The editor:
As I read the news about the unmarked graves from the Marieval Residential School, I felt sick to my stomach remembering the racist attitude I had toward the White Bear First Nation growing up in Bellegarde in the 1980s.
Many years later, I learned it was a key time for White Bear, starting to address Canada’s 80-year-old land theft with the establishment of the Pheasant Rump and Ocean Man reserves, and building your own school to emerge finally from the shadow of residential schools like Brandon, Round Lake, and Marieval.
Instead of learning your history, recognizing the harm, and celebrating your accomplishments, we watched with jealousy. You built a beautiful new rink; we were afraid to play there. We treated the White Bear people with suspicion and fear. All I thought I knew about the place and people was based on ignorance and racist generalizations.
I am ashamed I didn’t get to know you better. I am ashamed I took 20 adult years to learn even a little bit of your history. I am ashamed your 10-year boil water order was only lifted on June 15, 2021.
I just wanted to deliver a message from one man to the people of White Bear: I am sorry. I am doing my best to make sure my children and my country know and do better.
