Warden Marcus Ryan will raise the Every Child Matters flag at the Oxford County Administration Building on Friday at 9 a.m.
Oxford County is marking Truth and Reconciliation Week, running Monday, September 22, through Friday, September 26, with events and initiatives honouring the children who never returned home from residential schools, as well as survivors, their families, and communities.
The week leads up to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Tuesday, September 30, a day to reflect on this tragic history and reaffirm commitment to the 94 Calls to Action outlined by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Among the county’s activities:
Memorial Exhibit: The Oxford County Archives is presenting The Long Road Back: Bringing Percy Home, which tells the story of Percy Onabigon, a member of Long Lake #58 First Nation who was taken to a residential school and lived nearly two decades without contact with his family before passing away in Woodstock in 1966. The exhibit runs in the main lobby of the Oxford County Administration Building until October 6.
Indigenous Art on Display: On Wednesday, County Council received two framed works by Indigenous Canadian artists, Morrisseau and Madahbee, on loan from the Woodstock Art Gallery. Created in the Woodland School style, the pieces will be displayed in the Council Chamber through September 30.
Flag Raising: Warden Marcus Ryan will raise the Every Child Matters flag at the Oxford County Administration Building on Friday, September 26, at 9 a.m., ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Library Resources: The Oxford County Library has curated reading lists for children, teens, and adults focused on Truth and Reconciliation. Resources can be explored online here
County offices—including the Administration Building, Human Services, and Provincial Offences Administration building—will be closed on September 30 in observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, reopening Wednesday, October 1.
The Oxford County Waste Management Facility will remain open, and services for Paramedic Services, Woodingford Lodge, and Public Works will continue as usual.
Written by: Kennedy Freeman
