In honour of National Indigenous People’s Day, Mike Downie sat down with Ben Mulroney on CTV’s Your Morning to talk about his brother Gord Downie, Tragically Hip’s frontman, and his last wish of reconciliation and reparations for Canada’s Indigenous people.
Prior to his death in October 2017, Gord challenged Canada to be better, speaking out against the conditions of Indigenous peoples in Canada and encouraging reconciliation and reparations. Mike is continuing his wish as co-founder of the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund, an organization that embodies Gord’s commitment, and that of his family, to improving the lives of First Peoples.
Mike, along with Gord, co-created the multimedia project Secret Path, which tells the story of Chanie “Charlie” Wenjack, an Ojibway boy who died while running away from his residential school. This story haunted Mike and Gord and they vowed to tell it to the world through an animated film, a music album, and a graphic novel that has captured the hearts and minds of Canadians.
In his interview, he says that Gord never turned away from the tough conversations, and he would want our country to push forward and not let good be the enemy of great.
See the full interview below:
Interested in learning more about Mike and what he can bring to your next event? Email us at [email protected].