'I am doing this to show people what they couldn’t do': N.S. boy walks 150 km to honour residential school survivors

ANNAPOLIS VALLEY FIRST NATION, N.S. -

An 11-year-old from Annapolis Valley First Nation, N.S. plans to travel more than 150 kilometres on foot, starting Canada Day, in memory of residential school survivors.

Landyn Toney says the long journey is to honour the children of Canada's residential schools who never made it home.

"I'm going to be walking from Truro, N.S. to Annapolis Valley First Nations," says Landyn, who is Mi'kmaq.

"I am doing this to show people what they couldn’t do because they weren't allowed to leave the schools. This is basically to say, 'I'm running back home to my family.’"

Landyn hopes his six-day trek, joined by his mom and cousin, will serve as an inspiration.

"My journey is also to help the people who are still suffering. This is getting the word out, and this is trying to give them inspiration, to make them feel a little bit better about themselves, and how it's really sad for them too," says Landyn.

Father Roger Toney says Landyn's journey will take him through all the First Nations reserves in the area.

"Landyn's great-grandmother was in the residential school and she was a survivor, so we've heard many stories, and they were all terrible," says Toney.

"There wasn't a good one that came out of it besides, she survived."

Landyn is hoping a lot of people will join him on his walk.

"When I do these things, I hope a lot of people will do them with me. I hope I get a big group of people going," he says.

"The more people, the more awareness that's going to be spread."