Sugarcane Screening with the Mainland Human Rights Committee

As part of its National Indigenous History Month celebrations, the PSAC BC Mainland Human Rights Committee invites you to a special screening and discussion of the powerful documentary Sugarcane. The event will be held on Sunday, June 29 from 12 PM to 4 PM at the PSAC BC Vancouver Regional Office (5238 Joyce St, Vancouver, 2nd floor boardroom).

We are honoured to welcome Musqueam Elder and Knowledge Keeper Thelma Stogan, who will join us to share cultural context and insights, and help deepen our understanding of the film and its themes.

After the screening and discussion, we hope that participants will have met the following learning objectives:

• To expose the truth about Indigenous experiences at residential schools on Turtle Island;
• To develop an understanding around the impacts of residential schools on Indigenous survivors, their families, and their communities; and
• To empower viewers to engage in actions that support truth and reconciliation.

Limited spaces are available. If you wish to participate in this learning opportunity, please RSVP Van-RO-Admin@psac-afpc.com by Wednesday, June 25, 2025. Please join us in our shared commitment to reconciliation, as we work collaboratively to create a more just and equitable world.

Dietary restrictions: In your RSVP, please let us know ify ou have any dietary restrictions (e.g. gluten free, vegeterian, vegan), food sensitivities, and/or food allergies as there will be food provided at the screening.

About the film

In 2021, evidence of unmarked graves was discovered on the grounds of an Indian residential school run by the Catholic Church in Canada, sparking a national outcry and setting off searches across North America. After years of silence, the forced separation, assimilation and abuse many children experienced at these segregated boarding schools is coming to light. Set amidst a groundbreaking investigation, Sugarcane illuminates the heartbreak and beauty of a community breaking cycles of intergenerational trauma and finding the strength to survive.

Sugarcane is a stunning tribute to the resilience of First Nations peoples and their way of life. This film is the debut feature documentary from Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, which won many awards in 2024 and is an epic cinematic portrait of a community during a moment of international reckoning. Sugarcane was also nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film at the 97^th Academy Awards in 2025. This movie is rated R for language.

For more information on the film, visit the Sugarcane film website.

Mental Health Resources

This event aims to be trauma informed and recognizes the effects of trauma on individuals and communities. We prioritize safety, choice, empowerment and connection.  PSAC BC recognizes that this event will cover topics that are upsetting and/or triggering.  We encourage attendees to attend the screening with a friend or trusted support person and want to highlight the following mental health resources available to anyone experiencing distress. 

For immediate support:

• Call 9-1-1 for help right away – Fire, Police, and/or Ambulance  or go to your local emergency medical centre
• Suicide Crisis Helplines: Text or call 9-8-8 from anywhere in Canada or call 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) in BC, both available 24/7. 
• Mental Health Support Line: For immediate mental health support or referral, call 310-6789 (no area code) 24 hours a day. 

The Indian Residential School Survivors Society operates a 24-hour crisis line to support survivors and their families across British Columbia and beyond. This crisis line can be reached at 1-800-721-0066. The National Indian Residential Scholl Crisis Line also provides support to former Indian Residential School students and their families toll-free at 1-866-925-4419.