National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Last updated on September 22, 2023National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day for all Canadians to commemorate the history and legacy of the residential school system.
It’s a day to honour the resilience, dignity and strength of survivors and intergenerational survivors and remember the children who never came home. It's a chance to engage and educate people about B.C.'s colonial history and how it has and continues to impact Indigenous communities.
Provincial legislation
On March 9, 2023, the Province of British Columbia passed legislation to make September 30 a statutory holiday.
Enshrining National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in B.C. law gives more people the chance to commemorate the history and legacy of the residential school system on September 30 each year. This was done by creating a new Act called The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Act.
Having a provincial statutory holiday means eligible B.C. workers are able to observe September 30 with a paid day off or receive payment at premium rates if required to work.
More British Columbians will be able to take part in the day such as attending local events, reading, watching and listening to Indigenous-created content, supporting an Indigenous-owned business, talking to family, friends and coworkers about reconciliation, and wearing an orange shirt.
British Columbia joins Canada, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon as jurisdictions that have designated September 30 as a statutory holiday.
History of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, a grassroots campaign founded by Phyllis Webstad. Orange Shirt Day grew out of her own experiences and the experiences of other residential school survivors who attended St. Joseph’s Mission near Williams Lake. It's a day to honour the healing journeys of residential school survivors and their families and a time to engage in meaningful discussions about the history and legacy of the residential school system. 2023 marks the tenth anniversary of Orange Shirt Day.
Orange Shirt Day has become an important opportunity to open up dialogue on anti-racism and anti-bullying. This day is meant to also encourage deeper reflection, learning and public dialogue on the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
In June 2021, the Government of Canada passed Bill C-5 to make September 30 a federal statutory day. It is observed as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This directly responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #80, which called upon the federal government, in collaboration with Indigenous 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.”
Consultations in B.C.
In 2022, the Province consulted with Indigenous partners and communities across B.C., including residential school survivors, about how best to observe September 30. These groups communicated that the creation of a new provincial statutory holiday is a way for British Columbians to participate in events on the day, publicly acknowledge the history and harms of the residential school system and commit to deepening their own understanding of how these institutions continue to impact Indigenous communities.
Government then expanded this engagement by seeking input from B.C. employers and employees. This included whether to establish September 30 as a statutory holiday, starting in 2023, so that employees have time to personally commemorate and reflect on the meaning of the day.
Based on the feedback received, this new provincial statutory holiday was created.
Resources
Many events are happening across B.C. in September to commemorate Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Please check with partners and organizations in your region for local event details.
Learning Resources educate us about topics such as reconciliation; languages, cultures and heritage of Indigenous Peoples in Canada; the residential school system; effects of colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and more.