National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Re-circulated by the New Westminster & District Labour Council
**September 30, 2021 is Orange Shirt Day**
The Tk’emlups te Secwepemc Nation, who announced more than 200 unmarked graves had been found at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., is inviting people to mark Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. They have shared a video to help people learn the Secwepemc Honour Song to drum and sing at 2:15 p.m. Pacific time on Sept. 30.
Chief Rosanne Casimir says news of the unmarked graves sparked a global outpouring of support and the invitation offers a way for people to connect. The nation is encouraging participants to teach the honour song in schools, workplaces and at home.
The NWDLC Community and Social Action Committee ordered orange Every Child Matters t-shirts from the Orange Shirt Society. The shirts were provided by Kit and Kaboodle in Williams Lake and $5.00 from the sale of every shirt goes to the Society to support their work. Due to high provincial demand we were only able to source the following sizes at this time:
Youth Large, Adult Small, Adult medium, Adult Large and Adult 3XL.
Shirts are available at a cost of $20 to delegates, with some shirts also being donated to local Indigenous groups.
Please contact the Labour Council office if you would like to pick up a shirt before September 30th, at 604-291-9306 or nwdlc@shawcable.com.
Please note, our office will be closed on September 30 in observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.