginal communities to raise awareness of the intergenerational impact of residential schools on individuals, families and communities, and to promote the concept of Every Child Matters. 

The shirt is a symbol of the loss of culture, freedom and self-esteem that Aboriginal children suffered for generations. 

An estimated 6,000 children died while attending these residential schools.