Sudbury community turning orange to honour residential school legacy

A woman in the Sudbury community of Lively is spreading orange throughout her community to help honour the impacts of residential schools.

Brandi Temmerman has ordered 700 small, orange lawn-marker flags and she's giving them away to her friends and neighbours. In exchange, she's asking for donations to Indigenous-focused causes in the Sudbury area.

Temmerman says it's a way of showing support for Indigenous people who continue to feel the impacts of Canada's residential school system to this day.

"I have three sons and I can't imagine somebody coming and taking my children like that … that's just too much to even think about," she says.

Canadian flag leads to orange inspiration

Temmerman and her husband were trying to buy an orange flag to temporarily replace their large Canadian flag that hangs outside their home, in light of news about the discovery of unmarked children's graves at multiple residential schools.

The two could not find a large flag that would arrive in time but Temmerman spotted a 100-pack of orange lawn-marker flags instead. 

She ordered one set, planning to place a few on her own lawn and share the rest with her neighbours. But the community response in Lively was massive — more than 200 people have expressed interest in joining the campaign.

Her order tally soon reached 700 flags and she began to make plans to distribute them with the people who wanted to take part.

"We do a lot to make sure that our neighbours are good and it would be really nice to just say, 'hey, we've got your back, anything you need,'" she says.

Instead of asking for payment to cover her costs, Temmerman is asking for donations. 

She's directing half of the funds toward Indigenous initiatives at Cambrian College and the remaining 50 per cent will go toward an Indigenous organization in Sudbury.

Temmerman has not made the final decision on which organization or organizations will receive the remainder, but she says she wants the money to support Indigenous children.

Part of education on residential schools

The Temmerman family's flag change was initially meant to help educate their children about the history of these institutions, but Temmerman ended up learning as well.

She identifies as a non-Indigenous ally but has Indigenous people within her extended family.

"My uncle was taken [to residential school] but he escaped. He was eight and they picked him up, and I just learned this now. He is in his sixties, so it was almost like something that was never talked about," she says.

Temmerman says she knows this is a relatively small gesture, but she hopes it will help to continue conversations about Canada's history.

"I was a little nervous because I didn't want to offend anybody by doing this, but I got a lot of great support and a lot of people came out and said, 'thank you for supporting us.' I'm just trying to do my part," she says.

College appreciative of fundraising support

Bradie Granger is the chair of justice and general studies at Cambrian College. She says the school plans to use any donations toward its general arts Indigenous specialization program, as well as projects to include Indigenous culture within school spaces.

"We're incredibly grateful for this gesture and its demonstration of support for Indigenous people, including students, staff, and elders at Cambrian College," she says.

Distribution planned for June 29

Temmerman says she plans to give out the flags from 3 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 29. She will set up on a park laneway near Main Street and Sixth Avenue in Lively, near the outdoor rink.