September 24, 2026
September 30 marks Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour residential school survivors, their families and communities, and to remember the children who never returned home.
The national day was established in 2021, following a call to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for a statutory holiday dedicated to remembering the history and legacy of residential schools.
It is meant to provide an opportunity for people to learn about that history, listen to survivors and Indigenous communities, and take part in events happening where they live.
“Reconciliation is really an everyday responsibility,” said Ktunaxa Nation Council Chair and Spokesperson Kathryn Teneese. “We all have a responsibility for it. It’s not something we only acknowledge on days like September 30 because it needs to be expressed through changes to our individual thinking and behaviors over time.”
Teneese said a good starting point is to learn more about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
Released with the commission’s final report in 2015, the calls to action address areas including education, child welfare, health, justice, language and culture, and the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Teneese encourages people to find the calls to action online, review them, and consider them on a personal level.
“Look at them, find one thing that resonates with you, and do something differently in your life as a result,” she said. “Change happens person-by-person.”
Teneese said it’s important to recognize Indigenous peoples not only through the lens of history, but also as communities whose lives and contributions continue today.
“A lot of times people seem to want Indigenous people frozen in time, but as society is evolving, so are we,” she said. “We are good neighbours, artists, and businesspeople—acknowledge that.”
Residents of ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa looking for a way to mark September 30 can wear orange, attend a local event, listen to Indigenous voices and spend time with the Calls to Action.
For Ktunaxa ʔaqⱡsmaknik (people), Teneese said the day is “an opportunity to celebrate who we are and the fact that we are still here, despite all efforts to eliminate us.”
