This September 30th is recognized as the annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, colloquially known as Orange Shirt Day.
The day is meant to honour the residential school survivors, the kids who never made it home, and their families and communities. A crucial step in the healing and reconciliation process is public remembrance of the tragic and painful past and the ongoing effects of residential schools.
On this day, we remember and honour these people, acknowledge the profound harm inflicted on them, and reaffirm our commitment to truth and reconciliation. It is an opportunity to reflect on our nation’s history and the distance we still must go to build a just and equitable society, one based on respect and understanding.
The Canadian parliament passed Bill C-5 on June 3rd, 2021, which officially established September 30th as a statutory holiday for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day encourages Canadians to confront the country’s troubling past rather than running from it. It’s a day to study significant historical occurrences that make up the identity of Canada.
Children were abused in these impoverished schools, having long-lasting effects. All Canadians should take this day as an opportunity to learn about the history of Canada’s Indigenous people. We cannot advance as a nation until every Canadian is aware of the crimes committed against the lands Indigenous peoples.
At Driven, National Day for Truth & Reconciliation is very important to us. To honour this day, we were joined this week by guest speakers John Andras and Deborah Baker from Honouring Indigenous Peoples (HIP) for a discussion on how we got to where we are now in our relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, as well as discussing the future of how individuals and organizations can help build relationships, trust, and work together toward reconciliation.
We encourage all Canadians to take the time to educate themselves about the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, and the history behind the residential schools. It is through these conversations that we can begin to heal the wounds from the past and build a brighter future for all Canadians.
Thank you for taking the time to learn with us. We hope that you will join us in commemorating this important day.
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