National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

This statement is downloadable as a PDF here

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day of remembrance and an opportunity for Canadians to acknowledge the intergenerational harm caused by the Indian Residential School system. As children are returning to school to begin a new year of learning, we wear orange to honour and remember the experiences and loss of the thousands of children who were stolen from their families and placed in residential schools, including those who were never to return home again.

There are many ways to reflect and remember. Here are a few of those ways:

• One of the best ways to reflect and remember is to educate yourself about the need for Truth and Reconciliation and the history of residential schools in Canada. Some useful and free educational resources are the University of Alberta’s stories and resources, the University of Alberta’s free online Indigenous Canada course, virtual programs hosted by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, and Uncovered: Truths about Indian Residential Schools on the Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology’s website.
• (Re)Commit Yourself to Action. Review the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and commit yourself to supporting these calls in a way that is appropriate for you. Calls to Action 71-76 are specifically related to locating the graves of missing children.
• Make a donation to Indigenous Organizations or to the IPIA in support of our continued efforts in helping communities to locate the unmarked graves of the children who never made it home from Residential Schools.
• Continue to advocate for change through amplifying Indigenous voices about key issues such as clean water, climate change, child welfare, incarceration, and ongoing anti-Indigenous racism in Canada.  
• Connect with your Indigenous friends and family, or reach out to support or volunteer with local organizations that work with Indigenous communities.

At the Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology, we are committed to taking action. Our team is supporting many Indigenous communities as they search for the unmarked graves of their relatives. We believe that truth must be told before reconciliation is possible and those responsible for the residential school system must be held accountable. Join us in this commitment to truth and reconciliation.