OTTAWA -- Canadians across the country will mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Wednesday for the sixth consecutive year, honouring the survivors of residential schools and those who never made it home. Beginning in the 19th century, more than 150,000 Indigenous children in Canada were separated from their families and communities and sent to church-run residential schools where abuse, malnutrition and inadequate health care were rampant. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded in its landmark 2015 final report that the school system was a central element of a state-backed policy of cultural genocide. Between 1857 and 1996, 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend church-run, government-funded residential schools. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission initially documented the deaths of 3,200 children at residential schools. However experts at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation -- who continue to comb through millions of records -- say the actual number could be much higher. The establishment of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30 was among the recommendations in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report. CBC/Radio-Canada, APTN and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation are hosting their annual Remembering the Children event on Parliament Hill. The 90-minute ceremony will feature speeches from residential school survivors, elders and Indigenous leaders. Performances by Tia Wood, Soleil Launiere, Silla and Adrian Sutherland are also scheduled. Guests and participants are encouraged to bring a pair of children’s shoes to place at the front of the stage to honour the children who attended residential schools. Separate events to mark the day are taking place across the country, including in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Iqaluit. Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to speak at an event in Edmonton. He issued a statement before the event in English, French and nine Indigenous languages including Algonquin, Denesuline, Innu-Aimun, Inuktitut (Northern Baffin), Mi’kmaq, Michif, Oji-Cree, Plains Cree, and Western Ojibway. The federal government “bears responsibility” for the “profound and enduring harm” caused by the residential schools system, Carney said in the statement. “We owe Survivors more than remembrance,” he said. “We owe them action. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action remain a road map for that work.” Only 14 of the 94 calls to action have been completed in the last 11 years, according to independent monitor Indigenous Watchdog, with 41 recommendations considered in progress, 24 stalled and 15 not started. “On this day, we gather to honour every child taken by the residential school system and to stand in solidarity with those who survived it. As denialist voices seek to distort the past, our collective responsibility to uphold the truth is more important than ever,” said Stephanie Scott, executive director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. “Honouring these children means facing our history with unwavering honesty and ensuring that `Never Again’ is not just a phrase, but a binding commitment backed by meaningful action.” Gov. Gen. Louise Arbour, who attended a survivors’ flag-raising ceremony on Parliament Hill, said in a statement she, like many Canadians, did not grow up knowing the history of residential schools. But she said facing the “painful and unsettling history” is an essential part of building a better future. “We cannot change the past, but we can choose how we move forward,” she said. “It begins with listening with empathy to First Nations, Inuit and Metis voices. It continues through honest dialogue, ongoing learning and concrete action to address the inequities inherited from past wrongs.” Culture Minister Marc Miller said the day is an opportunity for non-Indigenous and Indigenous Peoples to come together and reflect on the legacy of residential schools. “Reconciliation is a responsibility we all share, and by connecting with each other and our history, we can help build a future grounded in understanding, respect and hope.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2026. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
