In 2021, the Parliament of Canada elevated the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to a Federal holiday, recognized on every September 30th (“NDTR”). This designation came in the wake of the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report and 96 Calls to Action, released in 2015 (linked below), and is intended to be a way of recognizing the children, families, survivors, and communities affected by residential schools and the historical and continuing genocide against indigenous peoples in Canada.
One of the TRC’s Calls to Action directly relates to lawyers:
- We call upon the Federation of Law Societies of Canada to ensure that lawyers receive appropriate cultural competency training, which includes the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal– Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.
While not a statutory holiday in Quebec, we at Spunt & Carin wanted to recognize this important day and are glad that we took the time to do so. We were very fortunate to be able to hear retired Grand Chief Serge (“Otsi”) Simon of the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake speak to us about his experience as Grand Chief as well as growing up in what we call Quebec as a member of the Kanesatake Nation. Otsi gave us a history of residential schools and explained the difficulties of not being able to truly own any of the land that is his community’s land due to treaties and how this impacts his Nation. One of the most impactful moments for me was when Otsi explained how quickly his community’s native languages are being lost. Otsi explained that the erosion of indigenous languages is influenced by colonialism, lack of resources, and cultural shame, all of which has a massive impact on a loss of culture and ties to ancestors and the land.
We also recognized the day by wearing orange shirts which our office purchased from a local Kanienkehaka artist showcasing Ojibway and Annishnabe designs. We were proud to wear these beautiful shirts while recognizing the important history of the Orange Shirt Day. Orange Shirt Day is an indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day in honour of Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, a residential school survivor. Phyllis went to a residential school in 1973 and was initially so excited to attend. In her own words, she states:
“I had just turned 6 years old. I lived with my grandmother on the Dog Creek reserve. We never had very much money, but somehow my granny managed to buy me a new outfit to go to the Mission school. I remember going to Robinson’s store and picking out a shiny orange shirt. It had string laced up in front and was so bright and exciting – just like I felt to be going to school!
When I got to the Mission, they stripped me, and took away my clothes, including the orange shirt! I never wore it again. I didn’t understand why they wouldn’t give it back to me, it was mine! The color orange has always reminded me of that and how my feelings didn’t matter, how no one cared and how I felt like I was worth nothing. All of us little children were crying, and no one cared.”
Phyllis founded the Orange Shirt Society to tell her story and raise awareness about the impacts of the residential school system and has published books, which are linked below. We wear orange shirts each September 30th and encourage you to do the same, purchasing them from an indigenous artist and a First Nation, to recognize the atrocities of residential schools and show support for working towards truth and reconciliation.
One thing that struck me was how generous Otsi was. While the day and the subjects he spoke about could reasonably have been very difficult and angering for him to discuss, Otsi was always gentle with his words and kind to us as settlers listening and learning and unlearning. He told us he no longer had much faith in the government to enact great change and real reconciliation, but he did have faith in us, for being present and caring and willing to make change. I think this is worth reflecting on. Even when so much harm and so many atrocities have been committed against indigenous peoples, a retired Grand Chief can stand here speaking to settlers working in law, a field that offers a certain level of power and privilege, with so much patience and kindness that we frankly do not deserve. So, when Otsi was reminding us to challenge our friends or our children when stereotypes are brought up about the “drunk Indians” or ignorant statements are made about “natives getting rich not paying taxes,” we can remember his patience and hold his kindness with us as we gently challenge others. We can respond to people on the street asking us for money or food as if they are people, which they are, instead of ignoring them altogether.
Former Grand Chief Otsi Simon had a beautiful and generous message that he left us with, and which I want to leave you with: if you take this conversation, this blog post, one of the resources below, and you speak about it with just two people, that can be enough. If you speak about the historical and continuing genocide against indigenous people in our country to your children and encourage them to question stereotypes they hear or to learn more than their school curriculum teaches them, that can be enough. If you send an email or make a phone call to your children’s school and ask them to simply recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation next September 30th with their students, that can be enough. Most of all, don’t stop. Wearing an orange shirt once a year is not enough, keep the conversation and education going all year. We don’t always need grand gestures, but we do need consistency. Keep planting the seeds in our next generations and keep protecting and respecting those who came before us and those who will follow.
Resources
Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action
Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Reports
Orange Shirt Story and where to buy orange shirts that support the Orange Shirt Society
As Long as the Rivers Flow, by Larry Loyie: a moving story about the Cree author’s last summer with his family before entering residential school; recommended for ages 7 to 11
I Like Who I Am, by Tara White: a beautiful story about a Mohawk girl who moves to her mother’s reserve and is bullied but learns to feel belonging and find acceptance; recommended for ages 6 to 12
I’m Finding my Talk, by Rebecca Thomas: a picture book by a Mi’kmaw award-winning spoken-word activist about moving through colonialism to find community and culture; recommended for ages 4 to 8
Spirit Bear: Honouring Memories, Planting Dreams, by Cindy Blackstock: a picture book by a Gitxsan author and McGill University professor about Spirit Bear who meets a friendly dog and learns about a big report on residential schools coming from a group called the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, told in an engaging, age-appropriate way; recommended for ages 6 to 12
