Walk to raise awareness, funds for child sexual abuse

The chief executive officer of the Siksika Health Services will be among those taking part in a lengthy awareness raising walk with former National Hockey League star Theo Fleury.

CEO Tyler White is one of about 10 people from the Siksika Nation who will participate in the Victor Walk.

The event, which will be staged in Ontario from May 14-23, is being held to raise awareness of the issues surrounding childhood sexual abuse.

Fleury plans to complete the entire walk, from Toronto to Ottawa, a distance of 401 kilometres. He’ll be joined by members of the Siksika Nation in a partnership that will see a portion of the walk proceeds go toward building a traditional healing centre and a clinic for victims of child sexual abuse at the Siksika Health Services.

White is unsure how much of the walk he himself will do.

“I wouldn’t categorize myself as an athlete of any sort,” he said.
“We want to do as much as we can though to support Theo.”

White says members of the Siksika Nation will be present for the duration of the walk, even if all of them are not walking the entire distance.

This cause is important for Fleury, a 44-year-old of Métis heritage. In his autobiography released in 2009, Fleury confirmed he had been sexually abused by Graham James, his junior hockey coach.

James is currently serving a five-year jail sentence for abusing Fleury and another one of his junior players.
The Victor Walk will begin at the Child Abuse Monument in Toronto, concluding on the steps of Parliament Hill in the nation’s capital.

Fleury and others are expected to read Victor Impact Statements at the end of the walk in an effort to raise awareness and hopefully get stricter child sexual abuse laws implemented in Canada.

Since revealing his own childhood abuse, Fleury has travelled across the country visiting numerous First Nations to raise awareness of sexual abuse.

He toured the Siksika Health Services last year where he was impressed with all the work that goes on at the facility.

“I was completely blown away with what they were doing out there,” Fleury said. “They are a one-stop shop for all your needs.”
The facility offers a wide range of needs, including x-rays, dental work and mental health assistance.

“I’ve been to 60 (First Nations) communities across Canada and I feel by far these guys are doing the best work,” he said. “But that’s not to take away from the work everybody else is doing.”

The Little Warriors Foundation in Edmonton and the Sexual Assault Centre for Quinte and District, which is located in Belleville, Ont., will also receive walk proceeds.

Despite the cause for the walk and a marketing campaign, the event has not generated corporate sponsorship.

“It’s disappointing we’re not getting the big corporations behind us,” White said. “But I’m confident once the walk gets going it will pick up momentum.”

No target has been set for the amount of money that it hoped the walk will raise.