I am so disappointed in Napanee.
After seeing so many special flags, story hours, parades and special events in our ‘inclusive’ town, I eagerly watched to see what would be happening in June for Indigenous History Month, and especially for National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21. I found nothing on social media. Still, I donned my Every Child Matters orange shirt and walked downtown, hoping to find some community engagement honouring our First Nations peoples. There was nothing at all – not one flag, poster, display or banner. Not even a painted crosswalk! There were no opportunities to listen to First Nations story tellers, nor even someone at the library reading First Nations stories to children. I seemed to be the only ‘display’ in town, and that’s not saying much.
Truth and Reconciliation should matter deeply to all of us, every day, but our town has clearly failed in this regard. Our attempts at inclusivity should not extend only to what is marketable. Perhaps we can do better in September, on our National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, or October, which is German Heritage month, Canadian Islamic History month, and Latin American Heritage month, or November, for Hindu Heritage month. These efforts would enrich us all.
C. Freymond
Napanee