Sept 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Recognizing the Past, Advancing Reconciliation
Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, observed annually on September 30, is a federal statutory holiday dedicated to acknowledging the intergenerational trauma caused by residential schools and honoring the children who never returned home. It also pays tribute to the Survivors, families, and communities who continue to endure and resist the legacies of colonial violence.
This day aligns with Orange Shirt Day, a grassroots movement started in 2013 by Phyllis Webstad, a Survivor from the Northern Secwepemc Nation. Her story of having her new orange shirt taken from her on her first day at residential school became a national symbol for the message: Every Child Matters.
Why This Day Matters
September 30 marks not only a day of remembrance but a national invitation to confront difficult truths and work toward collective healing. The month of September, when children were historically taken from their homes to attend residential schools, is a solemn time that calls for public reflection and meaningful action.
Residential schools operated across Canada for over 160 years, forcibly removing more than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children from their families. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), active from 2008 to 2015, exposed the profound abuses these children experienced, including emotional, physical, and sexual violence, and documented the long-term impacts on communities and culture.
Honouring the TRC
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) issued 94 Calls to Action, providing a comprehensive roadmap for national reconciliation by addressing systemic issues across justice, education, health, and child welfare. Among the steps taken were the establishment of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Call to Action #80), the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) Act, funding for community-led cultural and memorial initiatives, the creation of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) to safeguard Survivor testimonies and historical documentation, and the implementation of Indigenous education programming in certain provinces.
However, progress has been slow. Fewer than half of the Calls to Action have been meaningfully implemented. There remains an absence of a unified, nationwide curriculum on Indigenous history and experiences, and the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system persists. In many First Nations communities, boil water advisories and healthcare inequities continue to reflect structural discrimination and neglect.
To truly honour the TRC’s vision, Canada must accelerate the implementation of key Calls to Action, particularly #1–5 on child welfare, #7–10 on education, and #18–24 on health. Further, the country must commit to national accountability for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) by implementing the related Calls for Justice. Equally critical is the expansion of Indigenous self-governance and equitable funding across all public sectors, from healthcare to housing.
Through a Truth, Reconciliation, and Transformation Lens
Social work, as a discipline grounded in principles of justice, equity, and advocacy, must take a leadership role in Canada’s journey toward reconciliation. Moving beyond symbolic recognition, the profession is called to reimagine its practices through a Truth, Reconciliation, and Transformation lens, one that centers Indigenous voices, acknowledges colonial harms, and commits to decolonizing systems from within.
1. Truth: Confronting Colonial Legacies in Practice
Social workers must begin by fully acknowledging the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism, including the role social work has played in the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system and the institutionalization of cultural erasure. Practicing through a truth-informed lens means engaging with the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), particularly Calls to Action #1-5, which address child welfare reform and the urgent need for culturally appropriate services.
2. Reconciliation: Building Trust, Relationships, and Responsibility
Reconciliation in social work involves cultivating ethical, sustained relationships with Indigenous communities that go beyond consultation to true partnership. This includes:
Supporting Indigenous-led solutions and services.
Creating culturally safe, trauma-informed environments.
Embedding Indigenous worldviews and practices into organizational policies, education, and service delivery.
Reconciliation also means advocating for the systemic changes needed to ensure self-determination, language revitalization, land stewardship, and healing for Indigenous Peoples.
3. Transformation: Reshaping the Profession for Justice and Accountability
To truly transform social work, professionals and institutions must:
Indigenize curricula and mandatory training for students, educators, and practitioners.
Recruit, support, and retain Indigenous social workers and leaders.
Evaluate and redesign systems to dismantle racism, colonialism, and bureaucratic harm.
Align practice with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Calls for Justice.
4. A Call to Ethical Action
Applying a TRT lens is not optional, it is ethical. Reconciliation must not remain abstract or symbolic within social work. It requires a transformative shift in thinking, accountability in action, and humility in learning. Every policy rewritten, classroom restructured, and service redesigned through this lens becomes an act of justice and a step toward a truly equitable profession.
From Commemoration to Collective Commitment
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation marks Canada’s ongoing commitment to acknowledging historical and cultural trauma and working towards healing and justice as a nation. Reconciliation cannot be achieved solely through acknowledgement; it must be rooted in action, accountability, and sustained structural change. The symbolism, educational resources, and community actions connected to this day invite individuals and institutions to learn, listen, and act.
What you Can Do
As an individual:
Wear orange on September 30 and share why it matters.
Read the TRC’s Calls to Action and reflect on your role in reconciliation.
Support Indigenous authors, artists, and businesses.
Attend local memorials, cultural events, or learning sessions.
As an organization or school:
Incorporate Indigenous history, worldviews, and languages into programming.
Create safer, culturally affirming environments for Indigenous clients and staff.
Partner with Indigenous communities and leaders on initiatives and policies.
At the systemic level:
Advocate for the full implementation of UNDRIP, the TRC Calls to Action, and the MMIWG Calls for Justice.
Fund Indigenous-led health, education, and child welfare services.
Establish long-term partnerships with Indigenous governments and service providers.
By Evetta Solomon
Resources and Further Reading
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Government of Canada — Overview of Sept 30
Indigenous Watchdog — Indigenous-led nonprofit holding stakeholders accountable on TRC Calls to Action.
CASW Webinars:
○ Foundations for Reconciliation in Social Work
○ Bigidendan – “Release it from your Mind”
○ Pursuing Truth and Reconciliation / Valeur 3: Établir la vérité et la réconciliation
Indigenous Canada MOOC (University of Alberta); A free 12‑module course exploring Indigenous histories and Canadian relations. University of Alberta
CFILA’s “Indigenous MOOCs” Resource - Highlights Indigenous Canada and similar educational offerings in Canadian library networks.