Proudly Celebrating National Indigenous History Month

Thomson Rogers celebrated the 25th National Indigenous Peoples Day this June 21, 2021. Our indigenous communities are an intrinsic part of Canada’s cultural heritage and we are proud to show our support. 

It was only a few weeks ago that the bodies of 215 children were discovered at Kamloops Indian Residential School. It is a shocking development and a poignant reminder of the injustices our indigenous communities have suffered.

For the young among us, the Indian residential school system may appear to be part of a bygone era, but the last school was shut down only in 1996. More than 150,000 indigenous children were forced to attend them.

For us, this only reinforces the importance of recognizing the history and heritage of the First Nations, Inuit, Metis, and other indigenous peoples.

June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, and it is a reminder of everything we hold dear as Canadians – a respect for diversity and our strength in togetherness.

Thomson Rogers is proud to have advocated for the rights of indigenous people, doing our part in negotiating the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA).

In 2007, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice approved the IRSSA – to date the largest settlement in Canadian history. The landmark settlement provided over $4 billion to compensate victims of abuse at residential schools. It has provided:

• Compensation for former residential school students (amounting to $1.9 billion).
• Legal recourse for former students to pursue claims for sexual and serious physical abuse.
• A safer environment for them to share their experiences.
• Funding  for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation to pursue local healing programs.
• Government funding for national and local commemoration projects.

You can read more about the IRSSA here.

Thomson Rogers is proud to support indigenous communities. Our hope is that this contribution will become only a small part of what we as Canadians will contribute. Please consider making a donation to the IRSSS or any other indigenous cause you support.