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1257+:(677(55,725,(6 Group plans outreach on Sept. 30 Volume 75 Issue 22 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 $.95 (plus GST) 'You can still feel the remnants' of residential school says chief News/North marks Orange Shirt Day 2020 with special coverage How a painful legacy is taught in schools Stephen Kakfwi recalls his pilgrimage to Fort Prov Chief reflects on the lasting NNSL file photo effects of Bobby Drygeese, Randi Baillargeon, Alfred Baillargeon, Chief Edward Sangris, Napoleon MacKenzie and Jonas Baillargeon stand together as they chant and residential drum during the Land Feeding of the Fire ceremony at the Wiiliideh site on Aboriginal Day in 2019 as a part of the collaborative concert and mural hon- schools ouring the survivors of the 14 residential schools in the North. Publication mail Contract #40012157 "There is a lack of awareness of Indigenous history because of how Canadian history has been translated and passed on to schools." 7 71605 00200 2 – MP Michael McLeod on residential schools in Canadian history books , page 7. 2 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, September 28, 2020 orangenews shirt day 'You can still feel the remnants' of residential school: Chief Bonnetrouge Joachim Bonnetrouge says communities are still healing from residential school system by Natalie Pressman feed my family, but I wasn't always Northern News Services that way," he says. "To be a good Deh Gah Got'ie Kue/Fort Providence Dene you have to work at it. I sure When he was four years old, Joa- worked at it." chim Bonnetrouge was taken from Bonnetrouge is 74 years old and his Dene village and brought to a has been chief on and off for the last residential school in Fort Providence 19 years. Before that he was a band where he stayed for 13 years. councillor and says he has worked for Now, he's gotten to "that good the band for well over 40 years. place of peacefulness," but it has His foray into politics came when taken him a long time to get there. he was 21. He said he liked to sleep- Like so many Indigenous children in in those days. One morning his removed from their families, Bonnet- mother came into his room while he rouge – now chief of Deh Gah Got'ie was sleeping and told him that his Kue First Nation in Fort Providence uncle, chief at the time, wanted to – experienced years of sexual abuse see him. in residential schools. It turned out that his uncle was "I was a typical Indian residential looking for someone to write a let- school survivor," he says "I had all ter to Indian Affairs in Yellowknife the characteristics, mannerisms, and to get some more nets and supplies attitudes." for the community. After that he The childhood trauma followed started following his uncle to meet- him and at age 43 Bonnetrouge ings, carrying his bags and the rest sought help for alcoholism. is history. He started going to Alcoholics Bonnetrouge said the reverbera- Anonymous meetings and "going tions of residential schools still ring NNSL file photo beyond (his) ego" to reach out for clear in Deh Gah Got'ie Kue. Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation Chief Joachim Bonnetrouge, 74, is a residential school survivor. help and build his support system. "In our community, everyday, He says the effects of the residential school system continue to be felt in their community If he hadn't, he suspects he may every night, every weekend you can everyday. have lost his wife and family. still feel the remnants and the people After 30 years of sobriety, he says learning to deal with their experi- run healing workshops for survivors. best you can be." missions' (TRC) 94 calls to action. things are getting easier. ences." They serviced nine Dehcho com- "Things actually do get better," he "Canadians need to become He is a father of four and a grand- In 2001 Bonnetrouge, with a munities until they ran out of funding says. "I was never a believer in that, engaged," he says. "The larger society father of 13. He says he is focused on group of other community members, in 2009. but I learned that it's true." out there, they need to tune in." being a good leader, a good teacher, ran a regional residential school heal- For those who continue to strug- As far as reconciliation on a broad "(The TRC) has done their part. and a good Dene man. ing program. The program made use gle with the anger and addiction, scale, Bonnetrouge says it starts with Now it's up to families and up to "I can set a net, shoot a moose, of federal compensation funds to Bonnetrouge says "just try to be the the Truth and Reconciliation Com- communities to study it." orange shirt day NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, September 28, 2020 3 Did we get it wrong? News/North is committed to getting facts and names right. With that goes a commitment to acknowledge mistakes and run corrections. If you spot an error in News/North, call (867) 873-4031 and ask to speak to an editor, or email editorial@ nnsl.com. We'll get a correction or clarification in as soon as we can. NEWS Briefs GNWT seeks feedback on sale of vaping products NWT The Department of Health and Social Ser- vices is asking NWT residents for input on the development of new regulations under the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act, which came into effect at the end of March, respecting the sale of flavoured vapour prod- ucts. "The GNWT's legislation aims to protect residents' health by regulating where and how vaping products can be accessed, and pla- cing additional restrictions on the display and photos courtesy of Tessa Macintosh advertising of vaping products in the NWT," It was a sunny but sombre day at when Stephen Kakfwi and his family visited the monument site in Fort Providence. according to a news release. "To build on these protections, the Department of Health Oct. 3, 2019. and Social Services is working to determine the best approach to keeping vaping products out of the hands of our children and youth. We want to ensure that all NWT residents, particularly children, youth and non-smokers, Former Premier Kakfwi are protected from the risks and harms associ- ated with vaping." The department is accepting feedback until Dec. 18. You can email [email protected] or fill out the survey at https://www.surveymon- reflects on residential schools key.com/r/DHSS-TVPCA. There is more information available on the GNWT website. Kakfwi made an important pilgrimage to a – Craig Gilbert monument in Fort Providence in 2019 NWT teachers to receive 1,000 by Simon Whitehouse face shields from Ontario Northern News Services NWT Deh Gah Got'ie Kue/Fort Providence Educators at 49 schools in the NWT will Every September, former NWT premier receive face shields donated by The Canadian Stephen Kakfwi feels a profound sense of Shield, a personal protective equipment (PPE) longing and loneliness. manufacturer based in Waterloo, Ont, the com- It's a memory triggered by the change pany said in a news release on Wednesday. of seasons, but it's rooted in his residential "Over 1,000 shields were donated, enough school experience, when he was taken away to equip the entire teacher population across from his family repeatedly for seven years. the 49 schools," said Canadian Shield spokes- That anguish returns again in late Decem- person Shannon Dodangoda, who added that ber, even many decades later. the items are in transit and their arrival date "Long after I was married and had kids isn't yet known. ... no matter where I was during Christmas, The donation comprises 750,000 shields to there was always a deep sense of emptiness education departments and ministries across and sadness "whether I was with my wife or the country – a gesture worth $7.5 million. friends and family it didn't matter and these The made-in-Canada items are manufac- feelings always crept in," says Kakfwi, who tured using 100 per cent recyclable material grew up in Fort Good Hope. and can be sanitized and reused at least 15 Orange Shirt Day and recognition of Sept. times, Canadian Shield said. 30 as a time to observe residential school The Department of Education, Culture and survivors is important, he says. Indigen- Employment (ECE) will distribute the shields ous people in the NWT have been heavily to teachers. impacted and the broader Canadian public – Blair McBride ought to understand how survivors experi- ence the negative memories, says Kakfwi. Coping with these intense emotions is an NWT receives nearly $15 million ongoing process. One important event that to support safe economic restart he was involved in was a pilgrimage to Fort NWT Providence last October. The NWT is receiving $14,555,000 to sup- Kakfwi, his family and various commun- port health-care systems and essential services ity leaders were involved in the dedication of as part of the federal government's Safe Restart a monument that lists the names of children Agreement, MP Michael McLeod announced who died at the hamlet's Sacred Heart Mis- Monday in a news release. sion School. The school is one of the oldest The fund is part of a $19 billion federal in the NWT, stretching back to the 19th Stephen Kakfwi and grandson Ryden place their hands under Helen commitment to "safely restart the economy" to century. Only in recent years, Kakfwi found Laporte's engraved name. deal with the impacts of the pandemic.

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