September 30 is Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. How will you mark the day?
“Education is what got us into this mess and education is key to getting us out of it.”
— The late Honourable Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC)
Why We Mark This Day
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation honours the children who never came home from residential schools, the survivors, and their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.
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Learn the History: Read the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s concise overview of Residential School History.
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Wear Orange: On September 30, wear orange to honour residential school survivors and remember those who were lost. Learn the history behind Orange Shirt Day on the Orange Shirt Society website.
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Track Canada’s Progress: Review the federal government’s status on implementing the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action on the Government of Canada Truth and Reconciliation dashboard.
A Story of Action and Repatriation in Georgian Bay
Reconciliation involves tangible steps toward restoring relationships, respect, and stewardship. This year, we are proud to share a deeply meaningful story from one of our member associations, the Northern Georgian Bay Association (NGBA).
Over the winter, former NGBA board member Bill Riat was approached by former Ogimaa Duke Peltier regarding an historic, sacred pipe that was going up for auction near Columbus, Ohio. The Riat family attended the auction and successfully acquired the pipe on behalf of the community.
In early May, Bill presented the pipe to Mr. Peltier in Killarney. The pipe was formally received on May 21 at the annual Manitoulin Treaties and Knowledge Gathering at Manitowaning—the historic signing site of the Robinson-Huron Treaty.
The NGBA board expressed its deep gratitude to Bill Riat and his family for representing the association, as well as to Duke Peltier and the community Elders for their trust and friendship. You can learn more about the significance of the sacred pipe here.
Ongoing Engagement & Local Resources
GBA continues to participate in regional treaty and reconciliation gatherings across the watershed. Our Executive Director will be attending the Indigenous Land and Resource Management (ILREM) conference in Magnetawan on November 11, as well as upcoming learning gatherings in Sudbury.
We encourage our entire community to deepen their understanding of the lands and waters we share:
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Georgian Bay Association Resources:
- GBA has created some materials to serve as an introduction to the geography and history of First Nations, Indigenous and Métis presence on the eastern and northern shores of Georgian Bay:
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Georgian Bay Biosphere: Explore their curated collection of Cultural Resources
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Native-Land.ca: Map traditional territories, languages, and treaties across Georgian Bay and beyond using the Native-Land Interactive Atlas
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Support Local Friendship Centres: Consider making a donation to support urban Indigenous programs and community services across the Georgian Bay region:
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Parry Sound Friendship Centre (Donate via CanadaHelps)
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Georgian Bay Native Friendship Centre – Midland (Donate via CanadaHelps)