The City of Edmonton and Edmonton Police Service recognize the Government of Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30 as a paid day of leave for staff.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
On June 3, 2021, the Federal Government received Royal Assent for Bill C-5 to create an annual statutory holiday called National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30 for employees in the federal government and federally regulated workplaces.
The holiday is a direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #80:
- We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.
What is Orange Shirt Day?
Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission residential school commemoration event, held in Williams Lake, BC, in the spring of 2013, that was inspired by Phyllis (Jack) Webstad's story of having her new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the Mission. Since then, this day has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually.
September was chosen as it marks the back-to-school season and also reflects the time in which Indigenous children were taken from their families to be placed in residential schools.
Wearing Orange on September 30
There are many ways to reflect on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day and to learn about the impacts of Indian Residential Schools. However, wearing an orange shirt or other orange attire is a respectful way to honour the children, families, communities, survivors, and intergenerational survivors of Canada’s Indian Residential Schools, as well as the Indigenous children that did not survive.