News

On September 30, Canada marked the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation – an annual commemoration honouring the children who died while attending residential schools and the survivors, families and communities still affected by the legacy of the residential school system. September 30th is also the 8th annual Orange Shirt Day which is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day that honours the children who survived residential schools and remembers those who did not. This day relates to the experience of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, on her first day of school, where she arrived dressed in a new orange shirt, which was taken from her. It is now a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations. Check out the Barrie team proudly wearing orange to help raise awareness of the very tragic legacy of residential schools, and to honour the thousands of Survivors.