On September 30 people across the country wear orange shirts to raise awareness of the devastating impact that Canada’s residential school system had on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.

In a year when the unmarked graves of hundreds of Indigenous children have been found in jurisdictions across the country, it is more important than ever to show support for the survivors and honour those who were lost.

The discovery of the graves reminds us of the pressing need to continue calling for an end to the systemic racism and misogyny that underpins Canadian colonial endeavours.  Now more than ever we need to push for truth and reconciliation so that the next generation will not need to suffer the intergenerational trauma that has impacted Indigenous people across the country, including Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse individuals.

Systemic inequity has had negative social, cultural, economic, and health impacts for Indigenous peoples.  One of the most damaging being residential schools, a systematic attempt to strip children and youth from their families, support networks, and culture, an assimilation policy akin to state sponsored kidnapping.  The impact of this policy manifests itself today as gender-based violence, disproportionate impact of child protection and legal systems on Indigenous communities, poverty, and unhealthy coping strategies, to name just a few.

There were over 130 residential schools in Canada with over 150,000 Indigenous children in them, many of whom never returned home.  Survivors have told stories of the abuse and denigration they faced at the hands of church employees on behalf of the Government of Canada.

One such survivor is Phyllis Webstad from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation. In 1973, on her first day at St. Joseph’s Residential School in Williams Lake, BC, Phyllis’s new orange shirt was taken from her and never seen again.  This violation of Phyllis’ rights, dignity, and property is important because on September 30th, 2013, Phyllis spoke publicly for the first time about her experience, and her story began the Orange Shirt Day movement.

You can read or hear Phyllis’s story using the links below:

Written story: Click here 
Youtube Video: Click here 

In response to the Orange Shirt movement, the Canadian government designated September 30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, beginning in 2021. This responds to Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 80, which states that the federal government will work with Indigenous people to establish a day to “honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process”.

Manitoba Moon Voices Inc. stands in support of survivors of the residential school system, and calls on all levels of government to take action on these issues, including:

  • Actioning the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action
  • Actioning the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice.
  • Supporting truth-finding efforts at all residential school sites, led by Indigenous communities.
  • Funding for residential school survivors to enhance the well-being of all impacted by intergenerational trauma.

MMVI is committed to ensuring that the Calls to Action and the Calls for Justice are acted upon by policy makers in Manitoba and across the country so that all individuals and families can get justice for the harm done by the residential school system.

If you or anyone you know is in need of support, call the National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419.

In the spirit of our ancestors,

Shannon Hoskie
A/Executive Director
Manitoba Moon Voices Inc.