Reconciliation becoming reality as 'Legacy Room' project takes shape

When Chief Morley Googoo scribbled "big idea" on a napkin at a Halifax restaurant last year, he knew he was on to something. The regional chief with the Assembly of First Nations was picturing designated placesacross the country where Canadians could talk and learn about reconciliation.

Months later, Googoo's vision is taking shape.

The Killam Library Learning Commons at Dalhousie University has been chosen as one of Canada'sfirst Legacy Rooms.The busy space, which sees thousands of students a year, will display special plaques and provide resourcesabout residential schools and reconciliation.

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"The dedicated space that they provided is going to be, hopefully, a standard for every other university across this country to follow," saidGoogoo,who representsNova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador at the AFN.

A representative from the university said the space could be unveiledby the fall, and that the design will be decided upon based on consultation with the Indigenous Advisory Council.

From idea to action

Googoowas struck with the idea of Legacy Rooms afterwatching a Heritage Minute aboutChanie Wenjack, who was 12 years old when he died while trying to escape a residential school in Ontario.

Wenjack's story inspired Gord Downie'sSecret Path project, and Googoo wanted to continue theworkof turning reconciliation from a word into an action.

For many residential school survivors who testified during theTruth and Reconciliation Commission hearings, it was the first time they shared their experiences, said Googoo.

"And even the children of the descendents of the residential schools really just learnedforthe first time what their parents or grandparents went through," he said.

"It's so important that we all learn that history so we can shape the way of the future."

EachLegacy Room will have a plaque honouringDownie and Wenjack, and companies that sign on will also commit money to the Gord Downie and ChanieWenjack Fund.

The restaurant where Googoo had the revelation, the Barrington Steakhouse and Oyster Bar, will have a Legacy Room as will a handful of other companies, including the Waterfront Development Corporation and Armbrae Academy.

"For reconciliation to work everybody has to play a role, so legacy rooms will inspire, motivate, call to action, companies but even individuals," saidGoogoo.

'Safe zones'

The final report by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canadaoutlined94 calls to action. But Googoosaid many Canadians still don't even know how to talk about reconciliation.

He said the "physical spaces represent safe zones" where both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people can talk without fear of being judged.

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"If it's not a safe place, people are not going to trust and open up and talk about it and if we don't have people talking about it, change is not going to happen," said Googoo.

Mike Downie, Gord Downie's older brother, is involved with the project, andis expected to visit Halifax in the next couple of weeks to helpofficially launch the Legacy Room initiative.

But Googoo isn't stopping there.He has plans to have hundreds of companies signed on by July possibly500 by the end of the year.

"When we have that room telling our stories from people from Indian Brook,Shubenacadie, Millbrook, it makes it more real. Wow, this happened like 40 kilometres from here," said Googoo "It just doesn't really seem like Canada could have done this."

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