Zoey Liu / Staff reporter

Canada’s first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation took place in September 30. This national day is determined to take place the same date every year. On Wednesday September 29, after all Gleneagle students and staff watched the assembly video, many people would like to express their feelings and opinions on this special day.

The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is aimed to wake up the dark history hidden for years, to make people recognize the truth of the Indigenous residential schools, understand how painful Indigenous people used to feel, and to prevent any unfair treatments happening to Indigenous people again, according to the information written by Government of Canada —- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

“One of the ways we can look at this … is not as a day off, but looking at it as national truth and reconciliation day of action,” said Michael Redhead Champagne, the Winnipeg Indigenous activist and organizer in the article written by Sam Thompson —- Sept. 30 not just another day off, says Winnipeg Indigenous activist.

“It’s not just about marching and dressing up and getting some time off from school [or] work,” Champagne said. 

“If you fully understand what that … ceremony is about, you won’t prevent yourself from crying.”, said Murray Sinclair, the former senator and the former chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, at article written by CBC Radio —- National day for Truth adn Reconciliation is 1 step on a long journey, says Murray Sinclair.

Many people believe that National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is not just a day off. Instead, it should be a day to reflect, to listen the voice from Indigenous residential school survivors, a day to call everyone for recognizing justice and equality, to stroke those broken souls from the stolen kids. Kanamu Kabayashi, grade 10 in Gleneagle, shared that she will participate into the event called “It’s Time to Drum”, held by the Coquitlam Center Park on this National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

When talking about the education about the Indigenous history with Ian Baird, grade 10 in Gleneagle. Baird said he didn’t know too much about this history before.

“I didn’t learn too much in my middle school. We didn’t talk about the complete story about the residential school. We only knew the Orange Shirt Day. We wear orange T-shirts and go to school, and that was basically it. If I go to join in these events, I will learn much more about it,” said Baird.

(Child) Phyllis Jack Webstad

According the article written by CBC News —- Orange Shirt Day: How Phyllis Webstad’s 1st day at residential school inspired a movement, the Orange Shirt Day was inspired by Phyllis Jack Webstad, the residential school survivor. She stripped the new orange shirt her grandmother bought her on her first day in the residential school when she was six. Later the school staff grabbed the shirt, and it never came back to her. This reminds her how they ignored her feelings. Today, it has become a tradition to wear orange T-shirts to reflect this dark history.

(Adult) Phyllis Jack Webstad

“I think, generally being more aware of the Indigenous history and culture, because it is something that was happened in Canada. It was really part of Canadian culture, because the Indigenous people were here for thousands of years, and we didn’t recognize that……” said Brian Hunter, EAL teacher in Gleneagle.

Indeed, we are still many steps away from the complete, true history about the Indigenous residential schools.

“I feel like I don’t know enough about it. I’m just beginning to learn about myself, but I guess compassion is huge. It’s (not) like the Remembrance Day. It (Remembrance Day) has been around forever. We all know the bad thing that happened…… We all have the background of that, but this is a new day for us to recognize.” said Lori Gregory, career and life education teacher in Gleneagle.

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