Earlier this summer, the federal government, in response to Call to Action #80 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, passed legislation to mark September 30 as a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On August 3, the BC Government followed suit. Until the creation of this Federal holiday, September 30 had previously been known as Orange Shirt Day; a day to acknowledge the tragic history of loss, and pain caused by Canada’s residential school system as well as its lasting impacts in the present time. This day honours Indigenous residential school survivors, their families, and communities as a vital part of the process of reconciliation.

In advance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, we encourage you to give yourselves the space and time to recognize and commemorate the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools, and to honour the survivors, their families and communities.

The VUL will be exploring meaningful—and informed—ways in which we can respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. In the meantime, we know that one step in the right direction is to help our members reflect on what Truth and Reconciliation work can be done from within.

A few resources to help the non-indigenous members of the league understand and advance reconciliation include:

• The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation 
• Indigenous Canada (University of Alberta) [Online course]
• It’s Our Time: The AFN Education Toolkit
• Native-land.ca 
• Warrior Life [Podcast]
• Beyond 94: Truth and Reconciliation in Canada (CBC)
• First Contact (APTN) [TV series]

Resources from local libraries that might help us:

• https://www.vpl.ca/truth-reconciliation 
• https://nvdpl.ca/article/honouring-national-day-truth-and-reconciliation 

Learn

• Getting Started: Truth & Reconciliation
  September 30 at 2:00pm
  Start your own self-directed learning plan. Join us at this virtual session to learn about the atrocities and realities of the residential school system and their enduring legacy, and how to get started with your personal reconciliation journey. Register online.

Read 

• Truth and Reconciliation Reports, including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action
• NVDPL Recommendations for Adults
  • We Are Story: Indigenous Literature
  • Reconciliation Reads to Understand Residential Schools
• NVDPL Recommendations for Teens:
  • Indigenous Representation in Teen Books
• NVDPL Recommendations for Kids:
  • Big Topics: Residential School
  • Bilingual Reads in Indigenous Languages
  • Indigenous Canada

Watch 

• From Anishinaabe to Zulu: In Film
• NVDPL Reading Recommendations for Indigenous History Month

The Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24/7 for survivors and their families: 1.866.925.4419.