A walk to remember; 12-year-old N.S. boy walks across province to raise awareness of residential schools
A 12-year-old Nova Scotia Indigenous boy is leading a walk that will take at least six days, and span more than 150 kilometres across the province.
Carrying the weight of a community, Landyn Toney began his journey with one step on Thursday- and plans to take tens of thousands more by the time he's done.
“We’ve been walking for three days now… (Sunday) is going to be our fourth day,” said Landyn, who turned 12 on Friday.
He’s walking the equivalent of nearly four marathons to raise awareness about residential schools, while also raising money along the way.
It’s an issue close to Landyn’s family – his great-grandmother was a residential school survivor.
“Landyn and I were talking to people who had no idea what took place in the residential schools, and we were shocked by that,” says Marsha McClellan, Landyn’s mother.
He began his journey on Canada Day in Bible Hill, N.S., not far from where the Shubenacadie Residential School once stood.
His goal is to walk all the way to his home at Annapolis Valley First Nation – symbolic, as not all First Nations children made it home from residential schools.
“All I think to push myself to go, is I think of the kids from the residential schools,” says Landyn. “They weren’t allowed to take breaks, and they had to run way further than we are right now.”
“We feel the spirits with us, and it’s giving us strength,” adds McClellan.
Strangers have gathered on the overpasses along N.S. highways to cheer him on, providing a jolt of emotional energy on the tiring trip.
“On all of the bridges, there’s a lot of people cheering me on and stuff,” says Landyn. "It makes me happy, it's really cool."
Supporters like 10-year-old Hazley Gehue have also joined in.
“To know there are little babies taken away from their families at a young age, that they shouldn’t have to,” says Gehue. “The kids from the residential schools couldn’t stop and neither will I.”
Landyn has already raised more than $12,000 on his walk, with the goal to donate it somewhere to continue to raise awareness to the issue.
“Yesterday, I was talking to two survivors from residential schools, and they gave me more inspiration for this walk,” says Landyn. “I’m doing it for a good cause, and just to spread the word that I’m trying to make the world a better place.”
A six-person committee that includes Landyn and his mother will decide where to spend the money based on recommendations from both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous groups.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.