The Centre welcomes the passing of Bill C-5, to establish a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
“To commemorate is to embrace the full truth of residential schools, without denying or minimizing the horrific experience of Indigenous Peoples. It was a massive human rights denial and Canada did it through law and in partnership with churches in an attempt to destroy the identity, language and spirit of Indigenous Peoples,” says Centre Executive Director Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, Aki-Kwe. “The survivors must be heard, believed and given space and time so all Canadians can know their truths. This is a welcome step but one of many Canada and Canadians needs to take.”
This day has been a long time coming. The Centre is happy to continue our third-annual Orange Shirt Day campaign at UBC this year, for the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, 2021.
Learn more about the Centre’s records and collections, browse a timeline of residential schools and more: collections.irshdc.ubc.ca.