The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund
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Menu
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Our Team
    • Our Partners
    • Secret Path
    • Reconciliation Begins With You Video Series
    • FAQs
    • Careers
  • Programs
    • Legacy Schools Program
      • Refer an Educator
      • Artist Ambassador Workshop for Indigenous History Month
      • Legacy Schools Resources
      • Legacy School reconciliACTIONs
      • Register your School
      • Subscribe to Legacy Schools Newsletter
      • Update Educator Contact Information
    • Artist Ambassador Program
    • Youth Ambassador Program
      • Apply to Youth Ambassador Program
      • Youth Ambassador Advisory Committee
      • Youth Ambassador Highlights
    • Legacy Spaces Program
    • ReconciliACTIONs
    • Oshki Wupoowane | The Blanket Fund
  • Events
    • Events Calendar
    • ZIIGWAN
    • DWF Live
    • Indigenous History Month
      • 2022 Virtual Programming
      • 2022 National Indigenous Peoples Day
      • 2021 Virtual Programming
      • 2020 Virtual Programming
    • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
      • 2022: Indigenous Perspectives on the Pope’s Apology
      • 2021: What this means for reconciliation in Canada
      • 2021: A Day for Truth and Reconciliation
    • A DAY TO LISTEN
      • 2022 A DAY TO LISTEN
      • A Day for Truth and Reconciliation
      • 2021 A DAY TO LISTEN
    • Secret Path Week
    • Walk for Wenjack
    • Secret Path Live
  • News & Publications
    • Blog
    • DWF In The News
    • 215 Pledge
    • Annual Report
    • Subscribe
  • Support Us
    • Case for Support
    • Donate
    • Third-Party Fundraisers
    • Fundraising FAQ
  • Contact Us

What is reconciliation?

According to the Truth & Reconciliation Commission, reconciliation is about establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. In order for that to happen, there must be awareness of the past, an acknowledgement of harm, and action to change behaviour.  

  DWF recognizes that reconciliation is not easily defined. It is not linear and does not have a clear endpoint. To us, reconciliation is a continuous process, a journey, that leads to improved outcomes for Indigenous Peoples.  

What is a reconciliACTION?

A reconciliACTION is a meaningful action that moves reconciliation forward. ReconciliACTIONs aim to bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together in the spirit of reconciliation to create awareness, share, and learn. It is the answer to Gord’s call to ‘Do Something’; do something to raise further awareness, do something that improves the lives of Indigenous people, do something that improves the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. ReconciliACTIONs act as the catalyst for important conversations and meaningful change, recognizing that change starts with every one of us and each person can make an impact.

Take reconciliACTION today

Below is a list of reconciliACTION ideas – reconciliACTIONs will be unique to each individual, group and community, and may incorporate events, cultural activities, updated inclusivity policies, learning opportunities, fundraising, and/or professional development to support awareness and appreciation of Indigenous cultures and traditions.

We want to hear about your reconciliACTIONs! Make sure you fill out our reconciliACTION form and share photos on social media using the #SPW21 #DoSomething #reconciliACTION.

SHARE YOUR RECONCILIACTION WITH US

RECONCILIACTION IDEAS:

Individual & Community Actions

  1. Organize a Walk for Wenjack with friends, family, and your community. See page for more information.
    • Organized by a dedicated team of volunteers and champions, Walk for Wenjack is a grassroots event that started in 2016, providing Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples throughout Canada with the opportunity to honour Chanie by walking some or all of the 600 kilometres he needed to get home.
    • To register for Walk for Wenjack and create your personal or team event page, click here.
  2. Visit a local Indigenous organization, Friendship Centre, community group or museum.
  3. If invited or open to the public, attend local Indigenous cultural events taking place in your community.
  4. Organize a movie night for your community and screen Gord Downie’s Secret Path, Tash Hubbard’s ‘nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up, or Finding the Secret Path by Mike Downie.
  5. Host an evening of music with Indigenous musicians.
  6. Organize a bake sale or lunch-by-donation, featuring Indigenous recipes, or host a culinary competition and charge per serving to vote on the winner.
  7. On your birthday, consider asking for donations to an Indigenous-led charity instead of presents or cards.
  8. For those who prefer not to celebrate their birthday, consider making a donation to an Indigenous-led charity in their name rather than purchasing a card or dessert.
  9. Contact local food trucks and organize a lunch event with a cover charge or a portion of sales collected.
  10. Purchase artwork from a local Indigenous artist and raise funds through a raffle or silent auction for the piece.
  11. Purchase products from Indigenous-owned businesses and raise funds for an Indigenous-led charity through a raffle or silent auction for the items.
  12. Partner with local Legacy Schools or neighbouring businesses and host a block party.
  13. Organize a garage sale, flea market, or green market to sell used clothing and unwanted household items.
  14. Host an open mic night or karaoke event and charge admission.
  15. For those who prefer not to celebrate their birthday at work, consider making a donation in their name rather than purchasing a card or dessert.

Awareness & Education

  1. Learn the land acknowledgment in your region or develop one of your own in consultation with local Indigenous communities.
    • Be sure to carefully consider your relationship to the land that you live on and the traditional territories of the Indigenous Peoples who were there for thousands of years before colonization.
    • Encourage your school, company and/or community to include a daily land acknowledgment as part of morning announcements, meetings, assemblies, and important events.
  2. Research the local First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and the contributions they have made to your community/surrounding communities.
    • Share your knowledge and spread the word to engage others in the conversation about Indigenous Peoples’ contributions to Canada and the world.
  3. Find out if there was a residential school in your area or where the closest one is located by using the CBC Beyond94 Residential School Map.
    • For more resources about residential schools visit the Legacy Schools Resources page.
  4. Listen to music made by Indigenous artists, such as Buffy Sainte-Marie, William Prince, Leela Gilday, Mimi O’Bonsawin and more!
    • Visit ArtistAmbassador.ca for more artists to include in your music rotation.
  5. Study an Indigenous language—especially one that is spoken in your region.
    • Learn some common words and why it’s important to appreciate and protect Indigenous languages.
  6. Continue your learning journey by visiting DWF’s list of compiled resources.

Schools

  1. Participate in the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund’s Spring Poster Contest.
    • Register to become a Legacy School to be notified when the contest opens.
  2. Participate in Secret Path Week’s Indigenous Educator Series with Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants by visiting www.exploringbytheseat.com/event/secret-path-week.
  3. Start a club or extracurricular activity to empower Indigenous and non-Indigenous students and staff to get involved outside of the classroom and lead in the journey of reconciliation.
    • It could be a student-led Reconciliation Club or Indigenous Leadership Club that helps empower students to participate and inspire others to take action.
  4. Bring Indigenous leaders and community members into your classroom to teach your students about their experiences and their areas of expertise.

Workplaces

  1. Offer a gift card or discount to patrons who can show proof of a donation to DWF.
  2. Invite Indigenous representatives into your workplace to share their experiences and areas of expertise with your staff.
  3. Host a lunchtime trivia competition with a donation from each participating team.
  4. Establish clear policies and guidelines to ensure your company has a strategy for recruiting Indigenous Peoples.
    • Learn more about the Legacy Spaces program and how DWF can support your company’s reconciliation journey by visiting LegacySpaces.ca.

Everyday ReconciliACTIONs:

Podcasts

Thunder Bay – Canadaland

Our Native Land – Tchadas Leo

Coffee with My Ma – Kaniehtiio Horn

The Historical Natives – Mackenzie Taylor and Josef Stafford

Residential Schools – Historica Canada and hosted by Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais

The Secret Life of Canada – Falen Johnson, Leah Simone Bowen

Novels

Moon of the Crusted Snow – Waubeshig Rice, DWF Artist Ambassador 

Split Tooth – Tanya Tagaq  

Ragged Company – Richard Wagamese 

Blanket Toss Under Midnight Sun – Paul Seesequasis 

Code Talker – Cheser Nez 

Children’s Books

My Sweetest Kulu – Celina Kalluk  

Tanna’s Owl – Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley 

When We Were Alone – David Roberston 

Just a Walk – Jordan Wheeler 

You Hold Me Up – Monique Gray Smith 

Share your reconciliACTION with us

Legacy Schools – Humberside C.I., Toronto, ON

Legacy Schools – Humberside C.I., Toronto, ON

Photo Credit: Legacy Schools – Humberside C.I., Toronto, ON
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund
Legacy Schools – Humberside C.I., Toronto, ON

Legacy Schools – Humberside C.I., Toronto, ON

Photo Credit: Legacy Schools – Humberside C.I., Toronto, ON
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

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Students organized a raffle purchasing prizes from Indigenous owned businesses.  

Students also learned whose land the schools is situated on and wrote the acknowledgement on sidewalk around the school to help inform community.  

Thickwoods Heights School Fort McMurray, AB

Thickwoods Heights School Fort McMurray, AB

Photo Credit: Legacy Schools – Thickwoods Heights School Fort McMurray, AB
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund
Thickwoods Heights School Fort McMurray, AB

Thickwoods Heights School Fort McMurray, AB

Photo Credit: Legacy Schools – Thickwoods Heights School Fort McMurray, AB
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

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Students made buffalo tooth necklaces, hosted a Cree student who shared his family’s experience with intergenerational trauma, and created an art piece to commemorate Indigenous veterans.

Sheppard Public School Kitchener, ON

Sheppard Public School Kitchener, ON

Photo Credit: Legacy Schools – Sheppard Public School Kitchener, ON
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund
Sheppard Public School Kitchener, ON

Sheppard Public School Kitchener, ON

Photo Credit: Legacy Schools – Sheppard Public School Kitchener, ON
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

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22 grade 4 and 5 students hosted a Walk for Wenjack, listened to Indigenous singer Leela Gilday, and read the book “Fatty Legs” as a class. They also committed to learning Canada’s true history of residential schools, the Mi’kmaq lobster dispute, and Indigenous Rights.

London Catholic District Schoolboard London, ON

London Catholic District Schoolboard London, ON

Photo Credit: Legacy Schools – London Catholic District Schoolboard London, ON
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund
London Catholic District Schoolboard London, ON

London Catholic District Schoolboard London, ON

Photo Credit: Legacy Schools – London Catholic District Schoolboard London, ON
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

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Students from the LDSB participated in a live session with Ray John, created art pieces, and discussed reconciliation in their classrooms to commemorate Orange Shirt Day

Wager Adult School, Montreal, QC

Wager Adult School, Montreal, QC

Photo Credit: Legacy Schools – Wager Adult School, Montreal, QC
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund
Wager Adult School, Montreal, QC

Wager Adult School, Montreal, QC

Photo Credit: Legacy Schools – Wager Adult School, Montreal, QC
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

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Students created a beautiful mural in their hallway to honour and remember all the children forced to attend residential schools.  

Coast Tsimshian Academy_Lax Kw’alaams_BC

Coast Tsimshian Academy_Lax Kw’alaams_BC

Photo Credit: Legacy Schools – Coast Tsimshian Academy_Lax Kw’alaams_BC
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

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Students organized a Walk for Wenjack, learned about Canada’a true history with residential schools, and created space in their classroom to share and create.  

Ecole Confederation Elementary School

Ecole Confederation Elementary School

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ecole Confederation Elementary School
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

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Students from Ecole Confederation Elementary School in the Grand Erie District School Board took part in the “Between the Two Rows” community mural project. It is a community mural that examines personal identity, cultural boundaries, and the importance of relationship building between cultures through communication and collaboration. The central/compositional imagery is based on the symbolism of the Two Row Wampum which was a 17th-century peace agreement between the Haudenosaunee and the European settlers. Two boats moving side by side on the river in peace and friendship.

Lakefield District Public School

Lakefield District Public School

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lakefield District Public School
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

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Kindergarten students from Lakefield District Public School in the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board showed there’s no such thing as being too young to integrate First Nations, Metis, and Inuit resources and acts of reconciliation into a classroom. Using the story “When we Were Alone” by Alexander Robertson, students shared what their “most important thing” was and what it means to them. The class then created a poster – using the colours of the medicine wheel alongside their school’s First Nations, Metis, Inuit Educator – that travels to classrooms within the school community. This poster holds QR codes that link to audio of students telling you the story of their “most important thing” in their own voices.

Holy Trinity Catholic High School

Holy Trinity Catholic High School

Photo credit: Courtesy of Holy Trinity Catholic High School
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

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Holy Trinity Catholic High School of the Ottawa Catholic School Board has created a mural that includes an acknowledgement that their school is located on unceded territory of the Algonquin people. Along with the painted mural they have placed banners created by students of the Ottawa Catholic School Board. These banners depict the four directions of the medicine wheel along with their teachings. All of these help create a physical space that shows the commitment of students and staff to move reconciliation forward within their community.

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The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

Registered Charity Number: 784055915RR0001

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About DWF

Inspired by Chanie’s story and Gord’s call to build a better Canada, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Our goal is to improve the lives of Indigenous people by building awareness, education, and connections between all peoples in Canada.

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Get In Touch

Phone:  1-844-944-4545

E-mail: staff@downiewenjack.ca

Address:
PO BOX 749
OHSWEKEN, ON
N0A1M0

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