Phaedra Midgic, New Brunswick
Fair address: Anglophone East Regional Heritage Fair (Hopewell Cape)
Project: Cultural Genocide: The Legacy of Residential Schools
Residential schools are a very dark chapter in Canadian history that we all need to learn about.
What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?
The last residential school closed just 21 years ago, yet many Canadians are only just learning about residential schools.
What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?
I would like other Canadians to know that even though residential schools are closed, many First Nations peoples, Inuit and Metis still experience racism and the effects of the residential school system. These effects are felt across generations and will take generations to heal.
How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?
My life is much, much better because I am able to speak my language, practice my religion and no one is trying to destroy my culture.