SOUND OFF: Advancing reconciliation in our communities
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WHILE THE PROCESS OF RECONCILIATION is an ongoing journey, on September 30th we will engage in a national day of reflection to honour the dignity and strength of residential school survivors and intergenerational survivors. Many of us will be wearing orange shirts to show our support and our commitment to reconciliation, in recognition of the grassroots Orange Shirt Day campaign launched by Phyllis Webstad following her own painful experiences at St. Joseph’s Mission near Williams Lake.
As Phyllis and other survivors share their healing journeys, it’s important that we listen with open ears and hearts. It’s a heartbreaking exercise, but a necessary one. We must acknowledge the tremendous losses experienced by these students, their families and their communities. The loss of family members, language and culture. The horrific abuse and treatment that no person should ever have to endure.
We must also acknowledge the legacy of the residential school experience. The impacts didn’t come to a halt once the doors of these schools were finally closed for good. They have continued to be felt by generations of Indigenous peoples.
Many non-Indigenous individuals want to know what they can do to help further reconciliation efforts in their communities. We know that educating ourselves is an important step, and I encourage you to read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s reports to truly understand the impacts of residential schools both in the past and in the present. In particular, the calls to action are a way to understand how Indigenous peoples would like to see reconciliation advance. Consider writing a letter to your elected representative or a local institution to lend your support to one or more of these calls.
