BURLINGTON, Ont. — Cogeco Connexion announced today its YourTV stations across Ontario will air programming featuring the culture, history and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples in local communities on Sept. 30, the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Airing throughout the day, the programming will include the following documentaries:
- Cultural Mindfulness – directed by George Couchie
- We Are Still Here – directed by Dwayne Cloes
- Wawahte: Residential School Survivors – directed by John Sanfilippo
- Language and the Land – directed by YourTV’s Curtis Brunet
- Beyond Orange Shirt Day – presentation by Phyllis Webstad, creator of Orange Shirt Day
The local schedule can be found at www.yourtv.tv. Cogeco subscribers can view the special programming on their local YourTV channel (700 HD cable/100 Epico).
“I’m very grateful that YourTV is presenting Wawahte, and hopeful that these stories will find a new audience,” said director John Sanfilippo, also a community member, in a Cogeco press release.
“Wawahte was originally written by Kingston author Bob Wells in 2012. At the time, it seemed few people were aware of Canada’s residential school system, and even fewer were willing to fully acknowledge it. Since then we’ve seen a massive shift in Canada’s willingness to acknowledge the darkness of its past as well as its present. We hope that this presentation of Wawahte will serve as a tool of education and healing for all who see it,” Sanfilippo said.
“We pride ourselves on giving a voice to and airing stories from members of our communities,” said Tim Caddigan, senior director of YourTV and community relations at Cogeco.
“On this special day of recognition and commemoration, it is important to hear these stories from local Indigenous Peoples. On September 30th, our viewers can enjoy this specialized programming on the journey towards truth and reconciliation.”
