Peter Park and Martin Levine, both survivors of Ontario’s institutions, led a discussion with the Self-Advocates Council about what should happen with the Huronia land. Volunteer of the Year Mike Edser stands with them.

By: Sue Hutton
Huronia was an institution that many, many people labelled with intellectual disabilities were housed in before the days of community living. People experienced abuse there. There has been a class action law suit, and an apology from Ontario’s premier Kathleen Wynne. But still, people labelled with intellectual disabilities who experienced the abuse at Huronia want to say more about it.
People with Community Living Toronto’s Self-Advocate Council had a chance to speak about the land and talk about what they think should happen to it. The question about what will happen to the Huronia site is now underway. Survivors of the institution were invited to a discussion led by Peter Park in March at Community Living Toronto’s Self-Advocates Council meeting. Peter came to the Self Advocates Council to hear what people think should happen with the grounds. Peter is an institutional survivor. Martin Levine also came to the meeting with Peter. Martin is a survivor of Huronia as well as the Pine Ridge institution. Peter and Martin let people know a little bit about what it was like to have to live there.
Then together as a group, people talked about what they thought should happen to the grounds. People had ideas about turning the land into a memorial garden. They wanted to have the buildings torn down. They wanted to make sure there were memories so that people could remember what happened there. Everyone thought it was important to make sure the land was open to the public – so that anyone could go and learn about our history. There is a graveyard at Huronia – but there are no names on the grave stones, only numbers. This was really sad to the members of the Self-Advocates Council – who think it’s really important that the names be put on those gravestones. “It should be maintained like any other cemetery where people are allowed to rest in peace. Especially after what those guys lived through” said one self-advocate.

It could be a place of remembering, and also of teaching about rights – and the importance to remember how far we have come.
Let’s hope we can make it a beautiful place to remember the people who lived there. The government wants to hear what people’s thoughts are about what to do with the Huronia land. There was also a meeting that took place on March 30 in Orillia for people to share their views.

If you are interested in learning more about this, please contact Sue Hutton at shutton@cltoronto.ca

Here is a video with Cindy Scott, Huronia survivor talking about Huronia: