Orange Shirt Day

Join us at Beechwood National Cemetery for an afternoon of activities to honour Orange Shirt Day on September 30, 2026.

Please note that all tours and screenings require registration

Visitors are invited to attend a screening of The Story of a National Crime, a 45-minute CBC radio play imagining a discussion between Dr. Peter Bryce and Duncan Campbell Scott. 

Documentary Screenings Only (47 mins)

• 11:00 AM 
• 1:00 PM

Documentary Screening with Additional Tour (2 hours)

• 3:15 PM*
• 4:15 PM*
• 5:15 PM*

*these screenings include an additional tour exploring Beechwood's connection to the history of residential schools and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action. 

French Tour (1 hour)

• 5:00 PM (tour only, no documentary)
  • Please note, guests are invited to attend the 4:15 pm documentary screening. However, it is only available in English.

Action tables will also be available for visitors wishing to learn how they can support reconciliation.

Commemorative Ceremony

• A special ceremony will be held at 2:00 pm to honour the children who never returned home from residential schools and recognize Survivors, while reflecting on the ongoing journey toward truth and reconciliation.

• A moment of silence will be observed at 2:15 pm to honour the memory of the 215 people that were recovered at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in 2021.

   

We welcome all visitors to join us in learning, remembering, and taking action towards reconciliation.

 Click here to register!

For generations, residential school Survivors and their families have bravely shared the truth behind Canada’s Indian Residential School System. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission listened to these truths and created a roadmap to reconciliation in the form of 94 Calls to Action to redress the legacy of the residential school system. Within the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, the Commission called for a national day to honour First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children who both survived and who were lost to residential schools.

September 30^th is Orange Shirt Day, also known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. To learn more about Orange Shirt Day, please visit the Orange Shirt Society's website and read Phyllis Webstad's story and listen to her message here. We encourage you to commit to honouring residential school survivors and their families and supporting the legacy of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by reading the 94 Calls to Action and identifying ways you can contribute to reconciliation. Children can participate by reading Spirit Bear's child-friendly guide to the TRC's Calls to Action and choosing an action to work on with others.

Orange Shirt Day is an opportunity for education, reflection, truth-telling and taking action, but you can get involved in reconciliation at any time of the year. If you are unable to join in on the in-person events hosted by the Caring Society or in your community, there are still a number of things you can do to honour the day from wherever you are!

Learn:

The Reconciling History initiative invites people to learn from the past in the spirit of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its Calls to Action. Explore the Reconciling History Tour virtually and learn about the complete and true story of the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. 

Take Action:

Share the Reconciling History Tour on social media and share the ways that you’re committing to reconciliation. Be sure to tag us in your post ‪@caringsociety.bsky.social‬ @fncaringsociety on Instagram, and @FirstNationsChildandFamilyCaringSocietyofCanada on Facebook.

Learn:

We encourage you to read through the Spirit Bear’s Guide to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action

Take Action:

Using the template provided, write letters to the Prime Minister and your Member of Parliament for the full implementation of the TRC Calls to Action. Mail may be sent postage-free to the Prime Minister and any Member of Parliament at the following addresses: