The former Education Lead at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has wrapped up a visit to Altona.

Charlene Bearhead spoke to community leaders, business owners and those working in education about bridging the disconnect between Canada's Indigenous and non-Indigenous people caused largely by what she says was the residential school era.

"We are living in this country today (with) the impacts of that attempted genocide of Indigenous people and extinguishment of Indigenous culture and teachings and knowledge," she said.

Bearhead added that we as a society need to get to the root of these issues in order to build back up. She did note however, that while we look at the change that needs to be made, we need to take examine ourselves and how we do things in education, policing, business, etc.

"It doesn't matter where you live in the country, you get up in the morning and you put your feet down in someone else's traditional territory. How do we live in someone's home without understanding the land, without understanding the people, without understanding the teachings?"

Bearhead said it is important for us to understand the history of how we got to this place so that we can begin implementing strategies and actions to bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together for the best. She noted however, there are still thousands of Canadians, particularly adults, that don't know the history of the residential school system in Canada, thanks to a lack of Indigenous learning in the education system through the decades.

"I would say right now, the average eight/nine/ten/eleven year old in this country is more educated than most of the adults," said Bearhead.

She admitted that catching up on Canada's history can seem overwhelming for adults, but said it's about making the choice to continue to learn every day.

"I truly believe that the small things in your everyday life are really the big things...learning things every day, meeting people, the relationships - how we treat each other every day, the fact that you acknowledge (the territory you're in), the way you talk to your children, the way you talk to and about people that are different than yourselves."

Bearhead believes these are the things that will take this from a being a topic to changing how we live. She added we are all capable of bringing about change and said it starts with relating to your fellow man.

"We know what's right and what's wrong. We know what's fair and what isn't. We know what's equitable. We know what's respectful. And those are principles that apply universally to human-beings, not only to certain groups," added Bearhead.

Meantime, Bearhead was the keynote speaker at a sweeping professional development day in Border Land School Division that included everyone from bus drivers, educational assistants, secretaries, teachers and administration.

The Division is in the process of creating an Indigenous education strategy of its own - a response to the calls to action outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Report. Bearhead says this brings her much hope for the future.

"Then we raise all of our children in our schools in a way where they're educated, where they have the whole truth, where they have seen that those relationships are important and they have the opportunity to build those relationships where all students are valued and value one another."

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