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St. Paul municipal staff take part in Orange Shirt Day events

“It is a day of understanding and a day for everyone to take a step in the right direction about understanding history... It’s also about repairing the future," says Town of St. Paul CAO Steven Jeffery, speaking to the importance of Sept. 30.
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ST. PAUL – With Orange Shirt Day here, St. Paul municipal staff are taking part in a day of education and learning.

The County of St. Paul and the Town of St. Paul have both purchased orange shirts from University nuxełhot’įne thaaɁehots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills (UnBQ), in honour of Orange Shirt Day and Truth and Reconciliation. 

“We are also partnering with the Town of St. Paul and Town of Elk Point to have our staff watch the film ‘Gently Whispering the Circle Back’,” stated Sheila Kitz, CAO for the County of St. Paul, in an email to Lakeland Today. The film is about a journey of healing for Canadians “in a nation wounded by the Indian Residential School System,” according to the Wishmac Productions website, who was commissioned by UnBQ for the film. 

Kitz credited Steven Jeffery, CAO at the Town of St. Paul, for taking the lead on much of what has been planned for Sept. 30. She also said, “We are very happy to have the St. Paul theatre partnering with us to show this film for our teams.” 

According to Jeffery, the Town of St. Paul will have Indigenous speakers coming to talk to staff, which will include a question-and-answer period followed by the film at the movie theatre with County staff. 

When asked why education about Indigenous history is important to the Town of St. Paul, Jeffery said he believes acknowledging and understanding Indigenous history is crucial, pointing to the fact that there is history involving a residential school system “right in front of us.” 

“It is a day of understanding and a day for everyone to take a step in the right direction about understanding history... It’s also about repairing the future,” he said. 

In addition to Gently Whispering the Circle Back, another documentary film will also be showing at the St. Paul Elite Theatre. The film is AWÀSISAK, Our Future Treaty Walk that’s free and open to the public and will show on Sept. 30.

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