SASKATOON — The Saskatoon Tribal Council has initiated the #ActOnReconciliation campaign to harness momentum from the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and annual Orange Shirt Day Sept. 30, to keep reconciliation top of mind all year long.
The campaign launches as the discoveries of unmarked graves at former residential schools keep coming. On Wednesday, Williams Lake First Nation announced the discovery of potential human burials on the former grounds of St. Joseph's Mission Residential School in British Columbia’s central interior.
“Sharing how we are going to take action going forward to make reconciliation happen is the way through the dark history of residential schools to heal our intergenerational trauma and improve the quality of life for our people,” said STC Chief Mark Arcand.
“It is by coming together united in a common cause, such as the movement #ActOnReconciliation, that we build community and strengthen relationships to move forward in a good way.”
The city of Saskatoon lowered its flags to show support for Williams Lake First Nation, survivors and all families impacted by residential schools. The city is also supporting the initiative by challenging its employees and residents to act on reconciliation throughout 2022.
Mayor Charlie Clark said reconciliation begins with truth.
“Every day, we hear more truths about the injustices that Indigenous peoples have faced in our community and our country – from hurtful comments to structural racism to the deaths of children, as we learned about [Wednesday] from Williams Lake First Nation,” said Clarke.
“We have a role and a responsibility to act on these truths, every day, with an open mind and heart, and to be part of building a community that honours all of us equally.”
City Indigenous Initiatives Director Melissa Cote said reconciliation is a process.
“The demonstrations of support in our community for reconciliation this fall were unprecedented — but reconciliation is more than one day,” said Cote.
“We need to keep making steps forward on our journey to reconciliation, as individuals and organizations; undertaking big and small actions to continue the healing in our community.”
The city is encouraging all employees and residents to participate in the #ActOnReconciliation Challenge and on every last Friday of the month to:
- wear an Every Child Matters shirt or any other orange shirt;
- consider taking up the suggested reconciliation action for the month or any other reconciliation action;
- use #ActOnReconciliation to share the action they’re taking and challenge their followers to also #ActOnReconciliation.
Suggested action for January – Land Acknowledgment
Suggestions include adding a land acknowledgment to e-signature, newsletter, website or other. Posting a land acknowledgment at a place of business, learning, recreation or other. Learn why land acknowledgments matter through material provided by the University of Saskatchewan.
To establish and maintain a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission found "there has to be awareness of the past, an acknowledgment of the harm that has been inflicted, atonement for the causes and action to change behaviour.”
