On the morning of May 13, 2026, international visitors, representatives from the Anglican Church of Canada, and members of Alongside Hope gathered to learn about the former Indian Residential School (IRS) in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, and the Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre (MDCC).
Our visit began along the banks of the Shubenacadie River with a welcome from Tim Bernard, Executive Director of the MDCC, along with Dorene Bernard, an IRS survivor, and Sunshine Bernard, a descendant of survivors. Beside the tidal river, the group took part in smudging and water blessing ceremonies led by Dorene and Sunshine.
In September 2021, the site of the former residential school was reclaimed by the community and designated as a protected area when the Government of Canada placed commemorative plaques along the driveway. Every September 30, survivors gather at the location to share their experiences, marking the field with a giant heart of orange flags. Dorene emphasized the vital importance of ongoing Truth and Reconciliation efforts, noting that: “people need to understand what they’re healing from.”
Standing at the commemorative plaques, Tim Bernard shared stories about his father and uncle, both IRS survivors who had chosen never to speak of their time at the school. The plaques themselves represent a historic milestone: they are written in five Indigenous languages alongside English and French, a unique step in federal recognition.
The journey continued to the nearby Nora Bernard Commemoration Park. Designed in consultation with survivors and descendants, the park honours Nora Bernard, a Mi’kmaq activist from the Millbrook First Nation. She spearheaded the largest class-action lawsuit in Canadian history on behalf of residential school survivors, which directly led to the 2006 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.
The park serves as a sanctuary for reflection and healing. As the morning sun rises, three metal structures created by Mi’kmaw artist Ursula Johnson cast a star-shaped shadow in a traditional basket-weave pattern. The space features semi-circular benches designed to embrace visitors, a sacred fire area, and a mural representing the Wolastoqiyik people. An inscription by artist Michelle Sylliboy embedded in the pavement translates to, “We are strengthened because they call out in one voice,” alongside a message from Nora Bernard encouraging visitors to “look straight ahead to the road you are on.”
To conclude the day, the group explored a portion of the Mi’kmawey Interpretive Trail in Debert. Archaeologist Leah Morine Rosenmeier, Director of Operations at the MDCC, presented replicas of ancient artifacts found on-site that date back 11,000 years to the retreat of the glaciers. Visitors also had the opportunity to practice using an atlatl, a traditional spear-throwing tool designed for efficiency.
The upcoming Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre represents a long-standing commitment to Indigenous leadership and cultural revitalization. Predominantly staffed by Indigenous people, with a majority fluent in Mi’kmaq, the centre will offer year-round educational programming, a gathering space for Chiefs and Councils, and a permanent home for repatriated cultural belongings that support healing and community learning.
Indigenous oral tradition holds that the Mi’kmaq continuously occupied the island of Newfoundland since before settlers arrived. With the demise of the Beothuks in the early 19th century, Mi’kmaq trappers and hunters expanded their range from the southern region of Newfoundland to include much of the interior of the main portion of the island, where they trapped beaver, otter, fox, lynx, and muskrat.