The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30 honours survivors of residential schools, the children who never returned home and all of their families and communities.
York University will offer events and resources throughout September for its community members to learn about the history of Indian residential schools in Canada and the lasting impacts on Indigenous community members today.
This year, the York community is encouraged to reflect and learn through the theme “Recentring reconciliation: 10 years after the TRC’s final report and calls to action – what is the path forward?”
This theme asks community members to reflect on changes they have witnessed since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's (TRC) publication, whether in themselves, in York, or in Canadian society more widely and to recommit to reconciliation through concrete actions.
Community members are also asked to centre the experiences of survivors of residential schools. One way to do this is to not only wear an orange shirt on Sept. 30 and attend truth and reconciliation events, but to hear or read the stories of survivors such as Phyllis Webstad.
Community members are invited to engage in taking action by:
- wearing an orange shirt, a symbol created to bring awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of Indian residential schools and promoting the truth that “every child matters.” Orange shirts are available for purchase from the University bookstore;
- learning from the many resources, including reports, films, podcasts and more that are linked from the University’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation website;
- attending one of the events taking place on campuses the week of Sept. 22 to 26 (details below); and
- attending a commemorative event on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (details below).
During the week of Sept. 22 to 26, the University will be livestreaming in on-campus locations the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s Lunch and Learn series of webinars, where subject-matter experts will present on topics before a Q-and-A with the moderator and guests. All livestreams begin at 1 p.m. Register here.
On Monday, Sept. 22, Glendon Campus (YHA002) will feature "Surviving the Residential School System." This session will consider the reason why we say “survivor” rather than “graduate,” and how many survivors of residential schools found solace through the media of sports and the arts. Artist and residential school survivor Antoine Mountain and author Janice Forsyth will be joined in conversation with moderator Vanessa Watts.
Tuesday, Sept. 23, Keele Campus (305 York Lanes) features "Uncovering the Truth: Ground Searches." This session will look into the technicalities of what a ground search constitutes and many of the questions around why and how they should be done. The conversation will combine the lived experience of residential school survivors Francis Dickie Yuzicapi and Jacquie Bouvier with the technical expertise of moderator Bryton Bigelow.
On Wednesday, Sept. 24, Keele Campus(305 York Lanes) will feature "The Ongoing Legacy of the Residential School System through Child Welfare." This session examines the direct throughline from the residential school system to the Sixties Scoop through to the overwhelming number of Indigenous children in child welfare today, including the directly related aspect of forced and coerced sterilizations of Indigenous women. Child and Family Services worker Roxanne Balan will moderate a discussion between Residential School Survivor Vivian Ketchum and reproductive justice support worker Shelby Ponace.
Thursday, Sept. 25, Markham Campus (MK2050) features "Reflecting on the TRC’s Calls to Action 10 years later." This session will reflect on the decade which has passed since the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action were published, including how many of the calls-to-action have been fulfilled and what is still holding back progress.
Friday, Sept. 26 at the Keele Campus (305 York Lanes) features "Confronting Residential School Denialism." This session will actively confront one of the largest identified barriers to reconciliation: residential school denialism. Niigaanwewidam Sinclair and residential school survivor Eugene Arcand will dismantle the most frequent and inaccurate denialist arguments in a conversation moderated by Savage Bear.
On Sept. 30, community members are invited to attend in person or online commemorative events and can register here.
At 10 a.m. in person at the Keele Campus – and on livestream including in-person viewings at Markham and Glendon campuses – will be the University’s official commemorative event. Speakers from across the University community will reflect on this year’s theme of “Recentring reconciliation: 10 years after the TRC’s final report and calls to action – what is the path forward?” In-person participants will then be invited to Skennen’kó:wa Gamig for light refreshments and a ceremonial fire.
Please visit the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation website for more information.