National Truth and reconciliation Day

On September 30th, Saskatchewan residents stood in solidarity with communities across Canada to observe Orange Shirt Day—a national day of remembrance established by the Canadian Government to acknowledge the injustices suffered by First Nations children who were forcibly removed from their families and placed in Christian residential schools. These institutions were designed to sever Indigenous children from their languages, cultures, and spiritual traditions, leaving deep and lasting intergenerational impacts.

The holiday honours both the survivors and the children who never returned home, with the orange shirt serving as a powerful symbol of the injustices they endured.

As we reflect on the historic recognition and the ongoing journey of reconciliation, our agency reaffirms its commitment to intentional inclusivity. As treaty people, we strive to ensure our programs honour and respect the diverse communities we serve and those who support them. By fostering understanding, equity, and cultural awareness, we aim to create spaces where every child and individual receives the care and support they need to thrive at every stage of life.

We started the day with prayers and smudging led by our indigenous knowledge keepers Bob and Pat, at our drop-in space, located on Park Street, Regina. Throughout the day, our employees and individuals we serve visited several locations across the city to deepen our understanding of Indigenous culture, history, and resilience.

We are grateful to the sponsors of the event:

Saskculture https://www.saskculture.ca/about/our-role/overview

We are a non-profit, community-based, volunteer-driven, provincial cultural organization. We work with our members, volunteers and community partners to build a culturally vibrant province, where all citizens celebrate, value and participate in a rich, cultural life. Thanks to funding from Sask Lotteries, SaskCulture is able to offer programs to distribute this funding and help nurture cultural engagement in the province.

Sask Lotteries https://www.sasklotteries.ca/

For over 50 years, Sask Lotteries has been the main fundraiser for more than 12,000 sport, culture and recreation groups in communities across Saskatchewan.

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