Today, Canada celebrates its second National Day of Truth and Reconciliation – a time to remember the children who died while forced to attend church-run, government-funded residential schools, those who survived and returned home, and families and communities still affected. for lasting trauma.
The day became a federal public holiday last year, following a recommendation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Ceremonies will be held across the country to reflect on the country’s history and the treatment of indigenous people. All Canadian federal government buildings, including the Peace Tower in Ottawa, will fly their flags at half-mast from sunrise to sunset.
September 30 is also Orange Shirt Day, which honors the story of Phyllis Webstad, a former residential student who was stripped of her orange shirt on her first day at a residential school. The National Center for Truth and Reconciliation is encouraging Canadians to do just that wear orange as an act of solidarity.
In Ottawa, the day began with an eagle feather ceremony on Parliament Hill in front of the Peace Tower, which included a traditional round dance that saw dozens of crowd members participate.
The Survivors’ Flag, presented in 2021 by the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation, flies during the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in Ottawa on September 30, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Anishinaabe (Algonquin) Elder Claudette Commanda spoke about how the day is a time for Canadians to listen and reflect on their history.
“It’s a day for Canadians to listen, to learn, to understand, to have in your heart and in your spirit to feel the beauty of Indigenous people, the strength and resilience of survivors, but to learn history,” he said.
“Reflect on the truth, learn from the past, walk together in peace, understanding and healing. Walk together this path called reconciliation,” he said. “Every day is September 30.”
The ceremony will be followed by a walk to nearby LeBreton Flats Park, where attendees will place children’s shoes on the ground to commemorate those who died in residential schools. A one-hour commemoration ceremony will take place in the afternoon.
A crowd attends the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sept. 30. 2022. (Stephen Hoff/CBC)
One year after spending the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation holiday in Tofino, BC, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended a sunrise ceremony in Niagara Falls, Ontario this morning. He will later deliver remarks at a Truth and Reconciliation event in the area, before traveling to Ottawa for the National Truth and Reconciliation Day ceremony.
“It is our shared responsibility to confront the legacy of residential schools and the current impacts on Indigenous peoples, so that we can truly move forward together,” Trudeau said in a press release.
LOOK | The Prime Minister speaks at the Beyond the Orange Shirt Story event in Niagara:
The Prime Minister speaks at the Beyond the Orange Shirt Story event in Niagara
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at the Beyond the Orange Shirt Story event in Ontario’s Niagara region to mark National Truth and Reconciliation Day.
Governor General Mary Simon challenged all Canadians to commit to reconciliation, not just today, but throughout the year.
“I encourage you to start the conversation at school, at work, at home: What will you do, today, tomorrow and every day, to be part of a better Canada that reflects all of us?” he said in a statement.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre attended a sunrise ceremony in Ottawa this morning.
“Today, we listen to the survivors, remember those – the children – we lost and pledge to continue walking the path of healing and reconciliation with Indigenous people,” he tweeted after the ceremony.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh also attends the ceremony on Parliament Hill.
Here’s how to follow events on all CBC platforms:
- A one-hour commemoration ceremony in Ottawa will begin at 1 p.m. ET. This special event honors residential school survivors, their families and their communities, and features a commemorative program by the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation, in partnership with APTN.
- CBC News Chief Correspondent Adrienne Arsenault will host special coverage of the events beginning at 12:30 pm ET on CBC. Joy CBCCBC News Network, CBCNews.ca and the CBC News app.
- On CBC Radio One and CBC Listen, Falen Johnson will host live coverage, beginning at 1:00 PM ET.
- CBC.ca will have regular updates and broadcast the events live.
Support is available for anyone affected by their experience in residential care or recent reports.
A National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line has been set up to support survivors and those affected. People can access crisis and emotional referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
Mental health counseling and crisis assistance are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or by chat at online at www.hopeforwellness.ca.