Saskatoon man braving the elements on quest to Timber Bay school

By Derek Craddock, paNOW

While many Saskatchewan residents get ready for some rest and relaxation over the holidays, one man is instead walking over 300 kilometres in the snow.

B’yauling Toni, a non-Indigenous 21-year-old man from Saskatoon is trekking on snowshoes to Timber Bay School near Montreal Lake Cree Nation to deliver “The Forgotten Pair of Moccasins.”

Through deep snow and bone-chilling wind chill, Toni is making the journey in the hopes of having the Timber Bay School recognized as a residential school.

The school, known as the Timber Bay Children’s Home, ran from 1952 to 1994 but has been denied designation as an official Residential school because federal funds were transferred to the Province of Saskatchewan who then paid the church to run the school rather than directly from the federal government to the church.

Timber Bay School has also been denied designation because it is not found within the borders of a reserve but lies 18 km outside Montreal Lake Cree Nation.

Numerous court challenges have been made to acknowledge the school by survivors over the past 20 years to no avail.

This isn’t the first time Toni has made a journey to a residential school. Back in August he cycled about 3,000 kilometres across Saskatchewan, visiting the 20 federally recognized school sites in the province.

Dwight Ballantyne is the founder of the Ballantyne Project which has spent years raising awareness on Timber Bay School.

After meeting Toni in September following his Saskatchewan-wide cycling trek, he offered his services to help Toni on this expedition.

“He’s sending the Ballantyne Project videos and we’re going to be editing them and putting the videos together for him,” said Ballantyne. “I will be narrating the story for him; I have the privilege of doing that for him which is what he wanted me to do.”

“When we do get videos, we’re going to put a social media push to get people to follow along with what he is doing and to sign a petition as the days go on.”

That petition, found on the Ballantyne project’s website, has over 400 signatures and counting.

Ballantyne, who had family attend the school, said this journey means a lot to him and family and friends in his former home of Montreal Lake Cree Nation.

“We’re hoping we can get as much support and as many followers as we can as he goes along on his journey because this is very important,” he said.

“He’s a perfect example of someone taking action in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen once he’s finished his journey. It’s been a big journey for him.”

Toni  is sharing updates on his quest through Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.