Making Small Contributions to Reconciliation

Chief Myron Demkiw called on Toronto Police Service members to make time for reflection and consider their role in reconciliation as the Every Child Matters flag was raised at headquarters on September 30.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, he said the demands of daily life and policing should not overshadow the need to understand issues that affect Indigenous peoples and all Canadians.

“Today, we can all pause and ask ourselves, how can I contribute to reconciliation? How can I help raise awareness of issues that matter, not only to Indigenous peoples, but to all of us as Canadians?” Demkiw noted. “These are questions that especially matter to us in policing, because we know that relationships and trust are so important to everything we do.”

The ceremony brought together Service members, community leaders and representatives of the Toronto Police Service Board to remember the children who never returned home from residential schools and honour survivors and their families.

Demkiw emphasized that building relationships requires an ongoing commitment to listening and understanding.

“So more listening, more dialogue, more effort to understand each other’s perspectives,” he said. “This always is a priority and will continue to be a priority.”

The Chief thanked members of the Aboriginal Peacekeeping Unit for maintaining open communication between police and Indigenous community members and organizations.

He also recognized the Aboriginal Community Consultative Committee, including co-chairs Pamela Hart and Thunder Jack, for their collaboration on a display in the headquarters lobby of Indigenous designed orange shirts and ribbon skirts donated by Service and community members.

“Thank you to everyone who contributed to this very meaningful display,” Demkiw said.

Toronto Police Service Board Senior Advisor Bridget Cherry offered a personal reflection on the meaning of the day.

“This morning, I had the privilege of dropping my son off at school,” she said. “It’s a rather ordinary moment for us on any other day. But today, that ordinary moment is a powerful symbol of remembrance.”

Cherry said the experience served as a reminder of the family connections, safety and cultural belonging denied to Indigenous children through the residential school system.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up safe, embraced by their culture and secure in the warmth of their family,” she said. “These simple acts of love are a reminder of what many Indigenous children were cruelly denied.”

Cherry connected that reflection to the Board’s responsibility as the Service’s civilian oversight body, providing governance and holding the Service and its leadership accountable through its questions, policies and expectations.

“That responsibility is strongest when it is informed by the experiences of the people and communities that they serve,” she said.

Cherry emphasized the importance of honouring survivors and their families as they reclaim their culture, share their experiences and help shape the future.

“Together, we remember, and we honour the survivors and their families on their journeys to reclaim their culture, share their stories, and create a better path for future generations,” she said.

The Board, Cherry pointed out, remains committed to strengthening its relationships with Indigenous communities.

“There’s plenty of work ahead of us, and the Board is committed to doing its part to bring truth into action through its ongoing efforts to continue to better develop relationships with the city’s Indigenous communities,” she said.

Demkiw and Cherry joined Service members to raise the Every Child Matters flag.

“We remember the children who never returned home after being sent to residential schools,” Demkiw said. “And we honour the healing journey of survivors and their families.”