National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2025
Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. On this day, we choose to wear orange, to honour the loss that many Indigenous people experienced, and take action to uplift and support the Indigenous communities around us.
As a team that is dedicated to improving health equity by centering the needs of youth facing systemic barriers, including Indigenous youth — our team wanted to share their personal reflections, and express intentions and ongoing dedication to reconciliation.
Meet our team below as they share their personal reflections, and express intentions and ongoing dedication to reconciliation.
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I will take the day to watch documentaries that showcase the survivors of residential school in ways they want to be represented. Even though it’s an emotional day and difficult to hear the atrocities that occurred, I think it’s important to be uncomfortable and to listen to the stories, specifically recorded and not live/ re-telling of experiences. I will reflect on and honour my family members who attended the Mohawk Institute and Mount Elgin. I will also share the truths of this recent history with my children, and reflect on how I can align my personal, professional, and familial commitments with ReconciliACTION.
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My commitment to reconciliation is reflected in my ongoing efforts to learn more from Indigenous communities, their lived experiences, and contribute to meaningful changes.
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As an Anishinaabe Kwe, I firmly believe that reconciliation is closely linked to education. It is my role to inspire and support those around me to educate themselves on Indigenous peoples, cultures, languages, histories, resiliency, and beauty.
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For National Day for Truth and Reconciliation this year, I will be joining a community event in my neighbourhood that is hosted in partnership by several Indigenous-led organizations. The event begins with an Honour Walk to honour Survivors and to remember those we have lost. My commitment to reconciliation extends beyond today through supporting Indigenous businesses, attending cultural events, reading Indigenous authors, and many other ways that uplift and honour Indigenous people in both my personal and professional life.
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I think it’s important to recognize the already existing and often rising anti-Indigenous peoples sentiments happening in private and public spaces not only globally but right here in Canada. It makes it even more important that we fulfill our responsibility to uphold Indigenous voices and do what we can in working towards the TRC’s call to actions and beyond. I will be spending my Truth and Reconciliation day in Indigenous-led community to listen, reflect and plan concrete ways I can support the cause of Indigenous peoples across Canada.
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On this year’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, I will be volunteering at the command outpost for the search for Samuel Bird. Samuel, a 14 year old young person from Paul Band/Paul First Nation in Alberta, lives in Edmonton and has been missing since June 1, 2015. It is important to me that I practice reconciliation in my personal life, beyond simply learning about Canada’s history of genocide and supporting in the search for a young community member who lived not far from me is one way I will do this.
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I have been intentionally learning from Indigenous voices through books, podcasts, and cultural events, while remaining mindful to welcome and incorporate Indigenous perspectives and practices into my work with youth, supporting their leadership in systemic change as part of my ongoing commitment to reconciliation and the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.
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Today, I remember the children who did not come home. But my orange shirt is not just for today. It is a symbol of my ongoing promise to support truth and reconciliation and work towards justice for Indigenous peoples.
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To me, orange shirt day is an opportunity to remember those who were lost and reflect on the ongoing impact of residential schools on children, families and to do so in connection with my community. It’s an important yearly reminder, to check in with myself about how I have shown up to my own commitments to continuous learning and action towards reconciliation in my everyday life, with my daughter, in my community and in my work.
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On September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, I think it is important for everyone to pause and reflect on the harms caused by colonialism and cultural arrogance, and on our individual opportunities to live, work and play in ways that demonstrate reconciliation. As the descendent of settlers who arrived in Canada beginning in the 1600s, I reflect on how my ancestors were likely part of cultural and physical efforts at genocide while at the same time benefitting from the expertise, wisdom and generosity of First Nations who lived in the areas my ancestors settled (south western Quebec and eastern Ontario, as they are currently known). On this day, but more importantly every day, I try to exemplify my commitment to continuously learning, to partnering with First Nations, Inuit and Métis to build new mainstream youth services that do not continue to cause harm and that amplify the strengths of Indigenous ways of knowing and expertise. I commit to addressing resource and power inequities and allying with First Nations, Inuit and Métis when invited to do so, and when invited, contribute to efforts to support youth throughout Nations and communities by honouring the healing traditions of Elders and offering my support.
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As someone with deep French Canadian settler roots, I acknowledge that the years of prosperity and privilege that generations of my family enjoyed and still enjoy are connected to the displacement of the Indigenous people of Turtle Island. On this day for Truth and Reconciliation, I reflect on the wisdom, strength, vitality and connection of Indigenous Peoples to land and water, and am grateful and humbled by their commitment to steward the environment that we live in, while practicing their traditions and speaking their language. My commitment is to continue on my journey to learning and unlearn by listening to Indigenous voices, seeking out their perspectives and stories while challenging the people or “systems” and their narratives or policies that continue to marginalize them.
