A travelling exhibit educating Albertans and telling the story of what has become known as the Sixties Scoop will be coming to St. Paul on Feb. 12. The stop in St. Paul will be the first of a nine-location tour of the province.
"We are now moving forward with a major public awareness campaign. In partnership with Legacy of Hope Foundation and Alberta Government, SSISA identified nine locations to begin the Public Awareness campaign and we have identified St. Paul as our first stop," reads a letter from Sharon Gladue, vice-president of the Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Alberta, addressed to the Town of St. Paul.
"This is a major step towards reconciliation."
The letter, which was presented during the Jan. 28 Town of St. Paul council meeting explains that during the 1950s right up to the 1990s, the provincial government Ministry of Child Welfare apprehended thousands of Indigenous children and fostered or adopted them out to non-indigenous communities across Canada and the U.S., with some children being placed overseas such as U.K, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.
On May 28, 2018, Premier Rachel Notley stood on the chambers of the Legislative building and apologized for the atrocities that the Sixties Scoop survivors endured in the Province of Alberta, reads the letter from Gladue.
The request from the SSISA asked for the town to waive the fees for a facility to host the travelling exhibit, with the St. Paul Rec. Centre being the facility of choice.
CAO Kim Heyman presented information that broke down the costs associated with renting the full Rec. Centre facility, which has a price tag of $937. A motion to authorize a suitable facility to accommodate the 60s Scoop exhibit was approved by council.
On Jan. 20, the Government of Alberta announced that the exhibit is part of a $200,000 grant given to the SSISA, "to develop public awareness activities, a website and online resources to support Sixties Scoop survivors," reads a government media release.
In partnership with the Legacy of Hope Foundation, the society is bringing the "Bi-Giwen: Coming Home – Truth Telling from the Sixties Scoop" exhibition to various Alberta locations. The exhibit shares the experiences of survivors, "including 12 personal testimonials of strength and resilience."
The society has also launched a website and is working on a series of online resources to promote awareness and support for the Sixties Scoop survivivors.
“We all have a role to play in our journey towards reconciliation. We can’t undo the unimaginable heartbreak experienced by survivors and their families, but we have an opportunity and a responsibility to increase awareness and build a deep understanding, as we move forward together along the path of reconciliation, " said Richard Feehan, Minister of Indigenous Relations, in the media release.
Adam North Peigan, president, Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Alberta, stated, "The exhibit is an opportunity to share and educate Albertans about the history of Canada's Indigenous people in relation to the Sixties Scoop."
The SSISA is a non-profit society formed to represent survivors in Alberta, create dialogue and engagement and develop true reconciliation. Board members include representatives from Treaty 6, Treaty 7 and Treaty 8, as well as Inuit and Métis representatives. As survivors themselves, society members are committed to raising awareness and supporting other survivors.
Along with St. Paul, the exhibit will travel to Calgary, Lethbridge, High Level, Peace River, Fort McMurray, Gift Lake Metis Settlement and Fishing Lake Metis Settlement.
