By: Simon Busse, FSWC Educator

Each year, on September 30, Canadians pause to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation; a day that acknowledges the painful legacy of residential schools and honours the resilience of Indigenous survivors, families and communities. But remembrance alone is not enough. This day calls on every Canadian to listen, learn and act.

From the late 1800s until 1996, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were taken from their homes and forced into government-funded, church-run residential schools. These institutions were designed not to educate, but to erase language, culture and identity. Many children never returned home.

For many decades, none of this was openly discussed. All the more reason, it’s important that all Canadians recognize the human rights abuses of our collective past. We’re proud as an organization to be an ally to our Indigenous communities, and through our educational programming we address this part of our history.

This day emerged from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, announced in 2025, urging Canadians to confront uncomfortable truths and build respectful relationships rooted in justice.

In the Classroom:

Educators have a vital role in helping shape a more informed and compassionate future. One meaningful classroom activity is reading and reflecting on “Every Child Matters,” a theme symbolized by the orange shirt. Students can explore Phyllis Webstad’s story, the origin of Orange Shirt Day, and write personal reflections or create artwork responding to the question: What does reconciliation mean to me?

Education is one of the strongest tools we have. When students engage with the real histories of this land, they carry forward a deeper understanding of justice, empathy and the importance of never looking away.

Truth must come before reconciliation. And reconciliation begins with us.

More Information:

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html

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