Orange Shirt Day

In honour of Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we invite you to learn about Canada’s history in the spirit of truth and reconciliation, reflect on the legacy of the residential school system, and take action.

The Caring Society is pleased to partner again with Assembly of Seven Generations (A7G) and Beechwood Cemetery to offer another year of activities to honour Orange Shirt Day on September 30, 2026.

We will be offering Reconciling History walking tours and other activities to learn about the past and take action toward reconciliation.

Participants listen to young people from A7G giving Reconciling History tours at Beechwood Cemetery.

Events at Beechwood Cemetery

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!

Events Downtown Ottawa

Tours start hourly from 10am to 3pm

Join us and the youth from the Assembly of Seven Generations (A7G) for the Reconciling History Tour, a free guided walking tour led by Indigenous Tour Guides in downtown Ottawa. This 90 to 120 minutes, 2 km tour explores key points highlighting the contrasting perspectives of Duncan Campbell Scott, a principal architect of the residential school system, and Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce, who exposed the preventable deaths of Indigenous children in these schools.

The tour offers a unique opportunity to learn about the role of non-Indigenous peoples and the federal government in residential schools and to reflect on lessons from history to address ongoing injustices experienced by Indigenous peoples.

Please note the tour is currently offered only in English and may not be fully accessible due to its length. If you require accessibility accommodations, contact us at admin@a7g.ca.

All event details including the start time and location will be sent to your registered email prior to the event. This event fills quickly and often has a waiting list, so please cancel promptly if you are unable to attend.

Click here to register

Spirit Bear wearing an orange shirt

Other Ways to Participate in Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

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 30th 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!

Take a Virtual Reconciling History Walking Tours through Downtown Ottawa

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.

Watch The Good Canadian

What if there was a dark secret behind a national identity? The Good Canadian exposes the truth behind the idea of a True North strong and free. In this unflinching and eye-opening documentary, directors Leena Minifie and David Paperny move us through the corridors of systemic inequity, from the Indian Act to residential schools, to modern-day family separation. The Good Canadian challenges national myth-making, while offering Canadians the chance to forge a new identity from the truth. Produced by Leena Minifie and David Paperny. 

This film is Rated 14+.

*Trigger warning: child removal, residential school images.

Same-day streaming on APTN lumi or YouTube.

 

Write a letter for the full implementation of the TRC Calls to Action

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:

Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A2


 

Name of Member of Parliament
House of Commons 

Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

Find the name and mailing address of your MP
Spirit Bear 4 poster

Watch Spirit Bear's film, Echoes of the Past, and Read Spirit Bear's Books

Watch Spirit Bear’s film Spirit Bear: Echoes of the Past for free on Spirit Bear TV. This is the fourth film in the Spirit Bear film series, following Spirit Bear as he embarks on a much needed vacation to Songhees and Esquimalt territories (Victoria, British Columbia). Spirit Bear learns about Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce and what it means to reconcile history. 

All of Spirit Bear's films are available to watch for free on Spirit Bear TV!

We also encourage you to read Spirit Bear's books: Spirit Bear and Children Make History, Spirit Bear: Fishing for Knowledge, Catching Dreams, Spirit Bear: Honouring Memories, Planting Dreams and Spirit Bear: Echoes of the Past (available in French, English and select Indigenous languages).

If you want to take your learning to the next level, you can complete the associated learning guides, also available for free on Spirit Bear's Books & Learning Guides page.

Create your own heart garden

Whether you are an individual, a group, or an organization, anyone can plant a heart garden to show their commitment to reconciliation.

After learning about the history and legacy of residential schools, decorate your paper heart in a way that honours the children who attended or were lost to residential schools. Be creative with the images, colours, and words you use. 

You can plant your heart garden indoors or outdoors, and they can be made of decorated paper hearts or include real flowers and medicine. Be creative and speak from your heart! 

If you're in the Ottawa area, head over to Rideau Hall to check out the permanent Heart Garden next to the visitor's centre.