Downie, visibly touched, urges Canadians, aboriginals to embrace reconciliation
GATINEAU, Que. — A frail-looking Gord Downie wept openly, wiping tears from his eyes, as indigenous leaders paid tribute to the ailing Tragically Hip frontman Tuesday for his efforts in forcing Canada to confront the legacy of residential schools.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stood nearby and watched as Downie, who has been diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of brain cancer, was honoured in a ceremony during the Assembly of First Nations special assembly in Gatineau, Que.
Trudeau, who has long championed a new relationship with Aboriginal Peoples, was there to unveil plans for an Indigenous Languages Act in hopes of preserving and revitalizing First Nations, Metis and Inuit languages in Canada.
Downie’s “Secret Path” solo project honours 12-year-old Chanie Wenjack, who died in 1966 after running away from a residential school near Kenora, Ont. Proceeds from the album and graphic novel are being donated to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba.