Hundreds of Toronto students 'Walk for Wenjack' to understand shameful past of residential schools
Students from a Toronto elementary school walked in Chanie Wenjack’s memory Thursday in the hopes of moving toward truth and reconciliation.
Wenjack was only a boy when he was forced into a northwestern Ontario residential school. In Oct. 1966, Wenjack escaped and attempted to travel 600 kilometres back to his First Nation. He died about 60 kilometres from the school.
Six-hundred students from Kindergarten to Grade 1 walked the one-kilometre route representing a total of 600 kilometres.
The walk was a first at Jackman Avenue Junior Public School — an attempt to understand what Wenjack went through at the institution and when he ran away.
“He was one of the people who stood up for himself and left that horrible place,” Grade 6 student, Sebastian Wong, told CTV News Toronto.
“I think he was really brave and handled it really well. It’s just a really sad story,” Grade 5 student, Laika Hempel, said.
Grade 5 student Laika Hempel
Gord Downie’s 2016 album and film brought Wenjack’s story to a large audience. Called ‘Charlie’ at the school, he was one of an estimated 150,000 Indigenous children forced into residential schools acrossa Canada — taken from their communities and culture.
Grade 1 teacher Zoe Rankin is one of two teachers who spearheaded the walk.
“Chanie Wenjack’s story is a tragic one, but it’s not an uncommon one, and the more awareness we can promote to these topics, I think the better,” Rankin said.
In addition to walking, students sang and made signs — raising more than $4,000 for the Downie and Wenjack Fund.
“What our settlers did back then was really unfair,” Hempel said.
“We should always be fair and put ourselves in someone else’s shoes, and think how you would feel if that had been done to you.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Live updates: What star witness in Trump hush money case has said on the stand so far
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial took the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
Wildfire smoke drifts across Canada, over parts of U.S., prompting air quality advisories
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
'A great victory for the industry': Taxi drivers celebrate ruling that found City of Ottawa negligent in allowing Uber to operate
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Ottawa was negligent in its enforcement of the city's taxi bylaw when it allowed Uber to begin operating in 2014, harming the city's established taxi industry.
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sues for defamation over National Enquirer, InTouch Weekly stories
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sued the parent company of the National Enquirer and InTouch Weekly on Monday for a story that she said falsely claimed that she was trying to help the Menendez brothers get a retrial after they were convicted of murdering their parents.
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.’s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease’s progression.
New York City FC coach repeats denial of allegations he punched a Toronto FC player
New York City FC coach Nick Cushing has repeated his denial of allegations that he punched a Toronto FC player, saying he is shocked and upset at the claim.