OTTAWA, ONTARIO (November 26, 2012) – The Honourable John Duncan, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, today presented to the Honourable Andrew Scheer, Speaker of the House of Commons, a stained glass window commemorating the legacy of Indian Residential Schools. This stained glass window, designed by renowned Métis artist Christi Belcourt, is permanently installed in Centre Block on Parliament Hill.
“In 2008, on behalf all Canadians, Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered a formal Apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools, their families and communities that acknowledged the impacts of those schools,” stated Minister Duncan. “Today we continue on the path of reconciliation as we dedicate this new stained glass window. The window is a visible reminder of the legacy of Indian Residential Schools; it is also a window to a future founded on reconciliation and respect.”
Speaker Scheer noted, “I am honoured to accept this gift, on behalf of all Canadians, as the knowledge of our shared history is an important basis for a new relationship with Aboriginal people. I encourage everyone who walks the halls of Canada’s Parliament to learn more about the history of Indian Residential Schools and Canada’s reconciliation efforts”.
On June 11, 2012, the fourth anniversary of the Prime Minister’s Apology, Minister Duncan unveiled the artwork of Christi Belcourt, which was unanimously selected by a committee of Aboriginal art experts and former students of Indian Residential Schools, to be translated into stained glass and installed permanently in Parliament. Since that time, Ms. Belcourt has worked in close collaboration with Vision Art Glass Studio on the translation of her design into a stained glass window, which is visible directly above the Members’ Entrance to the House of Commons.
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