Every Child Matters: Truth & Reconciliation on September 30
September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Learn how the orange shirt became a symbol for Every Child Matters, and ways Canadians can support survivors, honour lost children, and commit to reconciliation- today and beyond.
Honouring Survivors, Remembering the Lost, and Building a Better Future Together
Orange Shirt Day honours the children who never came home, the survivors, and the ongoing path toward truth and reconciliation.
On September 30th, Canadians across the country pause to reflect on one of the darkest chapters in our history: the residential school system. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, honours the survivors of residential schools, remembers the children who never came home, and calls on each of us to take meaningful steps toward reconciliation.
The phrase Every Child Matters is more than a slogan. It is a reminder of the children who were taken from their families, stripped of their language and culture, and subjected to immense harm in institutions meant to erase their identities. It is also a call to action—for us as individuals, as communities, and as a country—to ensure that such injustices are never repeated.
Why Orange?
The story begins with Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) woman who, at the age of six, attended a residential school for the first time. She arrived wearing a bright orange shirt her grandmother had bought for her. That shirt was taken away on her first day—and she never saw it again.
For Phyllis, the colour orange has since come to symbolize how children’s feelings, rights, and their very identities were disregarded. Today, wearing orange on September 30th is a powerful act:
It honours the children who never returned home.
It shows respect for survivors and their families.
It demonstrates a commitment to awareness, allyship, and reconciliation.
A simple orange shirt carries a profound message: Every Child Matters.
The Legacy of Residential Schools
From the late 1800s until the final school closed in 1996, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in residential schools across Canada. Many suffered neglect, abuse, and the loss of their languages, traditions, and family connections. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) documented these harms and issued 94 Calls to Action in 2015, urging governments, institutions, and all Canadians to confront this history and build a path toward reconciliation.
The legacy is not in the distant past. Survivors live with the impacts every day, and intergenerational trauma continues to affect families and communities. Understanding this context is essential to meaningful reconciliation.
Reconciliation is not only the responsibility of governments and institutions, it requires the involvement of all Canadians. Here are some practical steps we can take, both on September 30th and throughout the year:
Wear Orange with Intention
Choose to wear an orange shirt on September 30th, but take time to reflect on its meaning. Talk to your children, friends, and colleagues about why you’re wearing it. Many Indigenous artists and organizations sell orange shirts; buying from them directly supports survivors and their communities.
Seek out books, films, podcasts, and art by Indigenous creators. Amplify their voices in conversations and on social media. For families, children’s books like Phyllis’s Orange Shirt offer an accessible way to start discussions with young learners.
Reflect While Attending Local Events
Across Canada, communities come together on September 30th with ceremonies, marches, educational talks, and cultural gatherings to honour survivors and remember the children who never came home. Attending these events is a powerful way to show solidarity, while also offering opportunities to learn directly from Indigenous leaders and survivors. To find local activities, visit your city’s official website, explore resources from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), or check with local organizations and community centres hosting observances.
Commit Beyond the Day
True reconciliation is year-round. Consider donating to organizations supporting Indigenous youth, education, or language revitalization. Engage with the NTRC’s Calls to Action and ask how you, your workplace, or your community can contribute.
Teaching the Next Generation
For parents, guardians, and educators, Orange Shirt Day offers an opportunity to talk with children about fairness, respect, and history. These conversations don’t need to be heavy or complex, just honest and age-appropriate. Emphasizing that every child deserves love, respect, and belonging helps children understand why the day matters and how they can grow into allies.
A Shared Responsibility
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is both a solemn reminder and a call to action. Remembering the children who never returned home is painful, but necessary. Honouring the resilience of survivors is inspiring, but it is only the beginning.
Reconciliation requires listening, learning, and sustained commitment from all of us. When we wear orange, attend a local event, or take time to educate ourselves, we are part of a broader movement that says: We will not look away. We will do better.
As Canadians, let’s carry the message of September 30th beyond a single day. Let’s make reconciliation an ongoing commitment, because every child truly does matter.
