September 30 marks Orange Shirt Day and the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Canadians are encouraged to wear orange to remember the Indigenous children who were sent to Residential Schools and never returned home as well as to honour the Survivors, their families, and their communities.
Please note that Bowen Island Municipality is closed on Thursday, September 30th. We’re encouraging our staff to observe Truth and Reconciliation Day with activities such as:
- Wear an orange shirt, or pin an orange ribbon, orange scrap of fabric or paper to their shirt.
- Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action booklet. We’ve provided a copy of the booklet to every staff member.
- Learn about the history and creation of the residential school system virtually through the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s website.
- Learn Phyllis Webstad’s story and the origin of Orange Shirt Day.
It’s a day to recognize the legacy of Residential Schools, and the painful, ongoing impact it has had on generations of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. It is a day to honour both the Survivors and the many children lost forever. Listen to their stories, learn from them and let’s all walk this path forward together.