Starting September 29th, 2024
Also called Orange Shirt Day, September 30th commemorates the memory of First Nation and Inuit children that were sent to residential schools who never got back home as well as the survivors and their families.
The day of September 30th is an answer to the 80th of 94 calls to action aimed at the Federal and Provincial governments as stated in the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. This commission, which was active between 2008 and 2015, allowed the sharing of the story and experience of persons who were touched by the Residential School System. The call for action number 80 called for September 30th to become a National Holiday for commemoration all across the Country. For now, only British-Columbia, Prince-Edward-Island, the North West Territories, Nunavut and Yukon recognize the day as such in their jurisdiction.
Call to action 80/94:
We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 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.
For more information:
National Center for Truth and Reconciliation
Orange Shirt Day (en anglais seulement)
Awacak (Français seulement)