On September 30 of each year, we recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. This date serves as a day of commemoration for the harm done to Indigenous communities by the residential school system. The day offers non-Indigenous peoples the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
This year is particularly significant as it marks the 10-year anniversary of the creation of the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
As an educational organization, it is our duty to ensure that we teach the truth of Canadian history in our classrooms and schools. We all have responsibilities as treaty people and must uphold those in order to move forward together and shape a Canada built on healing and trust. While strides forward have been made, there is still much work to be done both nationally and here in York Region. As educators, we must continue to use the calls to action, especially those specific to education, to support meaningful change and contribute to the healing and reconciliation process.
All YRDSB schools are flying the Every Child Matters flag this week and our commitment to engaging in Indigenous ways of learning and knowing will continue throughout the year by embedding Indigenous Education into our learning.
As the late Honourable Murray Sinclair said, "We have described for you a mountain. We have shown you the way to the top. We call on you to do the climbing." At YRDSB, we will continue to climb in the name of truth and reconciliation.
Sincerely,
Bill Cober
Director of Education