The 24-hour safe and confidential National Residential School Crisis Line, available at 1-866-925-4419, provides crisis referral services to Survivors and their families and explains how to obtain other health supports from the Government of Canada. First Nations, Inuit, and Métis seeking immediate emotional support can also contact the Hope for Wellness Help Line toll-free at 1-855-242-3310, or by online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:
“On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, we confront the lasting and painful impact of the residential school system on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis in our country. We remember the children who never returned home. We honour the Survivors, who suffered unspeakable abuse. We listen to their experiences and their stories, and recommit to the shared path of reconciliation.
“Between 1867 and 1996, the federal residential school system forcibly removed over 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children from their families and communities, and separated them from their cultures, languages, and identities. Many endured years of trauma and loss at the hands of these institutions. Reconciliation is not just a matter of looking back and understanding the mistakes of the past. It is also about understanding that those mistakes are still shaping us today.
“The Government of Canada is dedicated to walking alongside Indigenous communities on their healing journeys, making it a top priority to support them every step of the way. We will continue our work to support their efforts to identify children who did not come home from residential schools, to locate and memorialize related unmarked burial sites, and to honour those who died. This is part of our ongoing commitment to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Earlier this year, we also announced funding to fight residential school denialism and preserve the memory of what happened under this deplorable system to ensure that history never repeats itself.
“Today and in all the days to come, I encourage Canadians to reflect on the enduring impact of residential schools, participate in Indigenous-led National Day of Truth and Reconciliation events in their communities, learn about the stories of Survivors, and wear orange in honour of every child who suffered or lost their life. Let’s reflect on how each and every one of us can contribute to a better country – and a better world – through truth and reconciliation.”
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