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The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept 30 is the opportunity to recognize and commemorate the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools, and to honour the survivors, their families and communities. The day was established in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action.

Also known as Orange Shirt Day, wearing orange on September 30 continues to be a way to honour Residential School Survivors. Orange Shirt Day was inspired by the story of Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, who had a beautiful orange shirt, bought by her grandmother, that was taken from her as a six-year old on her first day at residential school.

Some of our team at the OTC share their perspectives on the importance of Sept. 30.

Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan, Mary Culbertson
“Residential schools only closed here in this province in 1996. We are surrounded by survivors and intergenerational survivors of all ages, their experiences must be honoured and it is our generation today and our next generations that are in our schools that will carry forward the understanding and education about these experiences and these systems that have caused such devastating effects on culture, language, identity and families. Reconciliation is about the truth, repairing relationships, building relationships. Without the truth there can be no reconciliation. Building relationships is vital to the restoration of Treaty relationships in this province. We need to ensure we are taking the time this day and throughout the days and years coming as recoveries of burial places of children will be coming to light. We have intergenerational trauma, but we have journeys of intergenerational healing too.”
Angie Merasty, Director of Operations
“The Indian Residential School Legacy continues to this day. This is a terrible legacy for Canada. First Nations children were taken from their homes, ripped from their parents arms. It happened and it can’t unhappen. This is the true history.

The significant disparities in education, health, and income between Indigenous people and other Canadians still affects Indigenous people negatively. We face high rates of poverty, food insecurity, mental and physical health issues, addictions and death by suicide.

Despite everything that has happened, we are still here! We are still standing, moving forward. We are educated. We are employed. We contribute to society no matter where we live! We are making great contributions in every community, town, city we live in.

Orange Shirt Day is a very important and special day. It is the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. It is a chance for everyone to learn about the Residential Schools, remember all the children who never made it home and honour the survivors that did.

My hope is that every single Canadian takes a moment to listen, to learn and to share what they have learned with others. Acknowledge the shared history, acknowledge that you cannot have reconciliation without the truth and lets all make sure that it doesn’t ever happen again.”

Kalina Alexis, Executive Assistant, Treaty Commissioner Culbertson
“This year Orange Shirt Day comes with extremely heavy hearts as 6,509 indigenous children have been unearthed from mass graves. It is time to bring our children home. As Indigenous people we are hurting, angry, and we are grieving. So, in the wise words of Larissa Crawford I’d like to say, “If you feel the need to frantically preform truth and reconciliation this week – don’t. Fulfill the responsibility of listening, sit with the discomfort of your ignorance and inaction, and let that inspire you to never feel this way again.”
Rhett Sangster, Director, Reconciliation and Community Partnerships
“Orange Shirt Day for me is a chance to honour the Survivors of the Indian Residential Schools and to acknowledge the trauma that they and their families have endured and continue to endure as a result of Canada’s attempts to assimilate Indigenous people. As a father, I think about my own school age children, and try to imagine what it would have been like to have my children taken away to a school far from home, where they would have learned that my language and culture was inferior and in need of “civilizing”. I take the advice of Survivors and I hug my kids close, thankful that I’ll never have to endure such a nightmare. And I resolve myself to humbly do what I can to make things right – to promote wahkotowin on the Treaty territory that I so love.

On September 30 I’ll be speaking to the Saskatchewan fransaskoises school division about how teachers and schools can advance truth and reconciliation. Then I’ll go with my family to Wanuskewin to be on the land and to take in the activities they are organizing for National Truth and Reconciliation Day.”

Amy Seesequasis, Director of Public Education
“Orange Shirt Day and the national day of Truth and Reconciliation is an important day to recognize the legacy of residential schools and honor those who survived, those who did not, and those affected by the intergenerational traumas of that legacy. It is a day to recognize the truth, although difficult and hurtful, so that we can have meaningful reconciliation. For over 150+ years Indigenous children attended residential schools and the impact has had profound impact generation after generation. We know many of our kin did not return home from these government and church run institutions, and we continue to search for them and honor them today and everyday day.

For myself, as an Indigenous woman who is the first generation in my family line to not have attended, I will spend the day with my loved ones. Together, we will honor my Dad, my in-laws, all my aunts and uncles, my paternal and maternal Kohkum and Moshum, and all survivors of residential schools, as well as our kin who did not make it home. We will do so by sharing in eachother’s company, laughter, affection and love, because in these schools our Indigenous kin were denied this.

Today is a day to honour and recognize, but also to become more aware, more educated, more compassionate and more accountable to Indigenous people. This can be achieved by learning their histories, listening to their stories and truths, and respecting their rights, dignities, causes, cultures, communities, languages, and children.”

The Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan, Mary Culbertson, and some of the OTC team joined the Prince Albert Grand Council Every Child Matters Walk in Prince Albert on Sept. 29, 2021.

The walk was hosted to honour the Survivors and children impacted by the Indian Residential Schools as a lead up to the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada.

After an opening prayer and drum group honour song, the walk moved from Prince Albert’s MMIWG monument to Kinsmen Park for speeches by dignitaries including the Treaty Commissioner.

The OTC was very pleased to be part of this important event for Orange Shirt Day.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner congratulates Gilbert Kewistep for being the 2021 recipient of The Ravi Maithel Find-A-Way Award.

This award is designed to honour people who accomplish a task that others thought was impossible. Gilbert’s drive and support of reconciliation in Saskatchewan makes him so worthy of this recognition.

Gilbert has contributed time, energy, and knowledge towards the foundation of three reconciliation circles – Reconciliation Saskatoon, Prairie Rivers Reconciliation and Yellow Quill Reconciliation. He is a residential school survivor, a knowledge keeper, a professor of social work at the First Nations University of Canada, and he works to support many initiatives in his community.

Gilbert continues to be an inspiration to all of us working on reconciliation and Treaty implementation. The OTC team was so pleased to be able to celebrate this honour with him and see him receive the much-deserved recognition at a ceremony in Saskatoon Sept. 16.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner was so excited to support Reconciliation Nipawin in hosting a two-day gathering of Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members, and residential school survivors.

The event, Fulfilling the Promises: Treaty right to Education for Residential School Survivors, was held Aug. 18 and 19, and gave space for survivors to tell their stories.

The OTC team were joined by His Honour, the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, Russ Mirasty, Treaty Commissioner, Mary Culbertson, the RCMP, President of the Law Society of Saskatchewan, Falouke Lasoban, and other dignitaries from Treaty 5.

The OTC encourages people to listen, learn from, and share the stories of residential school survivors. It’s important that today Canadians understand what was done to assimilate Indigenous people into Canadian culture.

The event ended with, “Truth and Reconciliation through Treaty Implementation: A Journey To Wahkotowin.”

His niece Simona Fern remembers him this way.

“He worked very hard for the betterment of his community and was always true to his word. He was a great leader with a strong faith in God. He only wanted what was best for everyone and treated everyone he knew with respect and equality. He didn’t have much but he would always help and support those in need. He was a very well-respected man and our family loved him very much. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.”

Losing leaders is always difficult, but we know their memory lives on through their teaching and positive impacts on others.

The wake for Chief Robillard begins Aug. 11 and the funeral will be held in Black Lake on Saturday. (Details here)

It has been five years since 22-year-old Colten Boushie was fatally shot. It is five years that Debbie Baptiste has been without her son.

His death drew attention from across Canada and sparked a conversation about racism and discrimination in the province.

We have seen the findings and recommendations from the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP investigation into the RCMP’s investigation, which acknowledges issues with police conduct, and calls for change.

But that is only the smallest starting point.

Boushie’s family and their lawyer have received racist messages of hate, and many people posted hateful, racist comments online about Boushie, his family and Indigenous People.

The words we write and the things we say have an impact. Our communities need to do better.

We support Ms. Baptise in her call for an apology from the RCMP and stand with her in solidarity in the face of discrimination she receives.

Today we also call for change. We ask that all people learn about Indigenous People, culture, and worldview. We ask that all people in Saskatchewan work to repair the Treaty relationship and engage in reconciliation.

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner is pleased to congratulate former Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan Judge David Arnot for his well-deserved appointment to the Senate of Canada.

Arnot was the second Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan, from 1997 to 2007, and during his time in the role he coined the term “We are all Treaty people” to capture the nature of the Treaty relationship in Canada. He was also a driver in the creation of the “Teaching Treaties in the Classroom Project” ensuring Treaty education was permanently a part of the Saskatchewan curriculum.

“Judge Arnot has a deep understanding of the pillars of treaty implementation and reconciliation and undertook this work long before it was popular. The Senate will be complimented by the knowledge that he has painstakingly and patiently acquired. He will be a voice of reason and compassion,” said Mary Culbertson, Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan.

Arnot remains a valued mentor to the Office of the Treaty Commission and speakers bureau member.

It has been an amazing week for women.

Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer was elected the Grand Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake. She is the first LGBTQ2S+ and woman to hold the title in what’s been called a historic moment.

Mary Simon was selected as Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General. Simon is an Officer of the Order of Canada, and advocate for Inuit rights and culture in Canada. She rightly said, her appointment was historic and an important step forward in the long journey towards reconciliation.

Then we saw RoseAnne Archibald elected as the first woman national Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Archibald has a long history of firsts including the female deputy grand chief Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), for Mushkegowuk Council, and as Ontario regional chief.

We continue to see institutions embracing the role of women as leaders and we continue to break through the glass ceiling. Each woman who sits in a leadership role shows the next generation what is possible.

Congratulations to these new leaders.

It has been a difficult few months, finding the remains of children at two residential schools and knowing that the more we look the more will be found. For years Indigenous communities talked about the children who never returned home. This is bringing to light what they already knew and what can’t be denied now.

For others, the past month is shedding a new light of truth on the history of Canada.

This Canada Day consider wearing orange instead of red and white as some people do, we can do this to honour the truths we have to continue to understand. It’s also in honour of Indigenous Peoples and the Treaty relationships that are the base of Canada’s foundation.

Take time on July 1 to acknowledge what Indigenous Peoples endured in residential schools, during 60s scoop, and with the pass system. Take time to learn about residential schools, there is so much material available. Listen to the experiences of survivors, read the reports from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

As we work towards reconciliation, we can never forget that the truth of the history must come first. This Canada Day the OTC asks that people celebrate their resiliency, that all Canadians learn and educate themselves to understand why so many people are grieving all over again, are hurting so profoundly and work to repair the Treaty relationship. No other generation can endure what the others before us have, and experience what we are going through now. This is all based in racism, discrimination and assimilation. As horrific as the truth is Canada needs to face it. #HonourTheTruth  #HonourTheTreaties

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has also been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.

Graduation is a significant milestone in a person’s life. It is an accomplishment that deserves recognition especially for those students graduating after the unprecedented years we’ve had due to COVID-19.

With this in mind, the Office of the Treaty Commissioner is so pleased to congratulate all the graduates of 2021!

In this year’s graduating class are two of the OTC Youth in Service. These are students who completed their studies in class, but also took the time to be part of the work of reconciliation in Saskatchewan. Abby Blomquist and Hailey Rose, thank you for your participation, congratulations on your achievement, and best wishes as you take your next steps.

Always remember there is no limit to what you can do, believe in yourself, and show us all what you can accomplish.  Take pride in how far you have come, we are looking forward to seeing how far you can go.