National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Message from our Table Officers
September 28, 2021
On behalf of our executive board and our staff, we want to take the time today to acknowledge the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation taking place on September 30.
As part of our commitment to the spirit of truth and reconciliation, we are observing this day by closing our office. We hope our staff will use this new annual opportunity to reflect on the history of this country. When it comes to our relations with Indigenous peoples all of us, as individuals, must do our part to educate ourselves and those around us and stand up for the rights of Indigenous peoples.
Over the last several months, since this statutory holiday was announced, our union representatives have worked with all our employers encouraging them to recognize this day and to give it the same respect and acknowledgement that we do for other important occasions.
We encourage all our members, whether you remain at work on September 30 or have that day off, to learn more about why we have the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We encourage you to learn about the significance of its predecessor, Orange Shirt Day, and to take time to seek resources that will help your understanding of reconciliation.
Below are some links to resources to help guide you:
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
Spirit Bear: Honouring Memories, Planting Dreams
Historica Canada: Indigenous History
Labour and Archives Canada: First Nations
In solidarity,
David Black, President
Lori Mayhew, Secretary-Treasurer
Rysa Kronebusch, Vice-President, Utilities
Christy Slusarenko, Vice-President, Combined Units
Annette Toth, Vice-President, ICBC
Events online and in BC (list courtesy of the BC Federation of Labour)
Events:
Online (from anywhere)
How to watch and listen to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation September 30. CBC Link here.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation hosted by Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. All content is accessible on Thursday, September 30, 2021. For more information and full event details visit the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund website.
Truth and Reconciliation Talking Circle hosted by University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). (September 30, 2021, 10:00 am). This 90-minute event is open to everyone. National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s website.
Bent Arrow Presents Orange Shirt Day (September 30, 2021, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm). Facebook Live @BentArrowYEG. Link here.
Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc worldwide drumming circle (September 30, 2021, 2:15 pm). Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation is inviting people across the world to simultaneously drum for the missing children of Indian residential schools on the first ever National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. The time, 2:15 pm, was chosen to signify the 215 children found on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in May of this year. Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc is urging everyone to learn the Secwepemc Honour Song, which can be accessed on YouTube.
Lex̱éywa Art Activism: A recalling of a residential school experience. Link here.
Abbotsford
Lex̱éywa Art Activism: A recalling of a residential school experience. University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford Campus, Evered Hall – S1114 9:00 am – 8:00 pm. Contact josephine.charlie@ufv.ca for more information.
Chilliwack
Truth Marking Walk (September 30, 2021, 4:00 pm gather, 5:00 pm walk). Information package attached.
Coquitlam
Drum for the Children: Orange Shirt Day/National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, Lafarge Lake. (September 30, 2021, 2:00 pm). Link here.
Dawson Creek
Orange Shirt Day March, N.A.R. Park. (September 30, 2021, 3:00 pm). This annual march honours all those who have been affected by the Indian Residential School experience. Participants are encouraged to wear orange. More information and event details can be located on the event organizers’ Facebook page.
Kelowna
Family Orange Shirt Days, Okanagan Heritage Museum. (September 30, 2021, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm, and October 2, 2021, 10:00 am). Okanagan Heritage Museum. Link here.
Maple Ridge
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Community Vigil, Memorial Peace Park. (September 30, 2021, 7:00 pm). Link here.
Mission
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation with Phyllis Webstad (September 30, 2021,11:00 am). Poster attached.
Nanaimo
Honouring Our Children & Survivors on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30, 2021, 10:00 am). Link here.
Port Alberni
Orange Shirt Day Walk, Meet at the Harbour Key. (September 30, 2021, 11:00 am). Poster attached.
Port Moody
Honouring the Children: Orange Shirt Day, Noons Creek Hatchery. (September 30, 2021, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm) Link here.
Prince George
National Truth & Reconciliation Day at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. (September 30th, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm). Link here.
Prince Rupert
Truth and Reconciliation Walk, Prince Rupert Middle School Track and Field. (September 30, 2021, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm). Link here.
Terrace
Every Child Matters 5K Walk – Tears for the Children, Hope for the Future, Millennium Trail. (September 30, 2021, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm). Link here.
Vancouver
Orange Shirt Day Elders’ Walk with the Britannia Centre. (September 30, 2021, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm). Link here.
Xweýene:msta:m ?əkwəsqwel, seýeḿ (September 30, 2021, 12:00 pm) Šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square 850 W. Georgia Street. Link here.
Orange Shirt Day: Beans (Filmmaker Q+A) at the Rio Theatre. (September 30, 2021, 4:00 pm). Link here.
Orange Shirt Day: Don’t Say its Name (BC Premiere/ Director Q+A) at the Rio Theatre. (September 30, 2021, 7:00 pm). Link here.
Victoria
Orange Shirt Day, University of Victoria. (September 29, 2021, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm). The day is organized into three events that represent the past, present and future, starting at 9 a.m., noon and 3:30 p.m. Speakers will discuss the history of residential schools and the role of education in reconciliation and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action. Link here. The university is also hosting film screenings at Cinecenta on September 27 and 28.
National Reconciliation Day Ride, starting and ending at Centennial Square. (September 30, 2021, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm). Capital Bike and Victoria Orange Shirt Day are hosting a bike ride in recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, with stops at locations of significance to the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ people where organizers will share stories about each stop’s history. Link here.
ReconciliAction Oak Bay, at the Sno’uyutth Welcome Pole in front of Oak Bay High School, 2121 Cadboro Bay Rd. (September 30, 2021, 10:00 am 11:00 am). A group of community organizations invites residents to an event honouring residential school survivors, their families and the children who never came home. Members of the Songhees Nation will be present to share their wisdom. Link here.
Unveiling of territorial acknowledgement plaque, Hampton Park, 3401 Tillicum Road. (September 30, 2021, 11:00 am). Hampton Little League is unveiling a permanent sign in the park acknowledging the traditional territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.
Xe xe Smun’ eem-Victoria Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters Ceremony (September 30, 2021, 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm). Link here.
Open house at Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1040 Moss Street. (September 30, 2021, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm). The art gallery is welcoming visitors to view their two current exhibitions for free, which offer starting points for conversations around reconciliation. Holding Ground is an Indigenous-led exhibition that examines the history and continuation of Indigenous resistance. Link here.
ReconciliAction Oak Bay is hosting a film screening of Picking Up the Pieces: The Making of the Witness Blanket, Canadian College of Performing Arts, 1701 Elgin Road. (October 1, 2021, 7:00 pm). Link here.
Williams Lake
Williams Lake First Nations will be holding a ceremony on September 30th to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The ceremony will start at 1:00 pm at the St. Joseph’s Mission site, which will then be followed by a vehicle procession to the Arbor, at which there will be a drum circle at 2.15 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend. Link here.
Story Walk (self-guided) – Kiwanis Park, 198 4th Ave North. (September 30, 2021, all day). Link here.
