Message from the Governor General on the occasion of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30, 2024

On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we commemorate the lives forever lost or traumatically affected by the residential school system. We honour the resilience of Survivors, who bravely share their stories so that history may never be repeated.

Reconciliation is a shared pursuit. We all have a responsibility to take steps, collectively, to right the historic wrongs that continue to impact the present.

There are steps we can all take to contribute to the reconciliation process: we can wear an orange shirt, educate ourselves about the residential school system, read (or re-read) the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action and use our platforms to inform others.

We still have much work to do.

But together, we can create a society where an inclusive understanding of our history is at the centre of our national identity.

Hope is not something we have to strive for. It is with us now, especially today.

Mary Simon

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