File photo of Osoyoos Indian Band chief Clarence Louie.

(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)

CONTENT ADVISORY

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is better than nothing but reconciliation won’t actually be achieved until land claim issues are dealt with, according to Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie.

Similar to declarations that acknowledge the traditional territory at a meeting or event, Chief Louie said National Truth and Reconciliation Day is a good baby step.

“It’s not genuine reconciliation. The actual issues are over land and services,” he said. “So it’s good there is this national day – it’s good to see white people wearing orange shirts – that’s a good gesture, but it’s far from straightening out the path.”

Chief Louie doubts that everyone wearing an orange shirt today, Sept. 30, understands the symbolism of the orange shirt, which was drawn from 6-year-old Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, whose new orange shirt from her grandma was taken away on her first day of residential school and never returned.

READ MORE: Orange shirts for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation came from Williams Lake

“It’s just a Google search away, some people won’t even take the time and effort and do that simple exercise," he said.

This is the first year for National Truth and Reconciliation Day since the discovery of thousands of children’s graves at former residential school sites.

“There are crimes,” he said. “Canadian kids were being murdered by priests and nuns and there should be a criminal investigation done.”

When asked about his memories of survivors and their stories from decades ago, Chief Louie said no one from his community spoke about it very much. He compared it to war, and how veterans often try to keep their trauma private on the home front.

“I heard about it in bits and pieces but it was never at the forefront," he said.

It wasn’t until the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada heard testimonies from thousands of survivors between 2008 and 2014 before the extent of the harm was realized.

READ MORE: Canada marks first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

During the same month the Commission launched, June, 2008, then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper officially apologized for the residential school system on behalf of Canada. But he only did so because there was finally enough public and legal pressure on him, Chief Louie said.

“Some people when they get caught doing bad shit they don’t admit they’re sorry until they’re standing in front of a judge," he said.

He feels the same way about last week’s apology from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“And the Pope, whenever he gets around to doing it, don’t expect it to be sincere," he said.

READ MORE: Penticton Indian Band Chief won't celebrate truth and reconciliation until it's achieved

Nevertheless, Chief Louie is happy to see progress being made on some fronts. Commemorative spaces have been dedicated towards those who attended residential school at the Osoyoos Indian Band and the Penticton Indian Band. The commission led to 28,000 victims of the schools receiving over $3 billion, as well as the creation of Sept. 30 as a day of reflection.

Reconciliation is still a long ways off though, he said.

“They keep on making these small gestures – land acknowledgements, apologies – but we’re not getting any of our land back.”

Every band in Okanagan has lost parts of its traditional territory, he said, and many of those areas have been developed into cities and are in private holdings.

“There are problems over land, always has been and always will be.”

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