Recommendation 4 - Affirming Truth and Reconciliation in Canada
September 30 is a national statutory holiday to recognize the widespread abuse at residential schools, honour survivors, and work towards reconciliation.
The day’s message, “Every Child Matters,” is a plea to value and care for all children, something that was not the standard held by the churches administering residential schools, nor by provincial governments, nor by the Government of Canada.
Unifor members have long organized for justice on Orange Shirt Day. The ongoing discovery of remains of missing children on the sites of former residential schools confirms what Indigenous communities have said for decades—thousands of children went to the school and never returned home. Recognizing the painful history and ongoing impact of residential schools and colonial violence is integral to the reconciliation process.
As Unifor National President, I recommend that Unifor:
- Affirm its commitment to the 94 Calls to Action resulting from the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission;
- Also affirm its commitment to the 231 Calls for Justice that subsequently resulted from the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls; and
- Encourages local unions to further Truth and Reconciliation by learning about the Calls to Action and Calls for Justice, developing membership engagement, participating in Indigenous Solidarity actions, and promoting education and awareness, including through participation in Unifor’s Turtle Island education series.
