Today, September 30th, is a new federal statutory holiday, called Truth and Reconciliation Day, to honour all the children and their families and communities who were, and are, affected by Canada’s racist and inhumane policies for over 120 years that the residential school system for Aboriginal children and youth was in operation.

I have seen so many signs of change over the past few years in awareness and profile of indigenous issues, greatly accelerated this year with the summer’s revelations of the discovery of mass graves on the properties of former residential schools. Indigenous affairs are far more visible on national media news sites than they ever were and CBC hosts a wonderful show of contemporary music from First Nations, Inuit and Metis musicians as well as many podcasts doing deep dives with conversations about indigenous history, culture and current affairs. People’s voices are raised and getting louder and more and more Canadian hearts and minds are opening and hearing. This is a good time to remind ourselves that we, all of us, have a lot to learn.

The Tyee has compiled a series of 10 articles by indigenous writers from past issues on a range of topics that are worth a look – Truth? Reconciliation? Find Meaning in These Indigenous Voices.

I heard an interview recently with a First Nations man who was asked what he suggested Canadians should be doing in support of this call for reconciliation. He replied by saying that a good start would be for people to actually read the report and recommendations of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada of its 6-year in-depth investigation of the residential school system and its impacts. This struck a chord with me. I’ve had the report for quite some time but never finished reading it. So, it was a good reminder to return to it now. I agree. The first step is the intention and action to face the truth head on.

There are 94 Calls to Action included in the report. Today is a result of one of them:

#80 We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal 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.

As well, truth and reconciliation is not just about opening one’s eyes to the abuses of the past. What about the racism and institutionalized subjugation of the present? A good start to learning the truth about the current realities is…

I had also heard somewhere that a visual sign of support on this day could be for people to hang an orange shirt, which has become a symbol of the children, in their front windows or yards. Now orange does not have a place in my closet so yesterday I went in search of one. In the next town I went to a few places and finally found an orange shirt, the only one left in this store. As I took it to the cashier she exclaimed, “Oh you found one!” I asked her if a lot of other people had been in looking for the same thing and she replied, “Yes, many people.” Ah.

Then there’s this kind of acknowledgment that I’m seeing more and more of. This one from The Old School House Arts Centre here in Qualicum Beach:

We’re humbled and grateful to acknowledge that we live & create on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples and that of the Qualicum First Nation.