Introducing the National Sixties Scoop Mother
Akwesasne, Ontario, August 7, 2025
The National Sixties Scoop Healing Foundation of Canada is honoured to formally recognize Elder Philomene Sanderson as the inaugural National Sixties Scoop Mother. This title reflects her lifelong commitment to cultural preservation, family healing, and Survivor advocacy. This honour, introduced at the Foundation’s 2025 Annual General Meeting in Toronto, marks a significant and emotional milestone in the Foundation’s journey. It is more than a title; it is a deep expression of gratitude and respect for Elder Sanderson’s wisdom, lived experience, and continued guidance in the national healing movement.
A Story Rooted in Strength and Survival
Elder Philomene Sanderson is both a Day School Survivor and the mother of a child taken during the Sixties Scoop. Her story, like so many others, is marked by profound loss, resilience, and resistance. She has carried the weight of intergenerational trauma with dignity and strength, becoming a powerful voice for healing not only for her family but for countless other Survivors.
During the 2025 Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors passed a unanimous motion to formally recognize Elder Philomene Sanderson as the first ever; National Sixties Scoop Mother. The motion acknowledges her vital role in providing cultural, emotional, and spiritual support to the Foundation and the broader Survivor community.
1. Motion Carried – June 2025: That Elder Philomene Sanderson, being a respected Elder for her community and having volunteered her time with the NSSHFC since its inception in 2020 on various projects, is awarded the honorary title of National Sixties Scoop Mother with all the honours, privileges, and obligations belonging thereto.
This formal appointment represents not only a meaningful and symbolic honour but also an ongoing commitment by the Foundation to uphold and elevate the role of Traditional Matriarchs in Indigenous healing and governance. Cultural Leadership and Spiritual Guidance Elder Sanderson’s presence in Foundation spaces is more than ceremonial—it is deeply instructional. She offers cultural teachings, spiritual grounding, and emotional support to staff, board members, and partners. Her contributions have shaped how the Foundation approaches its work, from grant-making and archival initiatives to how we honour the lives of Survivors and their descendants.
Her naming as the National Sixties Scoop Mother recognizes her role as a spiritual Matriarch, someone who walks alongside Survivors with compassion, honour, and accountability. She represents the strength of all mothers impacted by the Sixties Scoop and is a living source of healing to all the children that were taken and never found or connected with their own birth parents.
Carrying the Flame Forward
The Foundation views this role as an evolving, living honour. The National Sixties Scoop Mother is not a one-time recognition; it is a relationship. As our first National Mother, Elder Sanderson will continue to guide the Foundation’s cultural ceremonies and outreach efforts in a way that honours traditional matriarchal leadership and intergenerational wisdom. In her, we see the embodiment of healing justice: the reunion of family, the reclamation of culture, and the power of story to transform silence into strength.
gilakas'la, kinanâskomitin,marsee, marsi cho, migwetch, nia:wen, nakummek, tshinashkumitin, wela’lin,tiniki, merci, thank you.
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To learn more about the work of the National Sixties Scoop Healing Foundation of Canada and the impact of Survivors like Elder Sanderson, visit www.sixtiesscoophealingfoundation.ca or follow us on social media.