Tags: Kids of Canada

This Canada Day, as we reflect on our country's past and reaffirm our commitment to supporting Indigenous peoples in pursuit for truth and reconciliation, we hear from young people on how they would reimagine Canada.

Many people will tell you how to spend your money, but very few will tell you how to save it. Growing up, that was something that I heard too often from the elders of my community, and, to be honest, they were right.

My community taught me what it meant to care for others, but did it teach me to care for myself?

A poem by Karen R., 15

I was born colonized but, like many other Indigenous youth, am on the journey of decolonizing and reconnecting to my community and culture.

There have been several instances in my life where I have experienced some form of bullying. However, I have mostly experienced exclusive bullying from friend groups throughout my life.

There is such stigma around mental health, so much that some parents even say “I’d rather have my kids going through leukemia than going through clinical depression.” Acknowledging firstly that mental health exists, as well as knowing it is as important as our physical health, if not more, is the first step towards raising awareness against such stigma.

There is such stigma around mental health, so much that some parents even say “I’d rather have my kids going through leukemia than going through clinical depression”. Acknowledging firstly that mental health exists, as well as knowing it is as important as our physical health, if not more, is the first step towards raising awareness against such stigma.

It's easy to think that homelessness isn't a problem in Canada, a "first-world" country. However, it's much closer to home than we think. It's our responsibility to be aware of that and help break down the stigma that surrounds homelessness to increase access to resources for the less fortunate.

That’s when I realized, Indigenous people (whether raised in our cultures or not) have feelings of inadequacy due to colonization, and these feelings need to be addressed so we can combat them.