'We got an orange sea': thousands walk through downtown Winnipeg for truth and reconciliation
Thousands of people marked Canada's second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a walk through downtown Winnipeg Friday.
The second annual Every Child Matters walk began in Oodena circle at The Forks. People gathered to participate in a pipe ceremony and opening prayers, followed by speeches from indigenous elders and chiefs.
''Today is a national day of reconciliation. You know for us as a people it means something," said Cornell Mclean, acting grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.
''They can't take the Indian out of us. They made us stronger," he told the crowd.
Their stories and words were felt by attendees, who say it helped them to see their family isn't grieving the effects of residential schools alone.
''To be here and honour the children that never made it home and all the survivors," said one attendee.
Organizers say anywhere between 20,000 to 40,000 people joined the morning's walk, which made its way through The Forks, into downtown Winnipeg, and ended with a powwow at the RBC Convention Centre.
It was standing room only at the convention centre as crowds felt the weight of the event, watching children and survivors dance together.
The powwow was held by the Wa-Say Healing Centre. Executive director Wayne Mason Sr. said every person wearing orange is playing a role in moving reconciliation forward, one person at a time.
"This room is full of orange. We got an orange sea," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.