"Every Child Matters" Truth & Reconciliation Orange Shirt by Jason LaClair (Lummi/Nooksack)
What is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation?
Written By Shreya Shah
September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day. It is a day to honour the Indigenous children that were taken away through the Residential “School” System, and their families and communities. It is a day to raise awareness of the horrific experiences many Indigenous people had in Residential “Schools,” as well as the legacy of this system. It is a moment to recognize not only historic harms but also the intergenerational impacts and ongoing violence Indigenous communities continue to face.
Call to Action #80
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation became a federal holiday in 2021 in order to enact Call to Action #80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. The Call to Action states
“We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”
While having a federal holiday on September 30th is an important first step, ensuring all Canadians actually meaningfully engage with Indigenous communities and in solidarity is key and critical to achieving Call to Action #80, and much more is needed all year round in order to work towards reconciliation.