Historically, Orange Shirt Day began in 2013 to recognize the impacts of the Indian Residential School on its survivors and intergenerational effects. On her first day attending Residential school, Phyllis Webstad wore an orange shirt that was taken away from her and never given back, what is now recognized as cultural genocide.

Orange Shirt Day is now recognized by the Canadian government as the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. This national recognition was a result of the 215 children’s remains found outside the Kamloops Indian Residential School in 2021 in unmarked graves and subsequent similar unmarked graves discovered around other Residential Schools across Canada.

September 30, the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, is meant to commemorate the tragic and painful history of Indian Residential Schools and is part of the reconciliation process.

Read more on the Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s website.

TNCC’s team on National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, 2022. Top left to bottom right, Shelley Witzky, Danielle Toperczer, Allyson Blake and Kimberly Parno.