Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy affirms the city is moving ahead with its Canada Day fireworks and virtual celebration on July 1, but plans to use it to raise awareness and education towards truth and reconciliation with regards to recent news about the former residential schools.
He says the city is working to incorporate material in its virtual presentation, which will start at 2 p.m. on Canada Day.
“I think each community has to make their own decision. I don’t want the fact that we are celebrating to suggest that we are not in solidarity with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation and all Indigenous peoples right across the country with this sad news,” Boddy says. “We think this is an opportunity to stop, reflect, learn and think about our history and all parts of it.”
Boddy says he is a proud Canadian because there is a lot of good in this country, but acknowledges Canada does not have a perfect history.
“No country has a perfect history, but there’s a lot of other countries in the world where you wouldn’t even be able to have this conversation,” Owen Sound’s mayor says. “We had a Truth and Reconciliation Commission that unfortunately not everyone realized what was in it, or paid enough attention perhaps, and now we’re finding out with the discovery of these graves more of what the commission heard.”
“There’s so many good things that this country has done to try and move forward over the years and we’re certainly not done, but I think we keep trying to get better and try to be more welcoming to more people around the world,” Boddy continues. “I think that’s what makes us Canadian. And I think it’s important to celebrate, and recognize our shortcomings, but keep working towards getting better.”