This year marks the third annual National Truth and Reconciliation Day recognized across Canada. Every year on September 30, the National Truth and Reconciliation Day and the Orange Shirt Day honour Indigeneity and calls for reflecting on the intergenerational trauma of residential schools. This day was made into a federal statutory holiday in 2021 to uphold the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action Number 80, to entrench a public commemoration of the history and legacy of Residential Schools as part of the reconciliation process in Canadian society.
The remembrance of Indigenous communities, survivors, and Indigenous children who never returned home to their families from residential schools is significant in raising awareness across Canadian society. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada held a Truth and Reconciliation week from September 25 to September 30 called “Lunch & Learns.” Their mission was for reconciliation to start with educational learning to teach ways to unlearn the stereotypes of Indigeneity and the myths of Canadian colonization. The TRC invited all Canadian citizens to learn and commemorate the truth of history while learning ways to participate and take action toward reconciliation. These events were established to encourage community building and the process of reconciliation. By having prominent Indigenous, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit knowledge keepers teach the importance of decolonization, the TRC presented an immersive and unique experience.
Initiatives towards the path to reconciliation were also implemented at Osgoode Hall Law School on September 28. The Osgoode Indigenous Students’ Association organized a lecture with an Anishinaabe Law expert, Elder Fred Kelly, and a Truth and Reconciliation Day fundraising event. The participation of Osgoode students in the commemoration of Truth and Reconciliation Day shows the productive and ongoing discussion on Indigeneity and ways to learn about decolonization. By encouraging involvement, Orange Shirt Day informs students about the complex realities and ongoing struggles for Indigeneity. It provides an avenue for students to engage with Indigenous knowledge and understanding, which can support the process of reconciliation.
The growing number of opportunities to get involved with Truth and Reconciliation Day represents a positive step towards starting difficult conversations on the reconciliation process. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and Osgoode Hall Law School’s events can act as foundational initiatives which must be continued to platform the voices of Indigenous peoples across Canada.