September 30th marks the 5th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to confront the enduring legacy of Canada’s residential school system, honour Survivors, and commit to meaningful action. This day is about advancing reconciliation through substantive change in the TDSB.
Truth and Reconciliation Week takes place September 22-26. Schools and departments will participate in programming by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and create spaces for dialogue, reflection, and commitments to action.
Orange Shirt Day, founded in 2013 by Phyllis Webstad, is observed on September 30th. Orange Shirt Day honours First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Survivors of residential schools, remembers the children who never returned home, and acknowledges the intergenerational trauma carried by families and communities. Wearing orange is a visible act of remembrance, solidarity, a tribute to Survivors, and a way to honour the more than 4,200 children identified in unmarked graves and the 150,000 children who attended residential schools across Canada.
The TDSB will mark Orange Shirt Day on Tuesday, September 30th. Staff and students are invited to engage resources from the TDSB’s Urban Indigenous Education Centre (UIEC), which support meaningful learning, dialogue, and collective action. A poster is also available for distribution.
- Director of Education Clayton La Touche: “We remember the children whose lives were taken, honour Survivors, and acknowledge the lasting effects of residential schools. At the TDSB, reconciliation must live in our classrooms, decisions, and relationships. Together, we must build a future where Indigenous voices, knowledges, and rights are respected and uplifted.”
