September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to memorialize the children lost to the residential school system and to honour Survivors and their families. Educational activities and ceremonies planned around the day are designed to help Canadians understand this dark chapter in our country’s history and its present-day impacts. If you’re able, take part in an event or commit to learning more about NDTR.
NDTR is held on the same day as Orange Shirt Day, first observed in 2013 and inspired by Phyllis Jack Webstad’s story of having her orange shirt taken away on her first day at residential school as a six-year-old girl. In 2015, a registered charitable organization, the Orange Shirt Society, was established to:
- Create awareness of the concept of “Every Child Matters”
- Support Indian residential school reconciliation
- Create awareness of the individual, family, and community intergenerational impacts of Indian residential schools through Orange Shirt Society activities
It is up to all of us to learn about the origins of the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, and to strive for a more just, empathetic, and compassionate society that champions Indigenous rights. Read below to learn about ways to get involved and learn about the impacts of residential schools, and on September 30, wear your orange shirt as a symbol of hope, reconciliation, and commitment to a better future.
Participate:
- Government of Canada events listing (by province): List of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation activities – Canada.ca
- Orange Shirt Society: Programs – Orange Shirt Society
- Southern Chiefs’ Organization Inc.: Annual Orange Shirt Day Healing Walk and Pow Wow
- UM – Ways to Participate: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | Indigenous | University of Manitoba
- Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre: Every Child Matters Gathering (445 King St.) – TBD
- Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc.: Every Child Matters: A Day of Reflection, Learning and Action (34 Higgins Ave.) – TBD
- Main Street Project: Embrace and Support – Walking the Healing Path Together – TBD
Learn:
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR): A week of learning and reflection (September 21 to 25) to help us all move toward reconciliation. Watch the recorded events: Lunch and Learns – Truth and Reconciliation Week
- “Remembering the Children: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation” September 30 on Parliament Hill (90 minutes) starting at 12 pm EST; produced by APTN, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, CBC/Radio-Canada, the Algonquin Nation
- University of Alberta’s Indigenous Canada course: Indigenous Canada | University of Alberta (free, online; 12+ hours)
- 4 Seasons of Reconciliation (free, online; 3-4 hours)
- We Will Take Good Care of the People | Ongomiizwin – Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing | University of Manitoba
- CBC will mark the National Day with a lineup of Indigenous-led original programming showcasing First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and experiences across CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC News Network, CBC digital platforms, CBC Radio, CBC Music and CBC Listen.
- The Gord Downie Chanie Wenjack Fund – Truth and Reconciliation Week 2026 – The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund
- Race & Equity in the Healthcare System Data Findings – Government of Manitoba announcement about the collection of voluntary race data from all patients, and the impact of systemic racism on health outcomes and ER wait times.
Visit:
- Agowiidiwinan Centre at The Forks in Winnipeg – Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba
- Orange Shirt Days @ the Manitoba Museum – Manitoba Museum (September 30, October 1 & 2: three days of FREE all-day programming focused in partnership with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.)
- Learn about Residential Schools online: Understanding Residential Schools – Manitoba Museum
- Canadian Museum for Human Rights – FREE admission all day.
- WAG Qaumajuq: Three-storey glass vault is filled with thousands of Inuit carvings; free to view in the gallery lobby.
- Fort Whyte Alive: Free admission all day.
Read:
- 21 Things to Know About the Indian Act – Bob Joseph
- Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality – Bob Joseph
- The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America – Thomas King
- True Reconciliation: How to be a Force for Change – Jodi Wilson-Raybould
- Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls – Jessica McDiarmid
MAHCP’s Orange Shirt Day Initiative – 2026
In honour of Survivors, and as a statement of our commitment to strive for equitable and culturally safe healthcare practices, in 2024, we commissioned original artwork by renowned Ojibway artist Jackie Traverse. The enlarged version of ‘Protect the Medicine’ adorns our office’s entryway walls, and has been applied to prints, shirts, and MAHCP cards.
For 2026, MAHCP once again made available for purchase our custom-designed Orange Shirt to encourage staff, executive council, and members to demonstrate their support for this valuable cause. In conjunction with the shirt sale, MAHCP’s Member Engagement Committee has made a $500 donation to United Way to support Indigenous organizations.
ABOUT THE ART
“ Protect the medicine” – The men are standing on the outside holding abalone shells and holding eagle feathers protecting the women on the inside. The women are also holding abalone shells with medicine flowing from the shells. Women are the medicine. When men and communities protect and honour women that’s when we have true medicine and healing .