Last week, we heard the horrifying news that the remains of 215 Indigenous children were found at a former residential school in British Columbia.
This news is devastating and is an example of the history of prejudice, racism, and inequality faced by Indigenous people and communities in Canada that spans hundreds of years.
We acknowledge the broader systemic and institutional implications of residential schools and Feed Ontario honors the 215 precious lives lost at the residential school in Kamloops and countless other lives lost as a result of these systems.
We extend our deepest condolences to the families, Indigenous community, and all those affected by the news of this tragedy.
As we begin National Indigenous History Month today, Feed Ontario recommits to listening to and learning from our Indigenous partners and communities in our work to provide equitable access to food for all Ontarians.
We recognize that First Nations, Metis, Inuit, and Indigenous communities experience unique barriers to food security as a result of these systems and that they play an important role in developing solutions to these barriers.
There is no way to atone for the trauma or pain caused by residential schools in our country, but there is hope in actively coming together to work towards truth, reconciliation, healing and education.