September 30 – mark the day for Truth and Reconciliation
Winnipeg City Council appears to be poised to recognize September 30 – the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – as an official municipal holiday.
“Formally recognizing the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation would build on a number of efforts put forward by Council and the City of Winnipeg to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Calls for Justice,” said Mayor Brian Bowman in a news release, the day Executive Policy Committee approved the move. “I will be supporting the recommendations in this administrative report and I am proud of our continued commitment to truth and reconciliation.”
It will go to Council September 29.
September 30 was enacted as a federal statutory holiday, meaning federal workplaces will close. In Manitoba, the provincial government has said non-essential provincial services, offices, and schools, will close for the day. Some private employers are choosing to close or to hold in-office activities to mark the day.
The MHCA has decided to close its office Thursday, Sept. 30, to allow staff to commemorate and reflect upon the legacy of the Indian Residential School era, and its continuing impact on Indigenous people and all Canadians.
We encourage all members of the heavy construction industry to take in local events or hold in-office activities, to allow your staff to take part in this day of reflection.
Other activities to commemorate the day include:
- The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, hosted at the University of Manitoba, has a series of online events the general public can register for, to expand understanding of the legacy of Indian Residential Schools. Click here to link to their website and to register
- The NCTR, as well, is inviting all Canadians to tune into an hour-long broadcast special to honour the stories and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples affected by the tragedies of the residential school system. You can watch the special Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. on APTN, CBC, CBC Gem, ICI TÉLÉ and ICI TOU.TV.
- The Manitoba Museum will be providing free admission from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 and a series of programs to build awareness of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day.
The MHCA office reopens Friday, October 1, at 8 a.m.
Chris Lorenc,
President, MHCA
