“As we mark National Truth and Reconciliation Day, we honour the resilience and strength of Indigenous peoples while recognizing the deep scars left by colonialism. It is our collective responsibility to listen, learn, and take meaningful action toward healing and justice. Reconciliation is not just a reflection on the past but a commitment to a better future for all.” — Wilbur Turner, President of Advocacy Canada
As a settler on the unceded, traditional, and ancestral territory of the syilx/Okanagan people, I was challenged to write this blog. Will I do it correctly? Will I elevate the voices of over 150,000 Indigenous children taken from their homes and sent to residential schools? Can I convey the profound importance of September 30th, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation? As a non-Indigenous person, I recognize that I do not have the authority to speak on Indigenous issues or identities; it is not my story to tell. However, in the words of Phyllis Webstad (née Jack), “This is my challenge to everyone [reading this book]: please share what you’ve learned with anyone who still doesn’t know.” (Beyond the Orange Shirt Story, p. 24, para. 3)
Phyllis Webstad was six years old when she wore her vibrant orange shirt for her first day of “school.” Filled with excitement and trepidation, she faced the harsh reality of Canadian residential schools. She proudly wore the new orange shirt, a gift her grandmother bought her. Upon arrival, her prized orange shirt was taken from her and her residential school experience began with tears and fear. The horrors inflicted on innocent children in these schools are incomprehensible to many but remain a harsh reality for generations of Indigenous children across Turtle Island. The intergenerational trauma experienced by Indigenous families continues to ripple throughout the world.
Indigenous women like Phyllis Webstad have inspired action in our society. Advocacy Canada is rooted in this type of activism. This September 30th, our Board of Directors will take time to learn how we can genuinely show allyship to all members of Indigenous communities across Turtle Island, and how we can elevate Indigenous voices through learning, recognition, and advocacy.
If you haven’t begun your journey of reconciliation, now is the time to expand your knowledge and better understand the Indigenous experience in Canada, including what it means to be Two-Spirit (2S), while recognizing that Two-Spirit identities vary among different Indigenous groups.
There are numerous resources available to help you start this journey:
- Orange Shirt Society: “Growing awareness of the individual, family, and community intergenerational impacts of residential schools. At OSS, we believe you can support reconciliation every day, in your own way.”
- The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: The archives and reports on this website include the 94 Calls to Action.
- Witness Blanket: “Inspired by a woven blanket, the Witness Blanket is a large-scale work of art. It contains hundreds of items reclaimed from residential schools, churches, government buildings, and traditional and cultural structures from across Canada.”
- A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder: A compelling and ultimately uplifting story of resilience and self-discovery. As a proud member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, Chacaby led the first gay pride parade in Thunder Bay, ON, in 2013.
- What It Really Means to Identify as Two-Spirit in Indigenous Culture: A website that clarifies the identity of Two-Spirit individuals and the 2S in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
- Indigenous Canada Course: A free 12-lesson Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) from the Faculty of Native Studies that explores the diverse histories and contemporary perspectives of Indigenous peoples living in Canada.
We at Advocacy Canada, believe that Every Child Matters and are proud of the collaborative You Belong Project, kʷu yʕayʕát kʷuʔ čn̓k̓ʷɬn̓xiʔm that continues to create spaces where “We all join in together” and “We are all a part of it together”. On September 30th, we encourage you to wear your orange shirt and take some time to learn how we can all do our part towards truth and reconciliation.
