National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - September 30

blog posts

Sep 10

Resources for National Truth and Reconciliation Day

This page is meant to be a resource for educators, students, parents, and all those who want to learn more about Orange Shirt Day and Residential Schools in Canada.

Orange Shirt Day began in 2013 as a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission Residential School in Williams Lake, BC. The name is an homage to Phyllis (Jack) Webstad’s story about the orange shirt that was taken from her when she started Residential School. It is meant to be a day to remember the brutal legacy of Residential Schools including all the children who never returned home, a day to have meaningful conversations about the effects of Residential Schools, and a day for survivors, and all those affected, to be reaffirmed that they matter. Every Child Matters, even if they are an adult, from now on.

The Orange Shirt Society states that the date - September 30th - “was chosen because it is the time of year in which children were taken from their homes to residential schools, and because it is an opportunity to set the stage for anti-racism and anti-bullying policies for the coming school year. It is an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.”

On July 20, 2021, the Government of Canada declared September 30 the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation; a federal statutory holiday. The declaration of this holiday is in response to Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action No. 80, calling for the creation of a statutory holiday “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.”

From the Autonomous Sinixt:

Marilyn James, Smum iem Sinixt matriarch, suggests that the best way to spend this day is to examine your territory acknowledgment. Rossland is within Sinixt tmxʷúlaʔxʷ (homeland) - get to know the Sinixt! This is the first step in the Truth and Reconciliation process: truth. Find out the truth about whose land you are on. This is not an easy process - it takes work and relationship building. It may not be easy, but it’s very important to do!

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action #45 speaks to the heart of why a thoughtful, well-developed territory acknowledgment matters:

“45. We call upon the Government of Canada, on behalf of all Canadians, to jointly develop with Aboriginal peoples a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation to be issued by the Crown. The proclamation would build on the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and the Treaty of Niagara of 1764, and reaffirm the nation-to-nation relationship between Aboriginal peoples and the Crown. The proclamation would include, but not be limited to, the following commitments:

i. Repudiate concepts used to justify European sovereignty over Indigenous lands and peoples such as the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius.

ii. Adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the framework for reconciliation.

iii. Renew or establish Treaty relationships based on principles of mutual recognition, mutual respect, and shared responsibility for maintaining those relationships into the future.

v. Reconcile Aboriginal and Crown constitutional and legal orders to ensure that Aboriginal peoples are full partners in Confederation, including the recognition and integration of Indigenous laws and legal traditions in negotiation and implementation processes involving Treaties, land claims, and other constructive agreements.”

Learn more about how to start developing a land acknowledgement through the Blood of Life Collective website.

Click the buttons below to access more information on the Sinxit.

Learn more about the Sinixt

Museum resources about the sinixt

Blood of life collective website

At the Rossland Museum:

The Museum is working on getting official 2022 Orange Shirt Day T-Shirts available for purchase - please keep an eye on this page and our social media.

On September 30th, the Museum will be open by donation. All contributions from this day will be donated to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.

Learn more about Orange shirt day

Donate to the Orange Shirt Society

Rossland Public Library Booklist - Adult

Resources for teachers/educators

Rossland Public Library booklist - junior

Other useful resources:

Online live events:

Truth and Reconciliation Week - National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation

September 27-October 1: TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION WEEK is a 5-day national event that will continue the conversations from Every Child Matters. Important conversations including the truths of the Indigenous treaties, First Nation, Métis and Inuit land claims, and the residential schools system. This online event will provide historical workshops, exclusive video content, and activities for students — all supported by artistic and cultural performances by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists. Registration required!

Remember Me: A National Day of Remembrance - Livestream from Parliament Hill, Ottawa

An national gathering to remember Indigenous children & families affected by the Indian Residential Schools and all Indigenous child apprehension programs.