29Mar2024

Welcome to The Link (formerly Macdonald Youth Services)

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Board Approves Decision to Rebrand

After more than 90 years operating with the Macdonald moniker, the MYS board approved the decision to beg a process to rebrand the organization.

MYS was named after Hugh John Macdonald, the son of Canada’s first prime minister, John A. Macdonald, a widely acknowledged architect of the residential school system.

The volunteer Board of Directors acknowledges the harms from residential schools and the role the Canadian government had in their establishment and unanimously passed a motion to rename the organization during a meeting on June 10, 2021.

“We really feel as a board that the time is right now,” said Shane Storie, Board Chair who announced the change to team members during a virtual town hall. “We will begin the process by engaging with Indigenous knowledge keepers, funders, Manitoba youth, families and other stakeholders to ensure the new name reflects the people we serve, conveys what we do, and represents the values of inclusion, community and the evolution of MYS.”

The organization’s name has been an ongoing conversation for some time said Cheyenne Chartrand, Knowledge Keeper and Auntie. “The change in name is an essential step in addressing the legacy of residential schools and the impact it has had on Indigenous families. Being a large, child and youth focused, non-Indigenous organization, we have the responsibility of being a good relative to the community we serve. Children need action, not another apology. This is us keeping our word.”

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Response to News from Kamloops

As an organization and community, we are devastated to learn of the loss of 215 children discovered at the Kamloops Indian Residential School site during the week of Friday, May 28, 2021. We stand in solidarity and grief with all Indigenous community members and all Indigenous employees, volunteers and students within MYS.

As people living in Canada, we continue to learn about the Indian Residential Schools’ traumatic reality on Indigenous children, families, and communities. Still, on Friday, the truth broke our hearts as we try to comprehend the loss of 215 beautiful lives and the impact their death has on their parents, grandparents, families and communities.

We must honour the lost lives, support the warriors that have survived and stand together at MYS to take action by creating space to learn the truth and commit to reconciliation.

Over the next four days, we will be hosting a sacred fire at our main office, 175 Mayfair Avenue in honour of the children found at Kamloops Indian Residential School.

The fire will burn for four days and four nights. We encourage all MYS teams and foster parents to pay their respects by offering and acknowledging the families impacted by Indian Residential Schools.

All COVID19 protocols are in place and require everyone to wear a mask. Practice social distancing by lining up and waiting until it is your turn to provide an offering. There will be fire keepers onsite throughout the day, evenings and nights to help facilitate.

MYS North is hanging orange shirts in the windows of MYS Healing Homes and offices and doing art therapy with Heart to Home.

We will also be tying 215 orange ribbons to honour the children who were found, and we will be asking youth and employees onsite to support this installation later this week.

If you or someone you know is experiencing pain or distress at this time, please reach out to the Indian Residential School Survivors and Family. They are available 24-hours a day 1-866-925-4419.