Various Truth and Reconciliation Day events happening around Midland over the next few days prompted Mayor Bill Gordon to speak during the announcements section of last night’s council meeting.
“I am wearing my Every Child Matters shirt tonight,” said Gordon. “Every year on September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and honours the children that never returned home and survivors of these schools as well as their families and their communities.
“Midland is not untouched. Our very own past Deputy Mayor (Jack Contin) was a Sixties Scoop survivor, and was still authoring his book at the time of his passing."
To mark the event, all town facilities including municipal offices at 575 Dominion Avenue will be lowering flags to half-mast.
“There are many community events around: at Chigamik, Waypoint Health Hub, the Georgian Bay Native Friendship Centre, Métis office at the Georgian Bay Métis Council,” Gordon added. “I encourage you, if you have the time during that day to attend and participate, and learn. Those are the most achievable Truth and Reconciliation (goals) that anybody can make, and that’s just to be part, to listen and learn.
Gordon and other members of council wore shirts signifying Orange Shirt Day, noting that he “proudly put the Bill in billboard” as a response to a previous MidlandToday article involving Tiny Township councillor Dave Brunelle stating opposition to wearing shirts as a “human billboard for social justice”.
Speaking with MidlandToday after the meeting, Gordon addressed the statement made by Brunelle as well as his own opinion on wearing t-shirts, proclamations, and flag raising in Midland.
“It really is a personal choice,” said Gordon. “There’s only a couple that I know of that we wear shirts for: That’s usually Terry Fox Day and Orange Shirt Day.”
Gordon said that typically other organizations such as the National Breastfeeding Week (October 1 through 7) did not give out t-shirts to wear for their awareness efforts.
He added that Brunelle’s statement had “sparked his interest” because “a stance was taken that politicians should stay completely agnostic to showing support for anything. I take exception to that because this is a national day.
“This isn’t just ‘support your local carrot farmer’ or something; this is a big deal and it has national impact. And I think showing solidarity and inclusion with marginalized communities, especially when it’s the Indigenous community, it’s a duty,” Gordon said.
For those interested in flag raising or proclamations, Gordon pointed to the town’s policy on those requests.
“Whether you choose to wear a shirt or whether you choose to simply go into these events on your own – they’re mutually exclusive – but it’s a simple, passive way of showing that you stand with a cause and therefore showing that, I think, is completely appropriate.”
Council meetings are held every third Wednesday, and can be viewed on Rogers TV cable channel 53 when available, or through the livestream on the Rogers TV website. Archives of council meetings are available through Rogers TV and on the Town of Midland’s YouTube channel.
