Justice for Tina Fontaine
City Hall, Toronto, Ontario
“Organizer Madyson Arscott, 16, reminds other young indigenous people that their lives are valued at event. Thousands gathered in Toronto Saturday afternoon in a call for justice for Tina Fontaine and a call for the reparation of Canada’s child welfare system, Arscott was the primary organizer of Saturday’s rally and used it to remind other young Indigenous people that their lives are valued even when faced with discrimination and violence. She said the death of Fontaine hit close to home, which inspired her to action.” [cbc.ca]
Over the past few weeks, there have been gatherings and rallies from coast to coast calling for justice, as Indigenous people and their allies stand together in solidarity. Academics, activists, and Indigenous leaders have called out Canada’s justice and child welfare systems as being discriminatory against Indigenous people.
“We know right now in Ontario there are more children in care than there were, that were taken from their families in the residential school system,” said Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath. “That’s not acceptable. We have to do better by young women, young Indigenous women like Tina, and by Indigenous children all together.” [cbc.ca]
