Hundreds gathered at First Nations University of Canada on Thursday for truth and reconciliation, remembering those who were a part of the residential school system. “Truth and reconciliation is about justice, it’s about persistence and standing firm on truth and the truth of stories and the experiences of those that endured the residential school experience,” said President of FNUniv Jacqueline Ottmann. ”There are a lot of horrific stories. We can’t forget that it is a time to remember and to honour those children, but also to recognize the persistence of those survivors that came together to embark and to hold Canada into account for that particular dark history.” Thursday’s events also included the kick-off for the annual ‘Tony Cote Welcome Back Traditional Powwow’. Cote was an influential figure in Saskatchewan, dedicating his efforts in advancing Indigenous post-secondary education. A veteran and sports pioneer, Cote was also well known for creating the Saskatchewan First Nations Summer and Winter Games. Cote’s family was in attendance on Thursday, including his daughter, Faye. “He encouraged youth to go to school and get an education. He always wanted our people to get a higher education, not just elementary and secondary,” said Faye. Tony was a residential school survivor, spending seven years at St. Phillips Residential School near Kamsack, Saskatchewan. Growing up, Faye remembers her father telling a story of him being five years old at the school playground, not allowed to greet his parents as he saw them pass by in a horse and wagon. “He saw his mom and dad, but he was not allowed to wave at them. Imagine being five years old and you can’t wave at your own parents,” she said. “That really touched me, that’s really hard and it probably happened to most of our people.” A veteran of the Korean War, Faye says Tony always said he would have rather been in the army than attend a residential school. “Residential school was a very bad experience for my dad. He said residential school was the most horrible experience in his life.” Later in life Tony served as a commissioner at FNUniv. “He would just love it because he loved talking to the youth. I miss him, and I love him. I know he’s looking down on me in the spirit world with my mom.” 2026 marks the 12th anniversary of the Tony Cote Welcome Back Traditional Powwow.
