SUNDRE – The Town of Sundre's mayor offered a few words in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation during the regular meeting of Monday, Sept. 30.
“We acknowledge that we work, live and play on the traditional territories of the Indigenous peoples of Treaty 6, 7 and Métis Region 8,” said Richard Warnock.
“This day honours the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools as well as their families and their communities,” said Warnock.
“We recognize today that the commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process, and that reconciliation raises awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools and promotes the concept of ‘Every Child Matters,’ ” he concluded, prior to proceeding to continue with the agenda’s business.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was first introduced by the federal government in 2021, and takes place in tandem with Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led initiative that was intended to increase awareness about the detrimental inter-generational impacts of residential schools.
The orange shirt symbolizes the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children throughout the span of many generations. The initiative was inspired by the lived trauma experienced by Phyllis Webstad of Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, who in 1973-74 was six years old when her orange-coloured shirt bought by her grandmother was forcibly taken away when she attended a residential school that also stripped her of her language as well as culture and childhood.
The Yukon, the N.W.T., Manitoba, P.E.I and B.C. are the only jurisdictions in Canada that officially recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a paid, statutory day so people have the opportunity if they so chose to take the time either to reflect or attend local ceremonies and events in their communities.
In Alberta, which alongside Saskatchewan, Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as Nunavut does not officially recognize Sept. 30 as a statutory day, Indigenous Relations minister Rick Wilson was quoted in a press statement as saying, “I encourage everyone to respectfully observe the day at local events across the province. These events are an important step in our journey towards reconciliation and are meant to raise awareness about the history and legacy of residential schools.”
The minister’s statement concluded by stating, “It is my hope the conversations and learning continue well beyond today, so we can build a better future for generations to come.”
