Along Eglinton Avenue West, shoppers stopped to watch as students from Marshall McLuhan CSS silently walked through the community to honour the legacy of Chanie Wenjack. The walk coincides with Secret Path Week (October 17 to 22), a national movement commemorating the 600-kilometre journey that Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old Anishinaabe boy, endured while trying to return home after escaping Cecilia Jeffrey Residential School in Kenora, Ontario. Tragically, Chanie did not return home and died from exposure.
October 17 and October 22 mark the anniversaries of the deaths of Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack, respectively. Gord Downie, lead singer of the Canadian band The Tragically Hip, played a pivotal role in bringing Chanie Wenjack’s story to public attention and inviting everyone to “Do Something.”
After completing the walk, students reflected on the harsh conditions Chanie faced and committed to deepening their understanding of the legacy of residential schools.
