Our team at Scarborough Arts is taking this July 1 to dwell on the history of the land known as Canada, advocate for, and listen to the needs of Indigenous peoples today as they continue to face injustice and oppression. Amidst tomorrow’s “celebration,” we encourage you to stand in solidarity and do the same.

The land in which Scarborough Arts is located has been the home of Indigenous people and Nations long before colonial documentation of time and is specifically the land of the Huron-Wendat, Anishnabek, Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Haudenosaunee. The territory of what is known today as Toronto is under the One Dish, One Spoon Wampum belt, a peace treaty between the Haudenosaunee and the Anishinaabek, and is a mutual agreement between nations for sharing land and resources.

For Indigenous people, July 1st represents a wrongful celebration and lack of recognition of the ongoing colonization, genocide, and suffering of Indigenous people and communities in what is known as Canada. Given the tragic recent discoveries of Indigenous children across the country buried on sites of former Residential Schools, and the ongoing cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, trans, and gender non-conforming people, rather than commemorate “Canada,” we challenge it.

Listed below are a list of resources for Indigenous people, as well as resources for non-indigenous folks to learn more and support Indigenous people.

HELPLINES

Indian Residential Schools Survivor Society (IRSSS) Toll-Free Line:

1-800-721-0066

National Indian Residential School Crisis Line:

1-866-925-4419

The First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line:

1 855 242-3310 or online (http://hopeforwellness.ca)

SCARBOROUGH & GTA SPECIFIC RESOURCES

Aboriginal Housing Support Centre: http://aboriginalhsc.org/

Aboriginal Legal Services: http://www.aboriginallegal.ca/gta-aboriginal-organizations.html

2-Spirited People of 1st Nations: http://www.2spirits.com

Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training: http://www.miziwebiik.com

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto: http://nativechild.org

Ontario Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Strategy: https://www.oahas.org/

Indigenous Harm Reducation: https://www.torontoindigenoushr.com/

LEARN

Read the TRC's 94 recommendations: http://www.trc.ca/about-us/trc-findings.html

Volume 4: Missing Children and Unmarked Burials: http://www.trc.ca/assets/pdf/Volume_4_Missing_Children_English_Web.pdf

Follow Indigenous Journalists, a great Twitter thread here: https://twitter.com/AngelaSterritt/status/1397786805416595457

DONATE + TAKE ACTION

Indian Residential School Survivors Society: https://www.irsss.ca/donate

The Institute for Culturally Restorative Practices for cultural competency, restorative practices, and Indigenous people and youth support training: https://www.culturallyrestorativepractices.ca/

ENAGB youth program: https://enagb-iya.ca/

No More Stolen Sisters: https://www.amnesty.ca/our-work/campaigns/no-more-stolen-sisters

Orange Shirt Day: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/donations.html

Walking With Our Sisters: http://walkingwithoursisters.ca/

THE ARTS

Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts: (ANDPVA) https://andpva.myshopify.com/

ImagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival: https://imaginenative.org/

Native Earth Performing Arts: https://www.nativeearth.ca/

Native Women in the Arts: http://www.nwia.ca/

Native Art Society: https://www.instagram.com/nativeartssociety/

SUPPORT INDIGENOUS BUSINESS

Giizhigat Maple Products: https://giizhigatmapleproducts.ca/

Birch Bark Coffee Co: https://birchbarkcoffeecompany.com/

Raven Rising: https://www.ravenrising.ca/

Beam Paints: https://www.beampaints.com/