It is Truth and Reconciliation Week in Canada. This week offers the opportunity for us to reflect on the dark and difficult parts of our shared history with Indigenous people. This Thursday, September 30 is Orange Shirt Day in recognition of a movement that originated with Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor – and it is also the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
As we observe this day, Senator Murray Sinclair, Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, challenges all Canadians to “read the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Report and pick one that you can work on, that you understand and make it happen. This is not a spectator sport. We need you, to bring reconciliation to a reality in this country.”
We encourage everyone to participate in recognizing the legacy and ongoing effects of colonization and residential schools through a meaningful way whether it be through quiet reflection, participating in in-person or online events, or engaging in conversation.
Here are some resources to support our reflection:
- Download the mobile app – Reconciliation: A Starting Point
- Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 calls to action
- Read the 231 calls to action in the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
- Read reports related to residential schools, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Aboriginal Healing Reports and more
- The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has developed a Residential School timeline.
- The CBC has created an interactive map that allows you to see how close you live or work to a former Residential School site.
Alex McLean
President, Fort Henry Guard Club of Canada