Truth & Reconciliation Week - Parent Support Services Society of BC

PSS honours Truth & Reconciliation Week and National Day for Truth & Reconciliation (also Orange Shirt Every Child Matters Day) on Sept 30th. We will be closed on the day itself in recognition.

This is a time for reflection, listening and learning from Indigenous peoples.

We encourage everyone to take part this week by wearing orange, as well as participating in Drum For The Children (visit tkemlups.ca/drum for more info), and listening to Phyllis’ Webstad’s speech “Beyond Orange Shirt Day,” and the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation Broadcast.

For more info, visit http://nctr.ca or http://orangeshirtday.org

See below for more ways to be involved, participate, and learn:

Events:
Online (from anywhere)

How to watch and listen to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation September 30.

https://www.cbc.ca/arts/how-to-watch-and-listen-to-national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation-on-cbc-1.6186017

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation hosted by Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. All content is accessible on Thursday, September 30, 2021.  For more information and full event details visit the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund website.

https://downiewenjack.ca/national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation/

Truth and Reconciliation Talking Circle hosted by University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). (September 30, 2021, 10:00 am). This 90-minute event is open to everyone. National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s website:

https://nctr.ca/education/trw/

Bent Arrow Presents Orange Shirt Day (September 30, 2021, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm). Facebook Live @BentArrowYEG.

https://www.facebook.com/events/863968157590812

Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc worldwide drumming circle (September 30, 2021, 2:15 pm). Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation is inviting people across the world to simultaneously drum for the missing children of Indian residential schools on the first ever National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. The time, 2:15 pm, was chosen to signify the 215 children found on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in May of this year. Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc is urging everyone to learn the Secwepemc Honour Song, which can be accessed on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5jl1G62Jto&ab_channel=ChrisFoulds

Lex̱éywa Art Activism: A recalling of a residential school experience.

https://indigenous.abbyschools.ca/node/38760

Abbotsford
Lex̱éywa Art Activism: A recalling of a residential school experience. University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford Campus, Evered Hall – S1114 9:00 am – 8:00 pm. Contact josephine.charlie@ufv.ca for more information.

Chilliwack
Truth Marking Walk (September 30, 2021, 4:00 pm gather, 5:00 pm walk).

Coquitlam
Drum for the Children: Orange Shirt Day/National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, Lafarge Lake. (September 30, 2021, 2:00 pm)

https://www.facebook.com/events/1532881013725069

Dawson Creek
Orange Shirt Day March, N.A.R. Park. (September 30, 2021, 3:00 pm). This annual march honours all those who have been affected by the Indian Residential School experience. Participants are encouraged to wear orange. More information and event details can be located on the event organizers’ Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/events/3088497638062018/

Kelowna
Family Orange Shirt Days, Okanagan Heritage Museum. (September 30, 2021, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm, and October 2, 2021, 10:00 am). Okanagan Heritage Museum.

https://www.facebook.com/events/591460965220178

Maple Ridge
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Community Vigil, Memorial Peace Park. (September 30, 2021, 7:00 pm).

https://www.orangeshirtday.org/british-columbia.html

Mission
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation with Phyllis Webstad (September 30, 2021,11:00 am).

https://bcfed.ca/sites/default/files/attachments/TruthandReconciliationDay.jpg

Nanaimo
Honouring Our Children & Survivors on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30, 2021, 10:00 am).

https://www.facebook.com/events/382749036690048/

Port Alberni
Orange Shirt Day Walk, Meet at the Harbour Key. (September 30, 2021, 11:00 am).

https://bcfed.ca/sites/default/files/attachments/PortAlberniSept30.pdf

Port Moody
Honouring the Children: Orange Shirt Day, Noons Creek Hatchery. (September 30, 2021, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm).

https://www.facebook.com/events/4246135565434345

Prince George
National Truth & Reconciliation Day at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. (September 30th, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm).

Prince Rupert
Truth and Reconciliation Walk, Prince Rupert Middle School Track and Field. (September 30, 2021, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm).

https://www.orangeshirtday.org/british-columbia.html

Terrace
Every Child Matters 5K Walk – Tears for the Children, Hope for the Future, Millennium Trail. (September 30, 2021, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm).

https://www.cfnrfm.ca/events/295405

Vancouver
Orange Shirt Day Elders’ Walk with the Britannia Centre. (September 30, 2021, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm).

https://www.facebook.com/events/1478606885852328/

Xweýene:msta:m ?əkwəsqwel, seýeḿ (September 30, 2021, 12:00 pm) Šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square 850 W. Georgia Street.

https://www.facebook.com/events/4412795445449579

Orange Shirt Day: Beans (Filmmaker Q+A) at the Rio Theatre. (September 30, 2021, 4:00 pm).

https://www.facebook.com/events/2984340755114108/

Orange Shirt Day: Don’t Say its Name (BC Premiere/ Director Q+A) at the Rio Theatre. (September 30, 2021, 7:00 pm).

https://www.facebook.com/events/532913027806502/

Victoria
Orange Shirt Day, University of Victoria. (September 29, 2021, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm). The day is organized into three events that represent the past, present and future, starting at 9 a.m., noon and 3:30 p.m. Speakers will discuss the history of residential schools and the role of education in reconciliation and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action.

https://www.uvic.ca/event/orange-shirt-day/

The university is also hosting film screenings at Cinecenta on September 27 and 28.

National Reconciliation Day Ride, starting and ending at Centennial Square. (September 30, 2021, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm). Capital Bike and Victoria Orange Shirt Day are hosting a bike ride in recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, with stops at locations of significance to the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ people where organizers will share stories about each stop’s history.

https://gobybikebc.ca/greater-victoria/2021/09/21/announcing-reconciliation-day-ride

ReconciliAction Oak Bay, at the Sno’uyutth Welcome Pole in front of Oak Bay High School, 2121 Cadboro Bay Rd. (September 30, 2021, 10:00 am 11:00 am). A group of community organizations invites residents to an event honouring residential school survivors, their families and the children who never came home. Members of the Songhees Nation will be present to share their wisdom.

https://www.stmarysoakbay.ca/events/honouring-children-and-survivors/2021-09-30

Unveiling of territorial acknowledgement plaque, Hampton Park, 3401 Tillicum Road. (September 30, 2021, 11:00 am). Hampton Little League is unveiling a permanent sign in the park acknowledging the traditional territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.

Xe xe Smun’ eem-Victoria Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters Ceremony (September 30, 2021, 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm).

https://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/residents/events/events-list/community-events/xe-xe-smun-eem-victoria-orange-shirt-day-every-child-matters-ceremony-1.html

Open house at Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1040 Moss Street. (September 30, 2021, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm). The art gallery is welcoming visitors to view their two current exhibitions for free, which offer starting points for conversations around reconciliation. Holding Ground is an Indigenous-led exhibition that examines the history and continuation of Indigenous resistance.

https://aggv.ca/national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation/

ReconciliAction Oak Bay is hosting a film screening of Picking Up the Pieces: The Making of the Witness Blanket, Canadian College of Performing Arts, 1701 Elgin Road. (October 1, 2021, 7:00 pm).

https://www.stmarysoakbay.ca/news/announcing-reconciliaction-oak-bay

Williams Lake
Williams Lake First Nations will be holding a ceremony on September 30th to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The ceremony will start at 1:00 pm at the St. Joseph’s Mission site, which will then be followed by a vehicle procession to the Arbor, at which there will be a drum circle at 2.15 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.

https://www.facebook.com/williamslakefirstnation/

Story Walk (self-guided) – Kiwanis Park, 198 4th Ave North. (September 30, 2021, all day).

https://www.orangeshirtday.org/british-columbia.html

Actions:

Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Reports and Calls to Action. https://nctr.ca/records/reports/#trc-reports
Familiarize yourself with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/11/UNDRIP_E_web.pdf
Sign on to the Change.Org petition created by BCTF members Rick Joe and Peggy Janicki. https://www.change.org/p/canadian-government-long-term-meaningful-support-for-ground-penetrating-radar
Find out what First Nations Territory you reside on and make a point of Acknowledging it. https://native-land.ca/resources/territory-acknowledgement/
Understand the symbolism of the orange shirt. https://www.orangeshirtday.org/
Read Indigenous authors and watch Indigenous movies, buy Indigenous-made gifts, listen to podcasts and follow Indigenous news sources. https://freshplantpowered.com/community/resources-by-indigenous-creators-to-celebrate-educate-advocate/
Create a Back Pocket Reconciliation Plan. https://reconciliationcanada.ca/back-pocket-plan/