This week, a Residential School Memorial set up in the Main Quad of North Campus is providing a powerful message about the painful history and continued legacy of residential schools. Each one of the 10,028 flags placed in the ground commemorates a child lost and a family and community grieving the impacts of the residential schools that spanned Canada. These schools operated for more than 100 years with the last school closing only 25 years ago.
The memorial reminds us of the importance of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and of the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples which are only now coming to light for many Canadians. Introduced in 2021 in response to one of the 94 Calls to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation takes place on Sept. 30. It honours the many children who didn’t return home, survivors of the residential school system and their families and communities. A day of reflection and learning, it is a time for all of us to recommit to understanding and responding to the ongoing impacts of the wide-ranging policies of assimilation as a crucial part of the reconciliation process.
Orange Shirt Day also occurs on Sept. 30. In 2013, wearing orange became a symbol of the experience and suffering of Indigenous children who were taken from their parents and forced to attend residential schools. The day is a reminder to all of us of the commitment behind the words “every child matters.” The day was sparked by Phyllis Webstad, who was six years old when her shiny new orange shirt — a gift from her grandmother — was taken away on her first day at residential school on B.C.’s Dog Creek reserve.
The University of Alberta is committed to the journey of reconciliation and recognizes that we have been part of historic systems that created barriers to Indigenous sovereignty and wellness. In June, during Indigenous History Month, we formally launched Braiding Past, Present and Future: University of Alberta Indigenous Strategic Plan. This plan contains concrete measures to strengthen Indigenous identity, languages, cultures and worldviews. The plan makes it clear that all Indigenous initiatives at the University of Alberta must be Indigenous led.
In observance of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the University of Alberta will close for regular operations and will not hold classes on Sept. 30. As we are not on campuses tomorrow, many of us are wearing orange today on Sept. 29, signaling that we are remembering, honouring and learning.
I ask our university community to join the journey of reconciliation. There is much work ahead of us. On Sept. 30 and throughout the year, I encourage you to wear orange and increase your understanding about the history and ongoing impact of residential schools and colonialism in Canada. This understanding helps guide our actions in this collective responsibility. This path of hope and healing will take time and it is one we must walk together.
Bill Flanagan
President and Vice-chancellor