Dundas Roncesvalles Peace Garden
2201 Dundas Street West Toronto, ON, Canada

Wishing everyone peace and joy for the winter holidays. Father and child frolic in the snow.

Deb Haaland, first Native American Secretary of the Interior of the United States! I am in tears for my friend. We just talked last week and she was hoping s...he would receive the appointment. If you would have told General Custer that in 2020 a female Native American would be appointed to the Department of the Interior, he would have told you that you were crazy, but here we are! https://www.washingtonpost.com//deb-haaland-interior-secr/ My wet plate taken of her on June 23rd, 2019 at Nostalgic Glass Wet Plate Studio, Bismarck, North Dakota. She flew in from Washington D.C. to give a speech at my first book signing.

Ten years ago the remains of a 1000 person Wendat village were uncovered in Scarborough. 20,000 artifacts of stone, copper and pottery were found, as were the remains of 16 long houses. The place was abandoned 600 years ago, when the people moved to a new site because soils became depleted through agricultural use. No burial sites were found; it was the custom then to carry their dead with them to a new village. Two plaques mark the site. Few Wendat peoples survived disease..., famine, colonial wars, and wars with the Haudenosaunee peoples, by the mid 1600's. Few remain in present day Ontario. The names of the place, the park, the creek, the forest, and a pond are all colonial names of English or French origin. This creates the false impression that Wendat impact on 10,000 years of living presence in the Toronto area is replaced, or not important anymore. Surely we can re-invigorate their footprint on the land, with the stories and names of the Wendat, in present day Toronto. "Alexander Site" is much more than an area of recreation.

How are we doing on implementing the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Report? After five years, what has been accomplished? What work is left to do? The talks with Senator Murray Sinclair, Dr. Marie Wilson, and Chief Wilton Littlechild, the three commissioners, and with survivors of residential schools are now posted. See the first Comment for a link.

On GIVING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1ST, a donation you make to the "Save the Evidence" fund, to restore and preserve the legacy of The Mohawk Institute Residential School, will be matched by the Dufresne-Ray Fund at the Hamilton Community Foundation, The total budget for the restoration of the School Building is $23.5 Million. They've raised $12 Million already. They have an additional $11 Million donation pending, and of the last remaining $500,000, only need to raise $75,000. Their dream is close to reality. Any amount you can donate will be much appreciated.