National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
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This week’s article is born through gathering, and sharing, information on local, provincial and national observations for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
September 30th marks both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day (Every Child Matters). The 2026 observance continues Canada’s commitment to acknowledging the harms of residential schools and advancing reconciliation through education, remembrance, and community participation. The day serves as a powerful reminder of the lasting impacts of the Residential School system. What began as a grassroots initiative has since evolved into a nationally recognized movement, with individuals, organizations, and communities across Canada participating in acts of remembrance, reflection, and reconciliation each year. Public commemoration of this tragic chapter in Canada’s history, and its lasting effects, plays an essential role in advancing truth and reconciliation.
Truth and Reconciliation, 2024, City of Mississauga.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, established in 2021, recognizes Survivors, their families, and communities while ensuring the history and legacy of residential schools are publicly remembered. On September 30, Canadians are encouraged to wear orange in honour of Residential School Survivors and their families, and in remembrance of the children who never returned home. There are many ways to pause and reflect on Truth and Reconciliation:
Illuminating Parliament Hill: to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation the Peace Tower and the Senate Building in Ottawa will be illuminated in orange throughout the evening of September 30.
National Commemorative Gathering: APTN and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation invite Canadians to take part in the National Commemorative Gathering: Remembering the Children – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This 90-minute commemorative event highlights survivors as well as Indigenous artists. The event will be broadcast live from Parliament Hill, starting at 12 p.m. (ET) on the APTN channel and on several major television and radio networks on September 30: www.aptntv.ca/ndtr/rtc/
Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its calls to action: there were 140 federally run residential schools in Canada that operated between 1867 and 1996. Survivors advocated for recognition and reparations and demanded accountability for the intergenerational impacts of harm caused. The Truth and Reconciliation Committee created 94 calls to action:
https://nctr.ca/about/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-of-canada-calls-to-action/
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has become the permanent archive for the statements, documents and other materials the Commission gathered: https://nctr.ca/archives-and-collections/ & https://nctr.ca/missing-children-and-unmarked-burials-initiative/
For information on provincial initiatives, please visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/national-day-truth-and-reconciliation
At home here in Mississauga, there are many ways to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Mississauga remains committed to advancing Reconciliation, increasing awareness and understanding within our community. There are a wide range of educational initiatives and opportunities for learning, reflection and engagement:
On Tuesday, September 29, take part in Family Storytime at the Hazel McCallion Central Library. Learn about the importance of Truth and Reconciliation through stories, and shared reflection: https://anc.ca.apm.activecommunities.com/activemississauga/activity/search/detail/165116?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true
View the Mississauga Library’s curated Indigenous booklist: https://mississauga.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/display/2423508199/3106274327
Wear an orange shirt on September 30 and be a part of the national conversation using the hashtag #EveryChildMatters: https://orangeshirtday.org/
On Wednesday, September 30, visit the Bradley Museum to learn about the history of Indigenous Peoples in Mississauga. Staff will also share what the City is doing today to further the process of Reconciliation and the 94 Calls to Action. Tours will run every 30 minutes between 12 and 4 pm: https://www.mississauga.ca/events-and-attractions/events-calendar/national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation-at-bradley-museum/
To recognize this important day, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation flag will be raised on September 30 at Mississauga Celebration Square and the Civic Centre clock tower will be lit orange in the evening.
On September 30, the digital screens at Mississauga Celebration Square will be highlighting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, and the City’s commitment to Reconciliation.
Join the University of Toronto Mississauga Indigenous Centre for the 2026 All-Nations Powwow at U of T Mississauga on Saturday, October 3 from 12 to 5 pm: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/all-nations-powwow/
At Heritage Mississauga, we have several resources for local Indigenous history available for free, both in print and online:
