Legacy of Hope Foundation Expresses it’s Condolences for the Passing of Lesley Parlane

(Ottawa, ON) November 27, 2018 – Today, the Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) joins the community in mourning the passing of Lesley Parlane, a young Indigenous woman, passionate artist and creative story-teller, whose life was cut short.

President, Richard Kistabish, on behalf of the LHF Board of Directors, and the LHF Staff offer condolences to the family, friends, and community who knew and loved Lesley Parlane. “We offer our heartfelt prayers to Lesley’s family and friends, and to all those who were touched by her presence and involvement within the community,” he said, adding, “we at the LHF are privileged and honoured to have had the opportunity to work with Lesley, and we are grateful to her contribution and participation in our exhibition, Bi-Giwen: Coming Home – Truth Telling from the Sixties Scoop.”

Lesley Parlane passed on to the spirit world on Saturday, November 24, 2018 after a courageous battle with breast cancer. Ms. Parlane (Dakota/Salteaux) was a member of Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation in Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan, and was based in Ottawa, Ontario since 1998.

Lesley Parlane shared her life experiences as an Indigenous woman living in Canada. She spoke openly about being an inter-generational Survivor of the Residential School era, being a Sixties Scoop adoptee, and about her journey which involved reclaiming culture, making family connections, grieving her losses, as well as the importance of living a healthy life, practicing self-care and healing and recovery.

Teresa Edwards, LHF Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel stated that, “Ms. Parlane was an inspiration to many who knew her. Her dedication and participation in increasing awareness of many issues, including that of the Sixties Scoop will continue to educate people for years to come. Lesley was a very strong and powerful woman who wanted to share her stories so that others could gain an understanding and build empathy for the plight of Indigenous Peoples. She also supported and honoured the journey to rediscovery and healing, and the path ‘home’ for those taken from their families. She will be greatly missed.” added Ms. Edwards.

Beginning before the 1960’s, Indigenous children were taken from their families, often forcibly and fostered and/or adopted out to non-Indigenous homes often far away from their communities and some across the globe. This has now been termed the Sixties Scoop, and its ongoing impacts continue to be felt to this day.

Lesley Parlane is featured in the LHF exhibit entitled Bi-Giwen: Coming Home – Truth Telling from the Sixties Scoop, which explores the experiences of Survivors of the Sixties Scoop. Developed in partnership with the National Indigenous Survivors of Child Welfare Network, this innovative and challenging exhibition features the first-person testimonies of twelve Indigenous Survivors of the Sixties Scoop, and reflects upon their pain, loss but also enduring strength, courage and resilience.

Lesley Parlane’s interview for the Bi-Giwen project can be found here:

https://legacyofhope.ca/bigiwen/lesleyparlane.html

The Legacy of Hope Foundation is a national, charitable Indigenous organization whose purpose is to educate and create awareness and understanding about the history of Residential Schools, including the intergenerational impacts on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, the Sixties Scoop and to continue to support the ongoing healing process of Indigenous Survivors.

For LHF materials see: www.legacyofhope.ca

For more information, please contact:

Teresa Edwards, Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel

Legacy of Hope Foundation

613-237-4806 ext. 303

info@legacyofhope.ca