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MEDIA ADVISORY
Remembering the Children
Aboriginal and Church Leaders’ Tour
to stop in Vancouver March 5
Toronto: This week the spiritual leaders of the Anglican, Presbyterian and United Churches, along with representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Assembly of First Nations, will be participating in a multi-city tour to promote the work of the upcoming Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
The Remembering the Children tour was launched in Ottawa on Sunday, March 2 and will make stops over the next week in Vancouver, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg. The Protestant church leaders who are travelling to Vancouver are:
- The Rt. Rev. Dr. David Giuliano, Moderator, The United Church of Canada
- The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, Primate, the Anglican Church of Canada
- The Rev. Dr. J.H. (Hans) Kouwenberg, Moderator, The Presbyterian Church in Canada
- The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald, National Indigenous Anglican Bishop, the Anglican Church of Canada
At various times throughout the tour, local Roman Catholic representatives, along with regional Aboriginal leaders, and representatives of both Inuit and Métis groups, will participate in major public events that are being planned in each city by local organizing committees.
In Vancouver, the Most Rev. Raymond Roussin, Archbishop of Vancouver, and the Rt. Rev. Gordon Gary, bishop of Whitehorse, are expected to participate as Roman Catholic representatives. BC Regional Chief Shawn Atleo will be representing National Chief Phil Fontaine of the Assembly of First Nations.
The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, together with the Vancouver School of Theology, are sponsoring and hosting the Vancouver public event. Participants will begin a ceremonial walk of about one kilometre from the entrance of the Vancouver School of Theology to the Museum of Anthropology, symbolizing the “sacred walk” Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people are taking together.
Rose Point, an elder of the Musqueam Nation, will welcome people to Musqueam territory when they arrive.
Other guests who are expected to attend this free public event include: Dr. Chief Bobby Joseph, Elder and retired Executive Director of the BC Indian Residential School Survivors' Society; Bob Watts, Interim Executive Director of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; Ted Quewezance, Executive Director of the National Residential School Survivors' Society; and Rev. Janice Young, President of BC Conference, The United Church of Canada.
Vancouver Public Event
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Museum of Anthropology
6393 N.W. Marine Drive, Vancouver B.C.
A ceremonial walk will start at 7:00 PM
from the entrance of the Vancouver School of Theology
6000 Iona Drive, Vancouver B.C.
Refreshments afterward at the Vancouver School of Theology
There is no charge for the event.
For further information about the Aboriginal and Church Leaders’ tour, please visit: www.rememberingthechildren.ca .
To arrange media interviews with church or Aboriginal leaders who are taking part in the Remembering the Children tour, please contact:
Mary-Frances Denis
Communications Officer
The United Church of Canada
416-231-7680 ext. 2016 (office)
1-800-268-3781 ext. 2016 (toll-free)
416-885-7478 (cell)
mdenis@united-church.ca
Karyn Pugliese
Communications Officer
Assembly of First Nations
613-241-6789 ext. 210
613-292-1877
kpugliese@afn.ca
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