Mount Royal University honours residential school survivor
Mount Royal University presented Blackfoot Elder Miiksika’am with an honorary Doctor of Laws Tuesday at an outdoor drive-in convocation ceremony.
“It’s a happy moment in my life,” said elder Miiksika’am.
Miiksika’am was sent to the Old Sun Residential School near Gleichen at the age of six.
His mother told him that he had to stay there a long time, never speak his language, and he had to learn English.
However, despite the oppression of the residential school system, Miiksika'am never lost sight of who he was.
“Today I look back and it taught me courage to not take that spirit away from me,” said Miiksika’am. “My language, who I am. They never succeeded, that drove me to set my sights to what I am going to be.”
Miiksika’am went on to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces and to lead his community as a spiritual leader.
The recent discovery of 215 children’s remains in Kamloops this week weighs heavily on Miiksika’am.
“It puts a heaviness in our hearts,” said Miiksika’am. “Anybody that passes away, especially children, everyone feels the emotion of that loss.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
PWHL Minnesota defeats Boston to win inaugural Walter Cup
Minnesota won the inaugural championship of the Professional Women’s Hockey League on Wednesday night, getting 17 saves from Nicole Hensley to beat Boston 3-0 in a winner-take-all Game 5 and claim the Walter Cup.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
B.C. mortgage broker ran $270-million Ponzi scheme, then fled Canada, bankruptcy trustee says
The trustee appointed to manage the bankruptcies of a Victoria mortgage company and its owner has concluded that they committed "numerous offences" and operated as a "massive Ponzi scheme."
Oilers rally to beat Stars, tie Western Conference Final
With the Edmonton Oilers down two goals late in the first period of Game 4, Rogers Place was quiet, fans seemingly bewildered at the early, quick scoring of the Dallas Stars and the slow start by the home team. Ryan McLeod's marker with six-and-a-half minutes in the opening frame left changed all that.
McDonald's says $18 Big Mac meal was an 'exception' and their prices haven't risen that much
McDonald’s is fighting back against viral tweets and media reports that it says have exaggerated its price increases.
'Targeted again': Montreal police investigate after gunshot fired at Jewish school
Police are investigating another building in Montreal's community was struck by gunfire.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.