Acknowledging Truth

On June 3, 2021, the Government of Canada amended Bill C-5 to designate the federal statutory holiday entitled the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This enactment is a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #80. The Act calls upon the federal government, in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, “to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that the public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process”.

This day of commemoration will take place each year on September 30th. Also known as Orange Shirt Day, this federal statutory day is recognized as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a day to honour, acknowledge, and reflect.

In the spirit of truth and reconciliation, we ask that you wear orange on September 30 to acknowledge and honour all of those who have survived residential schools and to commemorate all of those who have not. Wearing orange is symbolic to the experience of residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad whose orange shirt was taken away upon her arrival at residential school. It is now representative of the loss of culture, freedom, and self-esteem experienced by generations of Indigenous peoples impacted by the legacy of residential schools.

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A day to educate and promote awareness about the First Nations’ residential school system and the impact it had on Indigenous communities for more than a century across Canada.