Heavy rainfall and gloomy skies couldn’t dampen the spirits of those who gathered at the Lac La Biche Mission Historical Site on Saturday to celebrate Canada Day. The July 1 festivities kicked off in the morning with a hearty pancake breakfast, followed by face-painting booths and children’s games, musical entertainment, vendor exhibits, and even a special multi-denominational service at the Mission church.
At noon, a crowd dressed in patriotic colours made a sea of red and white, as they sang to the national anthem performed in French, English and Cree. Opening remarks followed, with local politicians and representatives of francophone, Metis, and Cree communities addressing the audience. Lac La Biche County Mayor Paul Reutov praised the county for being a shining beacon of tolerance and multiculturalism where people of many nationalities have settled and live together peacefully.
While the focus was on the present and the future, the past was also highlighted during the event. The Mission site is part of Canada’s Indian Residential School dark legacy. The Mission was a residential school for several years in the late 1800s, and remained as a boarding school until the 1970s. Portions of the Canada Day event served as a sombre reminder of the area’s tragic history, but a focus on Indigenous culture — including Indigenous powwow dancers —was also said to be a way to bring more awareness to the history and the future.