The 77 day Walk of Sorrow arrives in Ottawa
Patricia Ballantyne has been walking for 77 days, and on Friday finally finished her goal of reaching Ottawa.
Her journey started in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, where years ago she spent 10 years at the Prince Albert Indian Residential School.
The walk, dubbed the Walk of Sorrow, started as a way of self-healing. It has grown into a national journey shared by many.
"The findings of the 215 in Kamloops (British Columbia), it re-triggered the trauma I went through when I was in the residential school," Ballantyne told CTV News Ottawa at her stop in Arnprior. "I felt I needed to heal so that’s what we do is walk, when we need to do something.”
The walk’s final leg was a 12-kilometre stretch from Renfrew to the Antrim Truck Stop in Arnprior, where their convoy was then escorted into Ottawa by police. Over her multi-provincial journey Ballantyne has met many supporters. Friday she met more who resonated with her story.
"My mother is a survivor of a residential school," says Betty Ferris, who travelled to Renfrew from Smiths Falls to catch Ballantyne’s walk. "I’ve been following her on Facebook and watching her videos and it’s just fantastic."
"I’m the granddaughter of a residential school survivor," says Jennifer Diotte, who came out from Ottawa to meet the walkers. "I wanted to do something, so at least I’m here to cheer them on."
"It’s been tough, it’s been a tough walk," says Ballantyne. "We do our ceremonies in the different communities, the healing ceremonies, the spiritual ceremonies. I didn’t expect there to be that many supporters, but it’s been incredible.”
The journey was tough not only due to conditions like sweltering heat, but also because of what the walk stood for.
"It makes me pretty proud actually," Diotte says, watching the walkers pass by her on Highway 17. "But at the same time there’s a lot of anger that this is happening because of what has happened."
"I just love how people have come out; non First Nations people, First Nations people come out to show their support and to show their acknowledgement that residential schools did exist," says Ballantyne.
The Walk of Sorrow plans to hold two additional walks over the weekend in Ottawa, a five-kilometre walk on Saturday and a two-kilometre walk to Parliament Hill on Sunday.
There they plan to hear from other residential school survivors and First Nations leaders, and have hopes to engage with the federal government to plan how a larger healing process can take place.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Federal government bans watercraft from Manitoba lake popular with tourists
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.