Nothing that was written or said at the time of Chanie’s death suggests that he was physically or sexually abused while he was boarding at Cecilia Jeffrey. Wasacase had attended residential schools as a child and taught in residential schools at Birtle and Norway House, Manitoba, before becoming a vocational counsellor with Indian Affairs in Winnipeg. By 1960, the number of Aboriginal students in Canada attending “non-Indian schools” (9,479) was equal to the number living in residential schools (9,471).Ĭolin Wasacase, a Cree/Saulteaux from the Ochopowace Band east of Regina, was in charge of the 150 children boarding at Cecilia Jeffrey. The Indian Act had been amended in 1951 so the federal government could arrange with the provincial governments and school boards to have Aboriginal students educated in public schools. According to a detailed story about Chanie’s death published in Maclean’s in February, 1967, he was one of about 150 Aboriginal students who lived there while they were going to the public school.Īt the time, Chanie and the other children from remote reserves in the region were attending public schools because of a major shift in government policy. However, most of what is written and shown in these accounts about the tragic death of an Ojibway boy named Chanie Wenjack – an alleged victim of the residential school system whose frozen body was found curled up beside railway tracks in northwestern Ontario on the morning of Octoseveral days after he ran away from a former Indian residential school where he was boarding – is patently untrue.Ĭontrary to what children are being taught in Secret Path, 12-year-old Chanie was actually attending a public school in Kenora at the time of his death and only boarded at the nearby former Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School, which was operated by the Presbyterian Church of Canada. It too is being widely used in Canadian classrooms. Celebrated Canadian author Joseph Boyden penned a novella on the same subject titled Wenjack. Downie also recorded a music album of the same name and an animated version of the story aired on CBC. All rights reserved.Children in schools across Canada are learning about the Indian residential schools through Secret Path, a 2016 graphic novel written by Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie and illustrated by Jeff Lemire. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information / Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. ^ Back to Top ^ © 2023 ESPN Internet Ventures. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Locker rooms around the NHL played Tragically Hip music, and many players commented on the loss. The hockey world reacted strongly to the death of Downie, who wrote the song "Fifty Mission Cap" about Bill Barilko, who scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1951 and then died in a plane crash that offseason. And he wanted to make it better,'' Trudeau said in Ottawa.ĭownie is survived by his wife and four children. "He loved every hidden corner, every aspect of this country that he celebrated his whole life. He was the frontman of one of Canada's most iconic bands, a rock star, artist, and poet whose evocative lyrics came to define a country.'' Trudeau also said in a written statement that "Downie uncovered and told the stories of Canada. "I thought I was going to make it through this, but I'm not. We all knew it was coming, but we hoped it wasn't,'' said Trudeau, his voice breaking. "We are less as a country without Gord Downie in it. While Canadian musicians Drake, the Weeknd and Justin Bieber have made waves internationally, The Tragically Hip built a huge following of die-hard homegrown fans.Īn emotional Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wept in Parliament while talking about Downie on national television in a statement to reporters. "Ahead by a Century'' and "Bobcaygeon'' are among the best known songs. Since The Tragically Hip's first album in 1987, the band has provided a soundtrack for the lives of many Canadians. TORONTO - Gord Downie, who made himself part of Canada's national identity with songs about hockey and small towns as lead singer and songwriter of iconic rock band The Tragically Hip, has died at age 53 after a battle with brain cancer.Ī statement on the band's website said he died Tuesday night "with his beloved children and family close by.'' The statement did not give a cause of death, though he had been diagnosed earlier with brain cancer. Gord Downie, who captured Canadian life in song, dies at 53 You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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