We Wear Orange: Honouring the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation

Every year on September 30, we observe Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour survivors and ancestors who died at residential schools, as well as families and communities who continue to be affected.

What is Orange Shirt Day?

The date, September 30, was chosen because it represents the time of year when church and government would organize the removal of children from First Nations, Inuit and Métis families and communities to take them to residential schools. This was not simply a dark chapter in Canada’s history – the painful legacy of these schools continues to this day with more Indigenous children currently in foster care than there ever were in residential schools.

Excerpts from the Orange Shirt Day Organization

“Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) Residential School (1891-1981) Commemoration Project and Reunion events that took place in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in May 2013. This project was the vision of Esketemc (Alkali Lake) Chief Fred Robbins, who is a former student himself. It brought together former students and their families from the Secwepemc, Tsilhqot’in, Southern Dakelh and St’at’imc Nations along with the Cariboo Regional District, the Mayors and municipalities, School Districts and civic organizations in the Cariboo Region.

… The annual Orange Shirt Day on September 30th opens the door to global conversation on all aspects of Residential Schools. It is an opportunity to create meaningful discussion about the effects of Residential Schools and the legacy they have left behind. A discussion all Canadians can tune into and create bridges with each other for reconciliation. A day for survivors to be reaffirmed that they matter, and so do those that have been affected. Every Child Matters, even if they are an adult, from now on.”

With the recent discoveries of thousands of unmarked graves at former residential school sites across the country, meaningful recognition of this day must include more than words. In 2021, the federal government officially established the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. Establishing this long overdue national statutory holiday was one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action and having it recognized provincially is a vital component of the reconciliation process. On this day, it is important that we spend time reflecting on the ongoing impacts of anti-Indigenous racism, current issues and how, as allies, we can enact reconciliatory transformation while uplifting the brilliance and sophistication of Indigenous knowledges, governance practices.

Throughout the month of September, the Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health is organizing several events to recognize Orange Shirt Day and provide opportunities for education and action.