'They took us': Metis elder's residential school experience on display at CMHR
A respected Metis elder is reflecting on her residential school experiences at an exhibit depicting them at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR).
In 1947, at just eight years old Angie Crerar was taken to the St. Joseph's Residential School in Fort Resolution in the Northwest Territories with her two younger sisters.
"See the RCMP there? They took us. They took me from the school," said Crerar. "My little sisters were crying and screaming 'I want to go home,' and I couldn’t help them."
That experience, along with many others, is now the focus of "Metis Memories of Residential Schools," an exhibit currently running in the CMHR's Community Corridor.
The art installation is a series of 24 panels telling stories of strength, survival, resistance and healing.
Crerar said being taken away from her parents was a traumatic experience.
"I didn't know anybody there. We didn’t know where we were going, what we were doing, where is everybody?" she said.
"We had nobody, we were absolutely alone. No mail, nothing. We didn’t know what happened to our families, they didn't even speak our language," she added.
Crerar, now 84, said her youngest sister won't talk about her time at the residential school.
"She will never ever speak about residential school. No, we tried," she said.
"Metis Memories of Residential Schools" is on display at the CMHR until January 13, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.