The mother of Chanie Wenjack, the 12-year-old boy who froze to death while on the run from a residential school and who later inspired a generation of Canadians to learn about this devastating chapter in Canada’s history, has died. Mrs. Agnes Wenjack passed away in a Geraldton, Ontario hospital on September 1. Her son, Chanie, was found dead by Canadian National Railway workers on October 23, 1966, after he ran away from Cecilia Jeffrey Residential School. An inquest was held into Chanie’s death but the family was not told about it. Fifty years after Chanie’s death, his life has become an iconic symbol of the residential school era in Canada and the inspiration behind musician Gord Downie and documentary film maker Mike Downie’s, Secret Path initiative.

Source: thestar September 05, 2017 16:41 UTC