Eugene Arcand, a residential school survivor and advisor to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Indian Residential School Survivor Committee, will speak about his experiences on Tuesday, September 28 at the Uniplex Jubilee Hall. The presentation, which will also be streamed, is a joint effort by The City of Humboldt, Prairie Central District for Sport, Culture and Recreation, and Carlton Trail College. 

A joint release from the City and Carlton Trail College explains that Arcand, a Cree from the Muskeg Lake First Nation, spent 10 years at the St. Michael Indian Residential School in Duck Lake and one year at the Lebret Student Residence. Over the last 38 years, Arcand has served the Saskatchewan First Nations community in a variety of capacities particularly with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations as an elected Vice-Chief. He also served as the Executive Director of the Prince Albert Indian and Metis Friendship Centre and has dedicated much of his time as an organizer of major events such as regional and national First Nations sports, cultural events, tourism, as well as events geared toward First Nations’ youth advancement. A Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame Inductee, Arcand also received the Saskatchewan Tourism Ambassador Award in 1997 and was named Prince Albert Citizen of the Year in 1994. Over the past few years, he has worked on ensuring that both the public and survivor communities are kept informed of the developments and processes linked to the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement.

“This event is focused on Truth and Reconciliation. Reconciliation is about working towards implementing the TRC’s Calls to Action, but it is also about building relationships, re-educating ourselves, and identifying our own personal calls to action,” said Rachel Trann, Carlton Trail College Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Student Services Manager.

 “We have a responsibility to learn from Eugene’s story, and to commit to the path of reconciliation,” Trann added. 

“As we approach the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, we encourage area residents to learn about the Canadian Indigenous residential school system, and discuss how to move forward together,” said Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Director of Cultural Services for the City of Humboldt.

The free presentation will be held in person and on the Zoom platform online on Tuesday, September 28 from 1:30–3:00 pm. Participants must pre-register online at: https://www.carltontrailcollege.com/truth-and-reconciliation-presentation or via email at: humboldt@carltontrailcollege.com. Further details will be provided upon registration.