Remember Me: A National Day of Remembrance
Opening Ceremony • 11am Moment of Silence • Spirit Walk • Picnic & Activities
An annual gathering to remember Indigenous children & families affected by the Indian Residential 'Schools' and other child apprehension programs.
The IACC supports, loves and gently holds onto
all Indigenous persons affected by child apprehension programs such as the Indian residential 'school' systems, the Sixties Scoop and present day efforts to change, erase, ignore, kill or conform Indigenous cultures of Turtle Island. We offer oien'kwa'ón:we (assemma, tobacco) and Atónnion (Eagle) medicines in memory of those who died and for the continued healing of survivors, their families and communities. May all hold close the teachings of the Ka'nikonhriióhtshera (Good Mind) and move forward in a way that promotes compassion, equality and inclusivity.
September 30th: A National Day of Remembrance
Opening Ceremony • 11am Moment of Silence • Spirit Walk • Picnic & Activities
Please donate today and join us on Parliament Hill in Ottawa where, in honour of the survivors of Indian residential schools and Indian child apprehension programs, we will have ceremony and a national moment of silence. Afterwards we will have a Spirit Walk to Confederation Park where everyone can participate in activities, food, artisans and performances at Confederation Park. We will also be supporting Indigenous women through ceremony and mental health supports.
A day to remember each year. Remember Me: Elevating Orange Shirt Day to a national day of remembrance.
Indigenous child apprehension and assimilation
is defined as carefully planned programming by church and state with the common goal of eradicating Indigenous cultures.
Child apprehension programs include, but are not limited to:
- Residential Schools (children as young as 3 years old),
- Sixties Scoop apprehension of newborns (hospitals and cradles) and the filtering of Indian children into foster care after biased assessments of inadequate parenting, grandparenting, living environments, etc.,
- Incarceration (non-conforming students, teens and young adults),
- AIM Program (Adopt an Indian or Métis), newspaper ads selling children to Canadians as healthy, strong and compliant ‘helpers’ for your housework or farm work.
Remember Me: A National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
An annual day of remembrance: September 30th
September 30th as a statutory holiday in Canada
September 30th is known as Orange Shirt Day.
Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) Residential School (1891-1981) Commemoration Project and Reunion events that took place in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in May 2013. Orange Shirt Day is the vision of Alkali Lake Chief Fred Robbins, a survivor of residential school.
The Orange Shirt represents the story of Phyllis (Jack) Webstad who, on her first day at residential school, had her bright new orange shirt taken away from her. It was given to her by her grandmother, she was six years old.
September 30th has quickly become part of the curriculum in our public and separate school boards, churches and organizations. In 2020 it is estimated that over 15,000 teachers and over 600,000 students acknowledged September 30 as Orange Shirt Day.
Statutory Holiday Fail
September 30th has now been coined by the federal government as, ‘a national day of truth and reconciliation’. This term is unlikely to get the same attention from educators and educational institutions as Orange Shirt Day has for the past 6 years. As a statutory holiday, children will not be in school.
- Awareness projects will be less visible to Canadian families,
- Images of Canada’s little ones in Orange Shirts will disappear from educational networks and mainstream media,
- Curriculum previously addressed on September 30th will cease to be presented to children and families in schools,
- Many Canadians will consider the paid vacation day as an end of summer celebration,
- ‘Day of remembrance’ will not be acknowledged.
Re-Imagining ‘a national day of truth and reconciliation’.
- We must push forward with preserving the awareness & educational proponents of Orange Shirt Day.
- Orange Shirt Day is already an established remembrance day in Indigenous communities and educational circles across the country.
- Continuing on the theme of Orange Shirt Day, educators will continue to recognize and promote education and healing.
September 30th vs. Remembrance Day
November 11th is a day to remember veterans and is filled with etiquette and protocols.
We propose that September 30th hold the same respects:
- National opening address and prayer on Parliament Hill,
- History of residential schools and child apprehension programs,
- History and meaning of Orange Shirt Day and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,
- Moment of silence across Canada at 11am,
- Traditional song, drumming and cultural ceremonies,
- The wearing of Orange Shirts,
- Lowering flags to half mast across the nation,
- Creating spaces for public and private ceremony,
- Freedom to unobstructed marches, walks and vigils,
- Creating educational spaces and events in lieu of regular school day,
- Making spaces for public events of cultural significance across Canada.
September 30th: A National Day of Remembrance
Please donate today and join us on Parliament Hill in Ottawa where, in honour of the survivors of Indian residential schools and Indian child apprehension programs, we will have ceremony and a national moment of silence. Afterwards we will have a Spirit Walk to Confederation Park where everyone can participate in activities, food, artisans and performances at Confederation Park. We will also be supporting Indigenous women through ceremony and mental health supports.
A day to remember each year. Remember Me: Elevating Orange Shirt Day to a national day of remembrance.
In partnership with:
September 30th: A National Day of Remembrance
Please donate today and join us on Parliament Hill in Ottawa where, in honour of the survivors of Indian residential schools and Indian child apprehension programs, we will have ceremony and a national moment of silence. Afterwards we will have a Spirit Walk to Confederation Park where everyone can participate in activities, food, artisans and performances at Confederation Park. We will also be supporting Indigenous women through ceremony and mental health supports.
A day to remember each year. Remember Me: Elevating Orange Shirt Day to a national day of remembrance.