Truth and Reconciliation Day

Today is National Truth and Reconciliation Day. It is a day of mourning and a day to honour the survivors of residential schools, their families, and the many children who did not make it out alive.

It’s important to do the work of educating ourselves on the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and to participate in the Every Child Matters movement by wearing an Orange Shirt, but I hope you will go further this year to take concrete action in support of Truth and Reconciliation, and justice for all Indigenous peoples.

Today, we invite you to join us in to materially lift up a collective commitment to Truth and Reconciliation:

1. Join me in donating One Day’s Pay to Indigenous organizations: One Day’s pay is a national campaign to mobilize settlers and non-Indigenous people to give one day’s pay (or what you can afford) to an Indigenous-led organization. This year, our friends at Sacred Earth, an organization dedicated to advancing a just transition for Indigenous communities, are one of the selected partner organizations for the One Day’s Pay campaign. I am honoured to donate One Day’s Pay to Indigenous-led projects for justice, including the incredible work that Sacred Earth is doing to champion climate solutions.
2. Join a Truth and Reconciliation Day event close to you: In communities from coast to coast, there are events taking place to honour Indigenous peoples, grieve the victims of residential schools, and lift up the voices and calls from survivors. I invite you to find an event close to you and join your community to meaningfully observe TRC Day. Here are some local events we’ve compiled:
   • Vancouver
   • Toronto
   • Ottawa
   • Victoria
   • Montreal
   • Edmonton

This year, Truth and Reconciliation Day comes after a year of federal and provincial governments systematically undermining the rights of Indigenous peoples. This moment is a reminder that colonial violence and attacks on Indigenous peoples continue, even decades after the closure of residential schools. That’s why it’s important to actively demonstrate solidarity. I hope that you will join me.

In solidarity,
Atiya and the 350 Canada Team