'Convoy of reconciliation' honours Indigenous children who died at residential schools

A cacophony of hornsblared as amemorial convoy of trucks drove through downtown Ottawa Sunday morning, honouringIndigenous children who died at residential schools.

Dozens of semis, dump trucks, flatbeds and pickup truckstook part in a procession that began in the village of Ashton, Ont., and headed down Highway 417, into downtown Ottawa and past Parliament Hill.

It was a show of support for Indigenous communities affected by the recent discoveryof what are believed to be children's remains at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.

Passersby stopped to watch, wave and take photos. Two people wearing orange shirts which have come to signify the process ofreconciliation following the harm caused by residential schools stood silently and waved.

'Just trying to do our part'

Gatineau, Que., residentLyoness Woodstock, a four-decadeveteran of the trucking industry, said the idea for the215 Truck Rally came from his friendRoger Steepe, a trucker whose grandmother survived theresidential school system.

"We're just trying to do our part in making sure that this news of these atrocities stays front-and-centre," Woodstock told CBC NewsSaturday before the rally.

"This is not something [that can]just slip away into some kind of a closed file. These were innocent children and innocent families that were put through this and lived through it."

Vigils, marches and ceremonies have been held across the countryfollowing theannouncement by theTk'emlps te SecwpemcFirst Nation that preliminary findings from a survey of the grounds at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School haduncovered the remains of215 children.

The news shocked the country and brought the harm and traumacaused by residential schools back into the spotlight.

Flags were lowered tohalf mast. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledgedmore supportfor survivors of residential schools and the Ontario government announced $10 million toidentify, investigate and commemorate residential school burial sites in the province.

In Kingston, Ont., astatue of Sir John A. Macdonald that stood in a downtown park was taken downover objections to its presence and anger at Macdonald's role in theresidential school system.

Woodstock said he was surprised by the response to the truck rally,as he and Steepewere able to recruittruckers from eastern Ontario and western Quebec over social media.

"As one of my friends said, this is simply a convoy of reconciliation, peace and love for humanity," said Woodstock.

"We just want to show our support to this community."