Canada will celebrate its first National Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30, a federal holiday created to honor Canadian residential school survivors, their families and communities, and to publicly commemorate the impact and trauma suffered by peoples. indigenous peoples in Canadian residential schools.
What is the September 30 holiday?
the The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is a response to one of the 94 calls to action detailed by the 2015 Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It will take place on the same day as Orange Shirt Day, a day that honors and remembers the thousands of lives lost and those who survived the experiences of residential schools. One way to do this is to listen to survivors tell their stories and experiences.
What provinces are celebrating the Day of Truth and Reconciliation?
Unlike the Ontario government, which decided not to make September 30 a legal holiday, there are some provinces that have chosen to make National Truth and Reconciliation Day a provincial holiday. Provinces such as Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island will recognize September 30 as a legal holiday.
What’s open on September 30 in GTA and throughout Ontario?
The TTC will operate regular business hours. GO Transit and UP Express will also operate normally, with staff wearing orange ribbons and messages to mark National Truth and Reconciliation Day will be played on the trains, according to a Metrolinx spokesperson.
Pearson International Airport will be open and flights will operate as usual.
School boards will remain open throughout the province, and some schools will dedicate the day to activities and educational programs on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Libraries will also be open.
Popular tourist attractions such as the CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium, the Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario will be open. The toronto zoo offer complimentary admission to indigenous peoples on September 30.
Shopping centers and grocery stores will also be open on Thursday.
What’s closed on September 30 in GTA and all over Ontario?
All federally regulated industries and workplaces will close on National Truth and Reconciliation Day. This includes private sectors such as airlines, banks and Crown corporations, as well as public sectors such as Parliament and public services. Canada Post it will also be closed.
Some companies voluntarily close on September 30 to celebrate the day.
reBOOT Canada, a nonprofit organization with locations in Toronto, Mississauga and Peterborough, provides essential technology and Internet access to underserved communities. The nonprofit organization will close on September 30 and hopes its decision will spark conversations on indigenous issues among its sponsors.
“If you tried to contact reBOOT Canada and discovered that we are closed, I hope you understand why it is closed and take a look at the findings that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission presented and the recommendations and instructions that came out of it and make efforts to align with those calls to action in some way, ”said Francisco Rota, executive director of reBOOT Canada.
Other companies have chosen to modify their hours of operation rather than shutting down entirely for the day. Earlier this month, LCBO announced that stores across the province will open at noon, two hours later than usual, saying that he sees the holiday “as an opportunity to commemorate and reflect.”
“Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process,” says the federal website about the national holiday.
Truth and Reconciliation launched its final report detailing 94 calls to action. Having a federal statutory holiday to commemorate, reflect and honor the children who survived residential schools and those who did not is just one of those actions in what the commission hopes will be a step forward in the reconciliation process.
Reference-www.thestar.com