City of Windsor raises Every Child Matters Flag to honour Indigenous communities

The City of Windsor raised the Every Child Matters flag on Friday morning in honour of National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, officially recognized on Sept. 30. 

The flag recognizes the trauma caused by Canada's residential schools system, and honours the children who never came home, the survivors, their families and communities. 

Theresa Sims is the City of Windsor's first Indigenous storyteller. She performed at the flag-raising in Windsor Friday. 

Sims' mother was a survivor of the Mohawk Institute Residential School in Brantford, Ont., and died in 1992. 

"She told me her story, so I could tell others her story," Sims said. "She never wanted money from the government, she wanted an apology. 

"She died before that apology happened."

Municipal staff and community members gathered to watch the raising of the Every Child Matters flag outside city hall. 

"It's a time of awareness, remembrance for Indigenous people and a day of education for all Canadians," said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.  

For years, Sims says, many people didn't believe the abuse that happened at residential schools. 

But when unmarked graves were detected at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, and then at other institutions, it led to a large public outcry and response from all levels of government.

"They wouldn't believe us. Now they believe us — because that's one thing that COVID brought. People were in their homes when they heard about those graves, so they knew about those unmarked graves from residential schools. And there's more of them," Sims said. 

"Sometimes we are finding out that our graves are our cousins, aunties, moms, dads. 

"They're just finding them, so we have to grieve that loss." 

Sims says she remembers her mother telling her how she was stripped of her identity, culture and language. 

It wasn't until later in Sims' life that she could speak her own language with her mother after the trauma she survived. 

Sims says she was touched by the people that came to support the flag raising — and encouraged people to attend other National Day of Truth and Reconciliation events on Saturday. 

Now, Sims says there is still work to be done before people accept the realities of residential schools in Canada and the continued issue of missing Indigenous people.  

"As we look around us, there are survivors," she said. "Can you imagine: In your schools [that] you graduated, we survived."

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available to provide support for survivors and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour service at 1-866-925-4419.

Mental health counselling and crisis support is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or by online chat.