One of the iconic churches in Ontario������Ƶapp north, Church of the Infant Jesus, was destroyed last month after a grass fire spread. The church, 300 kilometres north of Thunder Bay on the side of the Trans-Canada Highway, had been abandoned since 1997. After the fire, the local newspaper, the Anishinabek News, looked back on what the church had once meant for the community.

Although a national poll showed Canada appears divided on the value of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Catholic Church leaders said a positive impact has already been felt among native communities.

THUNDER BAY, ONT. - St. Peter������Ƶapp parish, in the city������Ƶapp east end, has become an around-the-clock emergency help centre for hundreds of local residents affected by flooding in this northern Ontario city.

“We have one of the only dry basements in this area,” said Fr. Terry Sawchuk, pastor of the parish. “We are providing help 24/7, and we will provide it for as long as it������Ƶapp necessary.”