National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Sep 21 – Webinar: Reconciling Identity: A discussion about Two-Spirit people within the LGBTQ2+ communities

• We are living in a time of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in Canada and many other colonized lands. But what about Indigenous peoples who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+? In this session, we will discuss what the “2” in LGBTQ2+ stands for and engage in discussion with a panel of Indigenous Two-Spirit people who will share their experiences with indigeneity in the LGBTQ2+ communities. Register here.

Sep 26-29 – snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ Langara College Events

• Register to attend one of the events offered right here on campus.

Sep 28 – Reconciliation Workshop with Charlene Seward

• Come to the Sharing Farm to have an open dialogue about reconciliation. The discussions will be lead by Charlene Seward, who is a member of the Squamish Nation and among other positions is the Indigenous Foodways Community Outreach Facilitator at KPU. She is known for creating a safe space for dialogue and learning about reconciliation. Register here.

Sep 28–Oct 16 – Frozen River (nîkwatin sîpiy)

• Carousel Theatre for Young People (“CYTP”) opens its 2022/23 season with the West Coast premiere of Manitoba Theatre for Young People’s award-winning play Frozen River (nîkwatin sîpiy). A poignant and powerful play about reconciliation, environmentalism, and interconnectedness, Frozen River (nîkwatin sîpiy) tackles meaningful issues through engaging storytelling, whimsical puppetry, and an age-appropriate narrative – suitable for children and youth of all ages (5+) – about the generational impact of our actions on the environment and our communities. More information.

Sep 29 – In Conversation: Chrystal Sparrow, T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss and Rena Soutar

• xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) artists Chrystal Sparrow and T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss will discuss their experiences participating in a cultural residency in Stanley Park with Cha’an Dtut-Rena Soutar, Manager of Decolonization, Arts & Culture at the Park Board. Register here.

Sep 29 – A Calls to Action Conversation on Truth and Reconciliation

• Hear and learn from Indigenous leaders as they reflect on the Calls to Action and the meaning of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This event hopes to create an open and honest space to illuminate the reality of Indigenous experience in this country, as well as reflect on the nature of the September 30 holiday, when so many of the impactful Calls to Action remain incomplete. Register here.

Sep 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (New Westminster)

• Spirit of the Children Society will host a pipe ceremony at Westminster Pier Park to honour the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. More information.

Sep 30 – Orange Shirt Day: Walk and Ceremony (Grandview Park)

• The Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre (VAFC) and the Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre (VACPC) are gathering with elders and their families on Thursday for a walk and ceremony at Grandview Park. More information.

Sep 30 – Orange Shirt Day: Drum ceremony (Trout Lake)

• The Nisga'a Ts'amiks Vancouver Society is gathering at Trout Lake to honour the children who died at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, among many other children who died because of residential schools. More information.

Sep 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Healing Walk (Abbotsford)

• On September 30th, Vancouver Career College’s Abbotsford campus will be hosting a healing walk in recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This walk will take place to recognize the impact residential schools have had on indigenous communities across Canada and to bring people together in order to heal wounds and bridge divides. More information.

Sep 30–Oct 3 – Free Admission at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre

• Reflect on our history. Connect to the land. September 30th will be a day of reflection, stories, learning, and contemplation at the SLCC. The day will be filled with programming throughout the Great Hall, Theatre, Istken Hall, Galleries, and out on the Mezzanine patio. More information.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Government of Canada

• This webpage includes resources on reconciliation as well as events and offerings around Canada. More information.

The Secret Life of Canada (CBC)

• A podcast about the country you know and the stories you don't. Join hosts Leah-Simone Bowen and Falen Johnson as they reveal the beautiful, terrible and weird histories of this land. Some episodes of interest:
  • Shanawdithit – Looking into the history of the Beothuk, the Indigenous people of Newfoundland
  • The Indian Act
  • Bay Blanket
  • Crash Course on Friendship Centres 
  • The Mounties Always Get Their Land
    • Part 1
    • Part 2

Unreserved

• Unreserved is the radio space for Indigenous voices — our cousins, our aunties, our elders, our heroes. Rosanna Deerchild guides us on the path to better understand our shared story. Together, we learn and unlearn, laugh and become gentler in all our relations. Some episodes of interest:
  • Retelling history from Indigenous perspectives
  • What it means to be an elder 
  • How Indigenous architects are resisting colonial legacies and reshaping spaces 
  • What does it mean to give land back to Indigenous communities? 

All My Relations

• Discussions from the hosts around what it means to be Indigenous with super-smart and relatable experts to join them on topics like Native American mascots, Indigenous food and feeding the spirit, sexuality, and whether DNA test results should be linked to identity. Some episodes of interest:
  • Indigiqueer
  • Native Appropriations
  • The Border Crossed Us
  • Protect Indigenous Women

Henceforward

• Mutually respectful conversations about the relationship between Indigenous and Black people in Canada, touching on topics like reparations, Black Lives Matter, reconciliation, and gentrification. Some episodes of interest:
  • Black Indigenous Identity in Canada
  • Multiculturalism: A Performative Distraction
  • Reconciliation?

Telling Our Twisted Histories

• Words connect us. Words hurt us. Indigenous histories have been twisted by centuries of colonization. Host Kaniehti:io Horn brings us together to decolonize our minds– one word, one concept, one story at a time. Some episodes of interest:
  • Reconciliation
  • Discovery
  • School 

Missing and Murdered: Finding Cleo

• Where is Cleo? Taken by child welfare workers in the 1970’s and adopted in the U.S., the young Cree girl’s family believes she was raped and murdered while hitchhiking back home to Saskatchewan. CBC news investigative reporter Connie Walker joins the search to find out what really happened to Cleo.

Senator Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

• Senator Murray Sinclair on reconciliation.
• Senator Murray Sinclair on how Canadians can work toward reconciliation.

Every Child Matters: Reconcilitation – Act One & Two

• Act One
• Act Two

Documentary: nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up

• On August 9, 2016, a young Cree man named Colten Boushie died from a gunshot to the back of his head after entering Gerald Stanley’s rural property with his friends. The jury’s subsequent acquittal of Stanley captured international attention, raising questions about racism embedded within Canada’s legal system and propelling Colten’s family to national and international stages in their pursuit of justice. Sensitively directed by Tasha Hubbard, nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up weaves a profound narrative encompassing the filmmaker’s own adoption, the stark history of colonialism on the Prairies, and a vision of a future where Indigenous children can live safely on their homelands.

Documentary: Highway of Tears

• Highway of Tears is about the missing or murdered women along a 724 kilometer stretch of highway in northern British Columbia. You can rent the film here.

Documentary: We Know the Truth: Stories to Inspire Reconciliation

• A CBC Manitoba documentary that recasts Canada's history and future through the empowerment of Indigenous people. Meet Indigenous people who are telling the true history of Canada and residential schools and creating change on their own terms. Reflect with residential school survivors and be inspired by those who are working hard to keep their culture and languages alive.

Namwayut: we are all one. Truth and reconciliation in Canada

• Chief Robert Joseph shares his experience as a residential school survivor and the importance of truth and reconciliation in Canada in this documentary.

Langara’s Teaching and Curriculum Development Centre

• The learning, unlearning and relearning needed for decolonization and Indigenization is a lifelong journey. It begins by learning the truth about Canada’s historical and current relationship with the First Peoples of this land, implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action, and exploring Indigenous cultures, perspectives, and worldviews with curiosity and respect. These resources offer a place to start that journey. 

Langara Library: Self-study for Reconciliation

• This section highlights non-fiction, fiction, and creative non-fiction works, primarily by Indigenous authors, to help build cross-cultural awareness and understanding.  

Langara Library: Resources for Learning About Canada's Residential School System

• Please note that the resources on this guide include survivor testimony and textual and visual depictions of psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. Please see the top of this page for information on support services.

Langara Library: National Day for Truth & Reconciliation Book Titles

Langara Library Reading List

• A curated list by the Langara Library about truth and reconcilitation. 

Graphic History Collective: Remember | Resist | Redraw

• A Radical History Poster Project featuring works by artists and writers offering alternative perspectives on well-known historical events, and highlighting histories of Indigenous peoples, women, workers, and the historically oppressed people that are often overlooked or marginalized in mainstream historical accounts. 

First Peoples: A Guide for Newcomers

• This guide introduces newcomers to three important topics: who are Aboriginal people (or First Peoples) in Vancouver and Canada; a brief overview of the relationship between the Government of Canada and First Peoples; and current initiatives and ways for newcomers to learn more about Aboriginal people in the community.

First Peoples’ Map of BC

• This map can be used to view Indigenous language regions, artists and artworks, place names and community landmarks. You can hear the pronunciation of language names, greetings, places and more. All of the 34 languages Indigenous to what is now called British Columbia are represented.

Vancouver Public Library: Indigenous Peoples in Canada Resource Guide

• This guide is intended to help you find resources on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people and issues in B.C. and Canada, with a particular focus on Indigenous peoples in British Columbia.

Beyond 94

• This website that monitors progress on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action.

A Reconciliation Reading List

• 15 must read books on the path to reconciliation.

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Reports

• Read the TRC 94 Calls to Action as well other reports from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

• Report
• Fact Sheet

• Indigenous Residential School Survivors Society
• Urban Native Youth Association
• Spirit of the Children Society
• Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society
• True North Aid
• Reconciliation Canada
• On Canada Project: Settlers Take Action
• Indigenous Gift Guide for Shopping Local