Storytelling, solidarity and orange shirts marks Sept. 30 event

Posted on Friday, September 29th, 2023

Sept. 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The day honours the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and the ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

On Friday, the College came together —along with children from the Ottawa Campus Early Learning Centre — to commemorate the dark legacy of residential schools. Almost all who attended were wearing brightly coloured orange shirts.

“Today is a time to mourn, to reflect and most importantly to learn and recommit to answering the Calls to Action from the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada report,” said Algonquin College President and CEO Claude Brulé. “Our commitment to paying our respects and learning the stories of the past along with the ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.”

“The residential school system was a blight on our country’s history,” said Laura Stanbra, Vice President of Student Services. “We grieve for those who were mistreated and lost their lives in what was supposed to be a place of safety and learning. We gather today in somber recognition of this, and as part of our continuing journey toward reconciliation.”

Sitting in a circle, attendees listened to Indigenous Knowledge Keeper Michael Desautels share his personal story of being a child of the Sixties Scoop. For young guests in the audience, he related the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf and relayed it back to the Seven Grandfather Teachings.

Outside Nawapon, a fire smoked in Ishkodewan as the Remember the Children commemorative sculpture was bathed in orange light.

Please visit this link to learn more about Truth and Reconciliation Week 2023.

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