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TRC Call to Action #80 (2015)
We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal Peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component.

September 30, 2021 marks the very first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a statutory holiday honouring the lives of Indigenous survivors and victims of residential schools. Previously, September 30 has been recognized as Orange Shirt Day, in honour of Phyllis Webstad who had the orange shirt that she wore on her first day of residential school taken away from her as a 6 year old. The Canadian government, in partnership with the Church, sought to assimilate and systemically dismantle Indigenous people through residential schools. Their faulty reasoning was founded on racism, ignorance, contempt, and the Doctrine of Discovery.

On this day, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people come together and stand in solidarity, honouring the resilience of the First Peoples of Canada and commit to working out the ongoing process of truth and reconciliation. On this day, we declare that Every Child Matters.

As an organization, Tenth will be observing this day as a holiday. All employees will receive this day off. May this be an invitation to each of us to reflect deeply about what this means personally, and an opportunity for each of us to take the initiative to educate ourselves. May we each seek the Lord in what our part could be as we walk this road of truth and reconciliation together.

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