Dignitaries took part in a small ceremony on Monday morning at Government House in Regina as part of National Indigenous Peoples Day.

The event, which was hosted by Saskatchewan’s Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty, was to bless the future site of a memorial dedicated planned at Government House. Mirasty said they will make sure the memorial appropriately honours the survivors and the children who lost their lives while attending residential schools in Saskatchewan.

“I’ve ensured through advice, conversations and outreach with elders and survivors that we do this the right way,” Mirasty noted. “It means we will follow proper protocols and bring to life the ground this monument will sit on eventually.”

With the recent discovery of the remains of children at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., Mirasty admitted Monday’s event made him feel mixed emotions.

However he feels the historical relationship between Indigenous peoples and the Crown was a key reason as to why he recommended the memorial be established at Government House.

“It’s a little quieter. It’s a place where people can come and contemplate their own experience or they can come here and pray if they want to,” added Mirasty.

Premier Scott Moe was one of the guests who participated in the ceremony on Monday. He said it’s tremendously significant to establish the monument at Government House.

“To do that on a site that is earmarked as the Queen’s representative in this province, I think it really speaks to the steps we are taking with respect to reconciliation of that history and the positive steps moving forward as Canadians,” stated the premier.

More details are expected to be given later this summer after the RFP process for the project has been completed.

(CKRM; photo credit: Moises Canales/CKRM)