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Summary
Coast to coast to coast. Canada’s C3 Expedition will soon draw to a close, but not before a stop with the Heiltsuk on Thanksgiving Day.
The epic journey, a centrepiece of Canada 150 celebrations that took voyageurs on a 150-day sailing from Toronto to Victoria via the Northwest Passage, will visit Bella Bella in British Columbia on Oct. 9. The trip began in Toronto on June. 1 and will end in Victoria Oct. 28.
Reconciliation is a theme of the journey and the word in the Heiltsuk language is is 'haíɫcístut', meaning to turn something around and make it right again,” said Heiltsuk Councillor Leona Humchitt.
“If there’s one thing the first 150 years of Canada has taught me it’s that reconciliation is the only path forward. With so much history behind us, and some formidable challenges ahead, the time has come to pull together,” she said.
The voyagers will also visit Triquet Island on Oct. 12, a 14,000-year-old Heiltsuk village site, according to carbon dating of tools through archaeological research.
“Canada is only 150 years old, but the Heiltusk way of life dates back over 14,000 years, said Hereditary Chief Harvey Humchitt, who will be joining the expedition as it travels to Rivers Inlet.
“Our traditional knowledge, our culture and our people have a lot to offer Canada in the next 150 years, if it will listen.”
Monday’s agenda for the voyageurs is a range of community discussions, shared meals and cultural exchanges.
Visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CanadaC3/ for photos of the trip.