On Saturday, September 30, Canada will observe the third annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, alongside Orange Shirt Day. It's a significant day that invites us all to pause and reflect on the distressing history of the residential school system in Canada, as well as the injustices faced by Indigenous communities. It's a time to honor the survivors and remember those who never made it back home.
“Truth and reconciliation is about creating a path that we can walk and heal together. We must acknowledge there is much work to be done,” says Jordan Coble, Westbank First Nation Councillor and RDCO Director. “The path can feel uncomfortable for all of us as we shed the constraints and traumas of the past, but we encourage you to embrace this journey as part of your own healing, to come out stronger and better for generations to come.”
The path to reconciliation demands that we confront the truth of what has been done to Indigenous people in the past and continues to this day. The injustices faced by the syilx / Okanagan people and all Indigenous communities across Canada manifest in policies that perpetuate racism, adversity, and oppression.
“The journey to reconciliation begins with acknowledging the uncomfortable truths of our colonial past,” says Loyal Wooldridge, RDCO Board Chair. “As someone who is not Indigenous, it is vital to actively learn and recognize the hardships endured by Indigenous peoples. It is only through this understanding that we can take action and create a more equitable future of unity and healing.”
True reconciliation means confronting colonial practices that often exist within local government systems. The RDCO Regional Board is committed to reconciliation and this summer announced truth and reconciliation as one of its five strategic priorities for 2023-2026 and recently hosted a half-day forum with Westbank First Nation dedicated to advancing reconciliation and strengthening the collaborative relationship between the two governments.
“The RDCO is taking meaningful steps towards inclusive governance to advance reconciliation in our community,” says Wooldridge. "We recognize that true reconciliation is a constant presence in the work we do each day, walking side-by-side with our syilx / Okanagan community as genuine partners."
While the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation serves as a time for mourning and remembrance, it also presents an opportunity to listen and learn about the language, culture and customs of the syilx / Okanagan people. Residents are encouraged to commemorate the day by attending an event in their community.
“With each step we leave a stone in the path for others to follow, making it easier for those yet to be,” says Coble. “Reconciliation doesn’t start and end on September 30th, so I look forward to the work in the days, weeks, months and years ahead that will lead to healing for those of us who are here now and the ancestors of the future.”
For more information about truth and reconciliation in your community visit rdco.com/syilx. Read the Truth and Reconciliation report and review the 94 Calls-to-Action at nctr.ca.