Maple Leafs To Honor Indigenous People

[Mr KLC]

The Toronto Maple Leafs will recognize victims of residential schools as well as missing and murdered indigenous women at Tuesday's game against the Edmonton Oilers.

A pre-game video will feature Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie's recent live performance of Secret Path and highlighting the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund, which has been created to support reconciliation across Canada.

Secret Path tells the story of Chanie Wenjack, the 12-year-old Ojibwa boy who ran away from his residential school in 1966 and died six days later on the side of the tracks trying to get home.

During intermission, Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler will appear at ice level, accompanied by Fred Sasakamoose, the NHL's first indigenous hockey player, as well as Josee Lusignan, president of I Love First Peoples.

"As a non-indigenous Canadian, I want to see more Canadians involved in reconciliation," Lusignan said in a statement. "In light of the massive impact Gord is having on our nation, we have an opportunity to bring reconciliation into every home in Canada and honour indigenous people in a way that is unprecedented. Our organization brings forth ideas and projects that make it easy to get involved."

The Leafs' initiative, also backed by the MLSE Foundation, comes as pressure mounts for teams like the Cleveland Indians and Edmonton Eskimos to change their names and mascots.

The Winnipeg Jets are believed to be the first NHL team to acknowledge that they play on Treaty 1 land via a pre-game announcement.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-indigenous-people-1.3826972

[Mr KLC]

The Toronto Maple Leafs honoured victims of residential schools, as well as missing and murdered indigenous women, during the first intermission of Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.

The ceremony was shown on the Air Canada Centre jumbotron and was held in support of Tragically Hip singer Gord Downie’s Secret Path album, which he recorded to promote reconciliation across Canada.

The Leafs broadcast messages from 82-year-old Fred Sasakamoose, the NHL’s first-ever indigenous player (1953) and a victim of residential school abuse, and Mike Downie, who spoke in place of his brother, who has terminal brain cancer and was not present at the ceremony.


Also in attendance at ice level with Sasakamoose and Downie for the moment of reconciliation were Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler from the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chief Stacey Laforme of the Territory and Treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit of Anishinaabe, and Josee Lusignan, president and founder of I Love First Peoples.

Highlights from the recent Secret Path concert were shown.

“Tonight the Toronto Maple Leafs acknowledge and pay tribute to all indigenous peoples,” the ACC’s public address announcer said.

“Gord’s making his life count,” Downie told The Canadian Press prior to one of his brother’s performances last month. “This is his most important work, his most powerful work, and I think it’s going to live forever.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/toronto-maple-leafs-honour-indigenous-peoples-during-game/article32638884/