Canadians across the country gathered today to mark the fifth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a solemn occasion to reflect on the lasting legacy of residential schools and honour the survivors, their families, and the children who never returned home.
The residential school system, which operated from 1857 to 1996, saw more than 150,000 Indigenous children taken from their families and forced into church-run, government-funded institutions where they were forbidden to speak their languages and often subjected to neglect and abuse. An estimated 6,000 children died in the schools, though experts warn the true toll may be far higher.
Observed every year on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — also known as Orange Shirt Day — is a time of remembrance, education, and action.
In Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered remarks on Parliament Hill at the Remembering the Children gathering, co-hosted by APTN, CBC, and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. Similar events unfolded nationwide, including a legacy gathering in Toronto and a memorial walk in Vancouver.
The day is intended not only as a commemoration of the past but also as a call to advance reconciliation and to build a more inclusive future rooted in respect and understanding.