I was very happy to read that you intend to create an on-line exhibition from Residential Schools: the Red Lake Story, and I am fully in suppot of the project.

As the curator for Where are the Children: Healing the Legacy of Residential Schools I was very impressed by the effort your gallery put into creating The Red Lake Story when Where are the Children came to the Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre. When I curated the exhibition I envisioned hosting institutions taking an interactive approach by adding relevant information from their own communities and The Red Lake Regional Heirtage Centre did an excellent job of this. And I belive only one of three institutions that has so far done this during the exhibitions four year tour.

When I had the chance to visit Red Lake and see the exhibition I was very impressed by the use of historical photogrphas from the region and it was a wonderful compliment to Where are the Children. I was also impressed by the community support the exhibition received and the number of people that attended my presentations while in Red Lake, certainly highlighting the community's hunger for more information and the need for an on-line project. I recall giving a talk to regional high school principals and remember how many of them talked about the lack of First Nations teaching information for their teachers and how important the exhibition is for their region.

As you know the legacy of residential schools continues to affect Aboriginal people and a problem that won't go away in the next few years, but in face will take generations of work . So the ability of ongoing healing and the importance of having access to information like The Red Lake Story is critical for everyone, both Aboriginal and the general population. I do hope your project becomes a reality!

Jeff Thomas

Curator

Where are the Children Healing the Legacy of Residential Schools