09/30/2025
Today, on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we honour the survivors of residential schools, the children who never returned home and the generations of trauma that continue to affect Indigenous families.
Residential schools were not mere “schools”—they were systems enforced by law. Under the Indian Act, Indigenous parents were compelled to send their children to these institutions, and non-compliance could result in fines or even imprisonment. Children were forcibly removed from their homes, stripped of language, culture, their identity, and then subjected to several types of abuse.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2008–2015) heard the stories of thousands of survivors, produced a multi-volume final report, and issued 94 Calls to Action addressing the shameful legacy of the residential school system and laying out a roadmap toward reconciliation.
One significant legal step responding to the TRC’s Calls to Action was the amendment to the Citizenship Act in 2021, which added a requirement in the Oath of Citizenship to “respect the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.”
As the sole- proprietor of Nadjiwan Legal Services who is also an Indigenous woman of Anishinaabe Ojibwe descent and the granddaughter of a survivor of the Spanish Residential School for Boys, this day is deeply personal for me. Truth and Reconciliation is not only remembrance—it’s accountability, education, and action. May today serve as a call to learn, reflect, and work toward a more just future.
If you want to take tangible steps, I encourage you to use the link below, read the 94 Calls to Action and reflect on how you, your work, or your community can contribute to their implementation:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/indigenous-people/aboriginal-peoples-documents/calls_to_action_english2.pdf
🧡 Every Child Matters 🧡
🔥🔥.🔥🔥.🔥🔥.🔥
