Township of Wilmot Held National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Memorial Walk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

 

Office of Mayor Natasha Salonen 

Township of Wilmot 

 

September 30, 2024 

 

Township of Wilmot Held National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Memorial Walk 

 

WILMOT, ON — The Township of Wilmot, in partnership with the Wilmot Family Resource Centre, Indigenous Women's Healing Circle, and Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School, offered the community "The Stories They Never Heard: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Memorial Walk" on Monday, September 30th, 2024 to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.  

 

The somber gathering was an opportunity for community members to come together and deepen their understanding of the lasting and ongoing impacts of colonization on First Nations, Métis and Indigenous peoples in Canada. Community members gathered at Schmidt Woods and had the opportunity to receive a smudge from the Indigenous Women’s Healing Circle before they went on a self-guided walk through Schmidt Woods. The path was lined with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and oral storytelling.  

 

Mayor Natasha Salonen emphasized the importance of the memorial walk, sharing, “The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an important day for Canadians to gather in community, further individual learning and recommit to a path of understanding and action. I was encouraged to see so many residents join us in honoring the lived experiences and oral stories of Indigenous peoples who continue to live with the intergenerational impacts of the residential school system and colonization.” 

 

Mayor Salonen highlighted that all levels of government, including municipalities, must continue to address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action. The path true reconciliation is a long one, it will take everyone to address the historic injustices committed against Indigenous peoples and build a truly equitable future for all.”  

The Township of Wilmot thanks all who participated and contributed to the memorial walk. It is the second year that the Mayor’s Office brought this offering to the community.