The Council of Canadians London chapter will be hosting a blanket exercise on April 19 starting at 6 pm at the Mary Campbell Housing Co-Op.
CBC explains, “Known as the ‘blanket exercise’, participants stand on blankets that represent the lands inhabited by indigenous people that eventually became Canada. The blanketed area becomes smaller as the facilitators lead participants through a historical timeline. Facilitators pull back and remove the blankets as they guide participants through a historical timeline that includes the treaty-making process, residential schools and other events that impacted indigenous people in Canada.”
Our friend and ally Gabrielle Fayant, a Métis woman who originates from the Fishing Lake Métis Settlement in Alberta, says, “[The exercise is a] reconciliation tool that tells the untold story of the northern part of Turtle Island, which is Canada.”
She adds, “It’s picked up a lot of steam and interest after Idle No More, and now, in particular, the [Truth and Reconciliation Commission]. It tells the story of how colonization has affected indigenous people, how it’s affected the land, and how it’s affected relationships between indigenous, newcomers and non-Indigenous people.”
To see the chapter’s Facebook promotion for the gathering, please click here.
For resources and a short video that provide additional information about the blanket exercise, click here.
