'It broke my heart, it really did,' Mi'kmaw communities reflect on residential school discovery
In First Nations communities all over Cape Breton Island, people stopped to reflect on Monday.
In most - if not all - of these communities, there are residential school survivors and descendants of residential school survivors.
A makeshift memorial to the 215 indigenous children whose remains were found buried near a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., created a powerful image: 215 pairs of shoes were placed on the steps of a church on the Membertou First Nation.
"It broke my heart, it really did," said Tracy Smith.
Smith dropped by with her one-year-old granddaughter, to pay their respects.
"It really hits home to think that such beautiful children that never had a chance," Smith said.
Jada Paul is Membertou's youth chief.
"It's heartwarming, but it's also heartbreaking," Paul said.
She says people have been coming here all day to drop off shoes or just reflect.
She says some are community members, including residential school survivors.
Others are non-indigenous people.
At just sixteen years old herself, this hits home.
"This is just the beginning," Paul said. "We don't know how many children have lost their lives being at residential schools."
In Eskasoni First Nation, the largest Mi'kmaw community in the Maritimes, Chief Leroy Denny says his focus has been on meeting with and supporting residential school survivors there.
"I was very saddened and I wasn't surprised," Chief Denny said. "I spent the afternoon with the survivors for a ceremony and we lit the sacred fire."
He says for the survivors in particular, the discovery made in B.C. opens up old wounds.
"It's time that we listen to the survivors and all of the stories that they've been sharing," Denny said.
Paul says "my hope for the future is that more non-indigenous people learn about this and that they take action."
Back in Membertou, as the flags fly at half mast and the collection of shoes grew larger, the hope is that people from coast to coast will learn from this grim discovery and that today's youth, such as Smith's daughter, will grow up in a country that's been changed by reconciliation and by the lessons of its past.
"I'm hopeful," Smith said. "I'm hopeful that she is. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that she does. And I hope everybody else reaches out and joins hands and does the same."
But for now, people in First Nations communities here in the Maritimes and across the country are absorbing the sadness - and the outrage - that comes with a revelation like this.
In Eskasoni, Chief Denny says the sacred fire will burn for the next nine days -- or 215 hours -- to honour the 215 children.
He also says shoes are being placed on the steps of a church there and on Monday evening, some people will be leaving their porch lights on and putting a teddy bear outside.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.