Sept. 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, a day to honour Survivors of residential schools, the children who never returned home and the families and communities forever changed by this system.
The day provides an opportunity to reflect on the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools, to deepen our understanding of their intergenerational effects and to renew our shared commitment to truth, healing and meaningful reconciliation.
For non-Indigenous members of our community, this is a day for learning, accountability and reflection: to listen to Indigenous voices, engage with the history and ongoing legacy of residential schools, and consider our individual and collective responsibilities. For Indigenous members of our community, it may be a day for rest, remembrance, reflection and care. We ask everyone at 91ÑÇÉ« to approach Sept. 30 with compassion and humility, recognizing that reconciliation is an ongoing responsibility that requires sustained commitment and action.
This year marks 11 years since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s final report and 94 Calls to Action. The Calls to Action urge governments, institutions and all Canadians to confront the legacy of residential schools and take meaningful steps toward reconciliation. This anniversary invites us to reflect honestly on the progress made, acknowledge where challenges remain and consider where we must continue to do better.
At 91ÑÇÉ«, we remain committed to advancing reconciliation, guided by the Indigenous Framework (2017), the Indigenous Framework Review (2024) and the Decolonizing, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2023-2028. These commitments remind us that reconciliation must be embedded across the University, including in teaching and learning, research, policies and practices, and in our relationships.
We recognize that, as an institution, we are still on a long journey. We are grateful to the individuals and communities who offer guidance, share knowledge and help us understand what meaningful reconciliation requires. We remain committed to building respectful, reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities and to continuing to listen, learn and act.
We invite all members of the 91ÑÇÉ« community to reflect on how reconciliation informs your studies, research, practice, teaching and service at the University. We encourage everyone to explore the resources available on 91ÑÇɫ’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation website and to participate in events that create collective space for reflection, remembrance, learning and healing.
Reconciliation is a responsibility we all share. As a community, may we approach this day with compassion, humility and care, and come together in a spirit of healing, recognizing that meaningful reconciliation begins with listening, is sustained through action and requires all of us to remain committed to the journey.
Lisa Philipps
Interim President and Vice-Chancellor