

MORRISBURG – A crowd of about 120 attendees commemorated the third annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at the South Dundas Municipal Centre in Morrisburg September 28.
The ceremony, normally held on September 30 each year, was moved ahead by two days to allow for students from neighbouring Morrisburg Public School and St. Mary-St. Cecilia Catholic School to attend.
National Truth and Reconciliation Day was first commemorated in 2021 following the passage of federal legislation recognizing it as a federal holiday. A national day of commemoration was included in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action.
Bookending the ceremony in Morrisburg, Akwesasne musician Theresa Bear Fox performed three songs, two in Mohawk, one in English.
South Dundas’ ceremony included speeches from Mohawk Council of Akwesasne grand chief Abram Benedict, SDG Counties warden Tony Fraser, and South Dundas mayor Jason Broad.
“The last residential school in Canada closed in about 1992. That is not that long ago,” said Benedict. “And to think, as parents, as a community, that we instill within our institutions ‘take care of our children’. I am glad that we have so many children here today to share in and acknowledge the history of Canada, but also to understand and learn.”
Fraser spoke of the need for all residents to play a role in the “larger tapestry” of reconciliation.
“Together, we can weave a brighter future—one where the scars of the past serve as a reminder of our commitment to justice, understanding, and unity.”
Broad recognized the efforts of the previous South Dundas council, including the recent installation of a commemorative bench outside the SDMC as a reminder of the need to continue to work towards reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
“Today we recognize and remember the people, many of whom were children, that suffered and lost their lives at residential schools,” Broad continued. “We want to do what we can to reaffirm our support that Every Child Does Matter – not just now, but in our past, too. We must celebrate Indigenous culture and always seek to improve our relationship-building with our Indigenous neighbours and friends.”
