Fonds

The 2012 Shingwauk gathering was one of the many reunions of the the students, staff, clergy, and descents of those involved with the Shingwauk and Wawanosh Indian Residential Schools. This gathering, titled "2012 Shingwauk Gathering and Conference: Healing and Reconciliation Through Education" was combined with a more formal academic conference. This gathering was hosted by Algoma University in conjunction with the National Residential School Survivors Society (NRSSS). Over 300 attended this three day event from August 3rd- August 6th, 2012. The gathering was organized through the efforts of the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre and the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association (CSAA). The reunion was held at the former Shingwauk school in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. The event aimed to help facilitate healing, communication, and a growing support network of survivors. Shingwauk reunions were also held in 1981, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2006, and 2011.

The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) was incorporated in March 2000 as the Organization for the Advancement of Aboriginal Peoples Health (OAAPH), in December 2000 the Board of Directors approved the name of the organization as the National Aboriginal Health Organization. After 12 years of operation, NAHO closed on June 29, 2012. The closure was caused by all funding being cut to the organization by the federal government. The National Aboriginal Health Organization was an organization which promoted of health and well-being of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals, families and communities. Well-being and health was promoted by the NAHO through research, Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, capacity building, and community initiatives. NAHO was a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual health of Aboriginal people in Canada. During its operation NAHO was the only national Aboriginal controlled organization in Canada that was set up with three population specific Centres dedicated to advance and promote the distinct needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis populations through knowledge-based initiatives. These three Centres were: the First Nations Centre, the Inuit Tuttarvingat and the Métis Centre. NAHO received core funding from Health Canada, however Health Canada exerted no influence over the content of NAHO materials. All materials published by NAHO were put through an established approvals process to ensure that the information presented is credible, timely and accurate. NAHO was responsible for the publication of the Journal of Aboriginal Health once a year – the only journal of its kind in the world. Additionally, NAHO estimated that it had between 2,000 and 3,000 health documents on its site.

The Order of Sisters of Charity of Montreal, formerly called The Order of Sisters of Charity of the Hôpital Général of Montreal and commonly known as the Grey Nuns of Montreal, is a Canadian order of Roman Catholic religious sisters. The order was founded in 1737 by Saint Marguerite d'Youville and three other women. In 1737, the Grey Nuns set up a home for the need and began caring for Montreal's disadvantaged. The name Grey Nuns was initially given in mockery to the small group of grey nuns. In French the word for grey can also mean 'tipsy' and was used as a slur towards the nuns. Later, when the sisters became more established Marguerite d'Youville chose the name grey nuns to remind the sisters of their humble beginnings.

Angus McPherson attended Shingwauk Indian Residential School.

Stirland Lake High School (also known as Wahbon Bay Academy) was established in 1971 by the Mennonite organization Northern Youth Programs Inc., funded by Indian Affairs. The residential school was established to educate and house twenty (20) Aboriginal boys; students attended and lived at the school for ten (10) months of the year. It was located at the remote location of Stirland Lake in Northwestern Ontario, approximately 170 miles north of Sioux Lookout Ontario. In 1986, Stirland Lake and Cristal Lake High Schools merged operations, and Stirland Lake continued as a co-educational residential school for aboriginal children. Stirland Lake operated like any other Indian residential school in Ontario, with a strong Christian religious presence.• All of the students who attended were removed from their homes and communities, and flown to a remote setting for the purpose of obtaining an education in a residential school. Around 1991, Stirland Lake High School closed its doors. In October 2007, Windigo First Nations Council, supported by Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), formally requested that the Stirland Lake and Cristal Lake Residential High Schools be recognized under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA), following a resolution unanimously endorsed by NAN Chiefs-in-Assembly in August 2007. In the spring of 2008, the request for recognition by Windigo and NAN was rejected by Canada. In December 2008, Windigo and NAN filed a motion to the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, asking the Court to exercise its power under the IRSSA by adding the school to the list of recognized Indian Residential Schools within the meaning of the IRSSA. Written arguments were filed with the Court setting out the respective positions of Windigo and NAN, and also Canada, in great detail. Stirland Lake High School was officially recognized as a Residential School in 2011.

Cristal Lake High School was established in 1976, to house Aboriginal girls sent there for their education. It was only accessible by float plane. In 1986, Stirland Lake and Cristal Lake High Schools merged operations, and Stirland Lake continued as a co-educational residential school for aboriginal children. In October 2007, Windigo First Nations Council, supported by Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), formally requested that Cristal Lake Residential High Schools be recognized under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA), following a resolution unanimously endorsed by NAN Chiefs-in-Assembly in August 2007. In the spring of 2008, the request for recognition by Windigo and NAN was rejected by Canada. In December 2008, Windigo and NAN filed a motion to the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, asking the Court to exercise its power under the IRSSA by adding the school to the list of recognized Indian Residential Schools within the meaning of the IRSSA. • Written arguments were filed with the Court setting out the respective positions of Windigo and NAN, and also Canada, in great detail. Cristal Lake was added to the list of recognized residential schools in 2011.

Orval Osborne resided at the Round Lake Residential School from 1941 to 1947 and Brandon Residential School from 1947-1952. His father, Stan Osborne was the herdsman at Round Lake and a hired man at the Brandon school.