Statement on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2023

This Saturday, people across this country will dress in orange in sorrow and in solidarity.  Residents of the Town of Saugeen Shores will join their fellow Canadians in recognizing a part of our nation’s history.

The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is about honouring the children who went to residential schools and never came home.  It is about supporting those children who survived and who grew up to live with the scars of that terrible time.  It is about recognizing the families and the communities who have borne those same scars for generations.

As Canadians, we want to demonstrate our values to the world and set an example for others.  We do this by admitting when we are wrong… and when we have done wrong.  In our dealings with Indigenous people, we have done such wrong.

That is what this day stands for: trying to atone for those grievous mistakes, and doing everything we can to support our indigenous communities.  We do this by shining a light on these tragedies so future generations can see and hear and know.

All month, the Town has provided residents with resources to learn more about the survivors of residential schools.  To show our support, we have also flown the “Every Child Matters” flag on Town flagpoles.  On Saturday, those flags – along with the Canadian Flag – will fly at half-mast.  We encourage all residents to wear orange clothing on that day.

Knowledge is power, and by recognizing this day, we hope to empower Indigenous people’s culture and freedom and self-esteem… while empowering all Canadians to confront our legacy and do so much better.