For Richard Turenne, National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is an integral part of his history. Acknowledging the past Turenne, who is of Métis, Cree, Ojibwe and Iroquois heritage, says Sept. 30 is a significant time to grow awareness in Canada of the historical harms caused by residential and day schools. “My father, Henri, was a survivor of a (Catholic) day school. He was afraid of his Métis French and his own culture.” “He was raised speaking Michif, and the prerogative at that time was to breed the Metis out,” says Turenne. Michif is a blended language of French and Cree. Despite the trauma and history Henri endured, he became a teacher for 33 years and raised his children in the French school system — a powerful act of reclaiming his identity. Turenne now shares his dad’s story and teachings with the public, bringing words of hope and resilience. Wise words “So many good people have helped me be the person I am today. My hope as an adult, with all these beautiful gifts that have been bestowed on me, (is) to help others with finding who they are and finding their place in our beautiful society.” His work isn’t just about education; it’s about collaboration. Helping sow seeds of change, Turenne speaks across the province with government officials, school administrators, and students. “True reconciliation isn’t ‘Here’s my plan — do you approve?’ It’s ‘Let’s walk together and make a plan together,” he explains. His work reminds leaders to center humility over ego and inclusion over control. “We can spark that light in all of us, and, inherently, the cultural teachings from the Indigenous world is all about humanity. It’s all human values of courage, truth, humility and love.” A beam of light and sunshine As Turenne continues to share stories and cultivate conversations, one symbol stands at the heart of his message: the colour orange. Turenne says orange shirts are more than just a piece of clothing, it’s a representation of the children who never came home, the ones still healing, and the future generations. "When you can light one candle, great. When you put 5, 000 or 5, 000, 000 candles together, what do you get? You get a lighthouse,” he says. “A lighthouse to shine the light on people that are still lost, as a beacon of hope.” Turenne notes there is still work to be done and that understanding the past is crucial to guiding the future. “It took 150 years of segregation, marginalization, (and) colonization. It might take 150 years to repair all of that,” he explains. “It’s not all glorious, but for me, that means there’s an opportunity to continue with this message. We have to continue sparking this light from within.” Written with files from Corny Rempel