Each year on September 30, people across Canada observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. With love, we honour the children who never returned home, Survivors of residential schools, and their families and communities. We also take time to listen, learn from their wisdom, and reflect on the responsibilities we all carry in advancing reconciliation.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action. Orange Shirt Day grew from Survivor Phyllis Webstad experience of having her new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at St. Joseph Mission Residential School. Wearing orange affirms that Every Child Matters and asks us to have the courage to acknowledge the truth about residential schools and their ongoing impacts. Staff are invited to wear orange on September 29 and 30.

These impacts continue across generations, affecting health and well-being, family and community relationships, and trust in health care and other public systems.

For NHR, this day connects directly to our Declaration to Eliminate All Forms of Indigenous-Specific Racism in Healthcare, Strategic Priority 1 and the health-related TRC Calls to Actions 18-24. It calls us to listen with honesty and humility, disrupt Indigenous-specific racism, strengthen cultural safety, support Indigenous leadership and workforce representation, and treat Indigenous patients and families with respect, compassion and dignity.