September 30th marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
On this day we honour the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. Widespread public commemoration and acknowledgement of the tragic and painful history, continued impact, and intergenerational trauma of Canada's residential school legacy is a vital component of the reconciliation process. The University of Waterloo and the Office of Indigenous Relations continue to amplify that truth as we build towards reconciliation. We will also highlight the beauty and resilience of indigeneity, and the strengthening of bonds with allies as we navigate this complex and meaningful day.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at Waterloo 2024
In September of 2022, the University of Waterloo proudly committed to reconciliation, indigenization and decolonization across the entirety of our institution.
We invite and encourage you all to attend National Day for Truth and Reconciliation events at Waterloo on Monday, September 30. All of the ceremonies will start and end at the B.C. Matthews Hall (BMH) Green. The entire University community is welcome to attend and observe all of the ceremonies throughout the day as their schedule allows.
Program for Monday September 30 *all times approximate
- 7:00 AM | Sunrise Ceremony
- 9:30 AM | Indigenous Gathering Space Opening and Commitment Polishing Ceremony
- 11:00 AM | National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Remarks and Walk around Ring Road
- 12:30 PM | Soup and Bannock Lunch, Drumming and Dance
We kindly ask that you register for this event to ensure we have enough food for all attendees.
Why we wear orange
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was formerly known as Orange Shirt Day, and it is still important that we wear orange on this day to show support. Orange was chosen in honour of Phyllis Webstad, a survivor of the St. Joseph Mission Residential School. On her first day, her new orange shirt given to her by her granny was stripped and stolen. We wear orange for all the children who had everything taken including their language, their culture, and for too many- their lives.
Be sure to purchase an orange shirt if you haven’t already from the W Store. A portion of the proceeds from the sale go to the Indigenous Student Development Fund on campus. This fund was established to provide financial assistance to those Indigenous students who are most at risk of abandoning their education due to financial hardship.
Status update on the 94 Calls to Action
In December 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released the 94 Calls to Action (PDF). The statistics below have been provided by the Calls to Action Accountability: A 2023 Status Update on Reconciliation (PDF) report authored by Eva Jewell and Ian Mosby.